Hi. I've been having trouble with tank.. I have a 15yr old pleco.that I've had for ever also a little spotted catfish plus three cichlids. Not really sure what kind. But I really have a hard time with water parameters. Everything is fine but the nitrates are way to high.. I've tried everything.. Water changes every week which I still do. To chemicals to new media.. In the tank I have aquarium fake rocks. Sand. And driftwood. I have two hob filters both are for 75 gal tanks. Which mines is 65 gal. I really only use seachem products besides there food.. I don't know why my water is completely off. And it has a slight yellow color to it.. Please help. I love my fish and none so far have died. But they don't even really swim around anymore
Please help I'm about to give up on fishes
- Thread starter Ashley33
- Start date
OK, have you tested you sink water for Nitrates? It could be where your Nitrates are coming from.
The yellow water maybe from your drift wood, tannic. It is OK, but just makes you water yellow. You can run some carbon to remove, but the carbon must be replaced every month, they do not last very long.
The yellow water maybe from your drift wood, tannic. It is OK, but just makes you water yellow. You can run some carbon to remove, but the carbon must be replaced every month, they do not last very long.
What's 'way too high'?
You might want to consider adding plants. If you don't have the lighting to have them in the tank, consider something like spider plants or pathos added to the top of the HOB filter. They will help remove nitrates.
You might want to consider adding plants. If you don't have the lighting to have them in the tank, consider something like spider plants or pathos added to the top of the HOB filter. They will help remove nitrates.
How much water do you change each week? That's a very good habit to get into! I try not to bother changing 1/3 (or more) water each time.
Very easy plants include java ferns & anubias (both attached to wood or rock). They don't fix everything but can help.
OrionGirl & tanker asked good questions. We'd like exact numbers for any & all your tests so we can better help you. Also, how big is your 15 yo pleco? (they poop a lot, lol). Are you able vacuum the poo out during WCs? That'd be good! Post up a pic or 3 if you can.
Very easy plants include java ferns & anubias (both attached to wood or rock). They don't fix everything but can help.
OrionGirl & tanker asked good questions. We'd like exact numbers for any & all your tests so we can better help you. Also, how big is your 15 yo pleco? (they poop a lot, lol). Are you able vacuum the poo out during WCs? That'd be good! Post up a pic or 3 if you can.
So sorry it's taken me so long to reply.. Tap water has a lot of nitrates.. I've tried growing plants and fail at it.. I have two tints ones that are finally coming around and growing a bit. Yes pleco is my fave fish.. His the reason I got a 65gal. He's old.. Don't know how long they are supposed to last.. Water changes I do about 10 gals every week to two weeks due to the poop suckie leaves behind.. My reads are
Ph.. 7.9-8.2... I use api 8.2 ph
Ammonia.. 0
Nitrite.. 0
Nitrate.. Any where from 70-80ppm... Please tell me what I'm doing wrong.. Here is a pic of suckie... To bad I didn't have one of him hanging on the glass... He's anywhere from 12-15 inches.. And he's a tank.. Please help me.. Tell me what I'm doing wrong.. I use sponge. Purigen. And de nitrate both by seachem is filter. And now been adding carbon to help clean up my yellow... Thank u tanker for that.. It's been working... I know tanks are a lot of work sometimes.. I'm in the making of diy canister filter.. And gonna give that a try probably next week sometime.. Hope it cuts down on cleaning a hob filter every month.. But please give me any advice thank u very much
Ph.. 7.9-8.2... I use api 8.2 ph
Ammonia.. 0
Nitrite.. 0
Nitrate.. Any where from 70-80ppm... Please tell me what I'm doing wrong.. Here is a pic of suckie... To bad I didn't have one of him hanging on the glass... He's anywhere from 12-15 inches.. And he's a tank.. Please help me.. Tell me what I'm doing wrong.. I use sponge. Purigen. And de nitrate both by seachem is filter. And now been adding carbon to help clean up my yellow... Thank u tanker for that.. It's been working... I know tanks are a lot of work sometimes.. I'm in the making of diy canister filter.. And gonna give that a try probably next week sometime.. Hope it cuts down on cleaning a hob filter every month.. But please give me any advice thank u very much
I had to recently separate one of my ciclids due to him bullying another one.. Now the one that got bullied is bigger now.. U think it's ok to put the bully back in the tank... And in my pic above their is a catfish hanging out with suckie and he never leaves his side.. Do I need a couple more of them.. Is he a schooling fish.. I never really see him in the front of the tank. And wanted to get him buddy.. But didn't know what type he was..
that is a pictus catfish...they are typically best kept in groups of 3 or more, but I have 1 solo and he's fine too.
In reality, for a 65g ESPECIALLY with a 12"+ fish, you should be changing out 30 gallons or more EVERY week. If you already have tap water w/ 20-40ppm nitrates, it wil easily double in 1 week with that size fish, so water changes every week, 50% or more .....I usually do 60-90%
Water changes do virtually nothing unless you take out at least 50% due to nitrate creep
I would try doing 50% WCs twice a week to see if you can lower nitrates. What's your tap water read?
Your pleco eats & poos a lot! Have you tried zucchini or romaine for him? Not as his only food, he's an omnivore (plant & meat eater).
Your pleco eats & poos a lot! Have you tried zucchini or romaine for him? Not as his only food, he's an omnivore (plant & meat eater).
Thank u very much for ur guys reply.. Yes I will do bigger water changes.. And yes he eats zucchini and loves it... When he does eat it he does poop like a white to light green poop.. (would think because of zucchini).. U think that would be better or more beneficial for the water?? And I'm not using the tap water any more.. I'm gonna start using spring.. Don't know if that's good but I'm gonna try... I have used prime and safe for a while.. But I think I need to be dosing everyday till nitrate goes down... Think it will help?? I would love a bigger tank.. But just bought this one three yrs ago for my suckie.. That's y there's only two cichlids maybe three again and the other white catfish.. And thats it... I wanted to try snails. But not quite sure it they would benefit my tank... And does anyone know about under ground filters.. I have sand.. Like pool sand. Thought maybe about doing some kind of underground filter that would pull water though the sand to filter the water.. I'm just trying to find a better way to filter water..
Nothing you do with a filter will decrease nitrates. Water changes and plants are basically it. I wouldnt be adding Prime everyday, you can overdose on it and it won't do anything for nitrates. With that size fish in that size tank you'll need to be doing big water changes, 50% or more, once or twice a week.
As far as UGFs go. . . If not maintained properly they can lead to nitrate spikes and I wouldn't use them with sand.
If you're having a hard time growing plants it could just be that you need hardier ones. Anubias, java fern, and java moss are good easy choices. They really help a lot and because they like being attached to decor, they won't be pushed around by the pleco.
As far as UGFs go. . . If not maintained properly they can lead to nitrate spikes and I wouldn't use them with sand.
If you're having a hard time growing plants it could just be that you need hardier ones. Anubias, java fern, and java moss are good easy choices. They really help a lot and because they like being attached to decor, they won't be pushed around by the pleco.
