Generally Perplexing Tank Problems

[ODPILOT]

Oldman47 (not that old) likely has nailed it !! Sounds like by using the ammonia remover, that you have not allowed the good, nitrifying bacteria to thrive. They thrive off of ammonia and then covert the ammonia to nitrites and then nitrates. Of those three, the ammonia is the most poisonous. In a well established tank, there should be ZERO ammonia -- not "acceptable" levels as you say in your orignal post.
Cleaning out your entire fish tank, replacing the gravel and cleaning the filter, is the WORST thing you can do -- as you have completely removed the nitrifying bacteria and the tank has to cycle all over again. A new tank will have a rise in ammonia, before the nitrifying bacteria becomes abundant enough to convert it to nitrites and nitrates. You can help with adding commercial preparations that add this nitrifying bacteria. I just started a new 75 gall tank -- and it took 2 weeks before my ammonia levels came down to zero. Make sure you are vacuuming/siphoning the gravel to remove uneaten fish food and fish poops -- both which are sources of ammonia. Keeping up with this will drastically decrease the pollutants in your tank. Depending on how many gallons your tank is, how many fish you have and how much food you're putting in, you will have varying amounts of ammonia being produced. Add too much food or dont' vacuum enough, the nitrifying bacteria, which lives on all surfaces - gravel, ornaments, plants, filter medium, etc -- will not be able to keep up with the amount of garbage in the water. Also, the chorine and chloramine neutralizers can also bind up oxygen in the tank - so make sure that you have plenty of air bubbles going. You may want to check with your local water company and find out how many ppm (Parts per million) they are adding of chlorine and chloramines. You may find, as I have here in Florida, that you need more of the dechlorinator than what is recommended by the manufacturer. I find the most common reason for fish dieing is ammonia poisoning due to over feeding, not enough vacuuming the crap from the gravel and/or insuffience water changes. Remember your ammonia should be zero level at all times and if it's not, then there's too much food and poops,
Mike

 

[lin]

I, also am a newbie . . . Oldman47 suggests to NEVER change filter media??? I have a Marineland penquin 350 w/biowheel. I don't ever change the biowheel-just rinse in old water- but I do change the 2 filter cartridges(sponge with charcoal cartridges) every 3 weeks . . . is this not the right thing to do??? If this is not the thing to do, then how does one clean those grungy things??
Odpilot's reply makes for more questions . . . what is too much food, not enough gravel vacuum and what is right amount and frequency of water changes????
Great site; great forum; sorry i didn't find you sooner; enjoying and thanks for the help.

 

[SubRosa]

A Biowheel eliminates the need to maintain bacteria on the filter pads. Change them as needed.

 

[bushwhacker]

subrosa, i have biowheel filters on two of my tanks i only change the cartridges when they fall apart.. other than that i just rinse em off and put em right back in the filter

 

[LeahK]

Hello all, I'm an admitted newbie to this forum, a graduate student in DC who, along with my husband, has spent the last several months to a year trying to get our first freshwater aquarium started.

Hi! I'm also a grad student, and my husband and I have a fish tank, too. It can actually be a fun and relaxing hobby once you get past the initial cycling stages.

I just wanted to second what everyone else has said--it sounds like the tank never really cycled. If I'm correct, the ammonia has fluctuated but not the nitrites? While cycling, you should see an ammonia spike, followed by a nitrite spike, and then followed by the appearance of nitrate. After the first two spikes, ammonia and nitrite should only read 0. That is the only "safe" level. If, during cycling, they ever creep up to 0.25, it's time for a water change.

I also wanted to say, maybe one contributor to the dying fish--in addition to cycling problems--is sick fish from the store. It sounded like you were replacing some of the fish as they died, right? Every time you get a fish from the store, you run the risk of it bringing a disease into your tank. That's why many people quarantine their new fish in a separate tank for up to a month, before putting them in the main tank.

Anyway, good luck with the tank! I hope you get the cycle settled down soon!

 

[Tonalea]

What's been said is all very good.

My only other concern is to not use soaps to clean things for your fish tank. I'm fairly certain vinegar or diluted bleach is fine, but soap is just SO hard to rinse off that it's generally recommended to stay away from it.