High Nitrates

Having not as much surface area of the water could be an issue since you have a tall tank. What kind of filter do you have- is it one that hangs on back that circulates water? It kinda depends on what kind of filter it is as to how long you can rinse and reuse pads for or if it uses cartridges. Do you know the brand of your filter or can you tell us what the pads look like? How tall is the tank? I'm trying to visualize the "column." Is it literally round? I'm just wondering how much surface area there is.

I would not suggest adding cycle. I try to avoid adding lots of chemicals in an effort to get rid of nitrates because the best way to get rid of nitrates is water changes. As you said, increasing your water changes gets you off to a great start in lowering those nitrates.

Since you have bottom dwellers, schooling fish, and guoramis- you do have "levels" in your stocking. What I'm trying to say is that you have fish living in each part of the tank- bottom, middle, and top. I'd be more worried if you said you had all bottom feeders or something. Your fish are naturally spread out in swimming areas. I don't know if that paragraph made any sense:) Just keep an eye out for if your fish's health appears to change. If they look and behave normally, there probably isn't an issue. They may grow, though.

The kind of filter and oxygen exchange at the surface could impact your water quality (like nitrates) Since you don't have as much surface area, it may be a little more difficult to get oxygen exchange.
 
I must have been typing when you guys were posting:)

I have always heard that anacharis (a plant) is very good at absorbing nutrients and a good oxygenator. and I believe it. I have a lot of anacharis in both my tanks. It grows fast which mean it is taking in a lot of nutrition (such as nitrates and fish poop) to help it grow.

I would recommend anacharis, just watch for if it starts shedding. Some people say that they have shedding problems with it, but I haven't. Just make sure you don't have any decaying plant matter in the tank that could be contributing to increased nitrates.

Its a very common and cheap plant. Most stores, you can get a good sized bundle for less than $2.

It is a common to feel bombarded when you first post. It feels like people are criticizing excessively, but people just want to help. So, don't get discouraged ;) or too annoyed with us :)
 
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i agree with what's been said. don't add chemical products that claim to remove ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. they cause a chemical reaction, and probably compromise water quality for your fish. they just change the waste products into another species, that is less toxic, but can never get rid of any of it. it's basic chemistry, nothing can be destroyed, just converted.

the best, cheapest, safest and most effective way to remove nitrogenous waste products is through frequent water changes. i do 40-60% WEEKLY in a pretty well stocked 29 gal tank, that is long, not tall so i have plenty of surface for oxygenation. i have lots of plants and aeration, but i just want to keep my tank in healthier conditions.

before i was as religious about tank maintenance, i did have old tank syndrome, and my dojo loach suffered the consequences. he ended up developing swimbladder disease, and had to keep swimming downward to keep from floating like a cork. the aggressive "nosing" into the gravel tore up his barbels (whiskers around the mouth) and they still haven't grown back. i'm going to have to replace all my gravel with smooth stuff.
 
Two more cents....

It really would help if you posted the exact numbers of and what kind of fish you have, along with the filtration you are using.

I do not know of any reasoning/fact that would attribute your high nitrates to eco-complete or white spots causing the high nitrates.

The tall tank can be a contributing factor of low gas exchange, limiting the size of your biological bacteria, thus inhibiting your natural cycle.

I do not know of what calculation you are using to determine that you are overstocked by "5" fish. There isn't any simple formula that can derive that, that can't be disproved with a certain mix of fish. They are all guidelines and most often, fatal. Don't use the size they are now for determining if your tank is big enough, use adult size. Lo, the promises we have seen of "I'll upgrade later".

The ultimate cure for high nitrates are water changes, not over feeding, a well planned maintenance schedule including gravel vacs, and not over stocking. The chemical additives will not cure the issues and only cause constant instability and stress.

Your right, you could be in one of those situations where you do not want to return the fish, as it might be better to keep tham than to give them up. But how long until you can provide more adequate housing and the stress/stunting that may occur? Then if you gave them back, could somebody obtain them with a more congenial enviorenment?

For me, donate the excess back AND do a more intensive/repetitive maintenance schedule.
 
I found a fish stocking guidline online to multiply length by width of aquarium to determine surface and divide by 12 so as to keep one inch of fish per 12 square inches of surface. My aquarium is 37 gallons. 20x18x24 so, according to this formula, I'd keep 30 inches of fish within the guidlines. I've rounded up to about 35 inches of fish I've got currently.

2 blue gouramis (3 inches each)
fish listed below are 1 inch or less each exceptions noted
2 sunburst dwarf gouramis
1 dwarf neon gourami (about 1.5 inches)
4 sparkling pygmy gouramis (less than 1 inch)
4 brilliant rasboras (less than 1 inch)
6 gold barbs
2 kuhlii loaches (about an inch and a half each)
1 dojo loach (about 3 inches)
1 betta
3 cory cats (1 dwarf panda, 2 spotted)
1 chinese algae eater (3 inches)

loaches, and corys inhabit the bottom.
Gouramis except blues inhabit mid/mid lower. Blues are all over.
rasboras and barbs inhabit the top.
Algae eater is all over

I've got a penguin bio-wheel 200 good up to 50 gallons. I've got a whisper 40 airpump. The description stated the pump was a good choice for deep aquariums. Perhaps my airstone isn't up to par. I've asked if an airstone meant for dispensation of carbon dioxide would be a better choice. If gas exchange is a problem, then a better airstone makes sense??....more bubbles, more surface contact.....I'm willing to purchase a better airpump if the airstone won't remedy the problem. If an airstone will be a bonus, I'm looking at the Rena Micro Bubblers stones...any suggestions welcome. Airstones are a cheap purchase.

I'd be willing to return the blue gouramis albiet very reluctantly. They are in fantastic shape and they grew very quickly and are very friendly. I'd also be willing to return the algae eater as he is not too kind to my more delicate plants and not near as sociable as my gouramis but he too is in fantastic condition. He's fun to watch standing on his pecs too.
The dwarf neon gourami is a maybe as well. He's gorgous but he's a bit of a jerk.
That opens up approx. 10 inches.
I've got a cycled 5 gallon that housed a betta who passed away from old age a couple weeks ago. If it's needed, I could house perhaps the school of barbs or rasboras....Or maybe the dwarf neod and the betta?
My attribution that the white spots and nitrates could be from eco-complete are because the gravel is soaked in bio matter and plant fertalizers. I wondered if this coupled with the heavy amount of biological matter I seeded the aquarium with in the old filter cartridges and old gravel could have contributed to an acceleration of old tank syndrome.
I'm not sure but am wondering if the white spots on the glass have anything to do with some strange algae as a result of the nitrate levels. They recently appeared so It seems the two may be linked.

So far, pretty much I've gathered from suggestions and advice is that I have overstocked, albiet not as terribly as has been suggested. I need to be more aggressive on my maintance. Forget about chemical additives and maybe get more plants....

Thanks all for your time and suggestions.
 
You are definately overstocked IMO. Most of the Gouramis will get bigger than 2 inches (or should if not too crowded). You could do with a better filter and do 25-50% water changes once a week. This of course depends on how high your nitrates are getting in between changes. Just another point, if you upgrade filters i would do a canister filter. I have been converted. it will also help with your plants since water agitation makes the tank loose CO2 (if you are adding). Good luck.
 
Airstones tend to get clogged over time, so it may need to be replaced. When I used air pumps I would replace them fairly often because they can get dirty and that slows the air. So, you may want to switch airstones- I'm not going to make any recommendations because I don't know what would be best in your situation. I wouldn't necessarily go and purchase a new pump at this point.
I have the penguin biowheel 200 on my 29 gallon tank and one downside I have noticed is that the intake tube tends to get clogged. Have you ever cleaned it? I'm referring to the thing that has the "U" shaped curve that pulls the water in. It can get all kinds of crud hung in there. The best way to clean them is to get a filter brush. There is a kind that is readily available that is on a little cord like thing and it bends and you just remove the intake, thread the cord through it and pull it out slowly (or the brown gunk will splash all over you. Its kinda nasty) Of course, you should unplug the filter before you do this. Its really easy and quick to clean. If you've already done this, I'm not trying to make you feel stupid- but when I bought the filter about a little more than a year ago it took a long time for it to occur to me that something could be trapped in the tube. If something is decaying in there, it could be contributing to your high nitrates.
Are you using the cartridges that Marineland makes? I have found that it really extends the cartridge's life if you swish it around in the bucket of tank water after you do a water change. You don't need to do this real often, just when it starts looking really nasty or the filter seems to be pumping the water out really slow. Just don't rinse it with the faucet because the chlorine will kill your bacteria. Sometimes, I clean the plastic grid backing of the cartridge gently with a toothbrush. You can get generic brand ones at WalMart for 50 cents. Or, just save those cheap ones from when you stay in hotels. :)

Chinese algae eaters get mean as they grow older, so I would definitely take him back now.

Blue guoramis can reach a size of 6", so if I were you- I would take them back now. The longer you keep them, the more you won't want to take them back. Here is an article about them that will probably convince you. (disregard the whole 1/4 inch of gravel thing because you have plants)
http://www.****************/catalog_pages/gouramis/three_spots.htm#top2

IMO, your pygmy gouramis should work out great.

That is kind of strange that your gouramis inhabit the mid to lower because, unless I am mistaken they are labyrinth fish (correct me if I'm wrong) meaning they take breaths from the surface.

If I were you, I would put the betta in the 5 gallon because he/she would like that and they don't produce a massive amount of waste so that tank would be a lot more low maintenance than the one in this thread. In a tank by himself or with some bottom feeders he would probably be a lot more entertaining and interactive- I have one in a 10 gallon with some cories and he eats from my fingers and rubs on my hand, he's a little character. (just a thought, but if you needed to you might could move a bottom feeder in there temporarily- I don't know though. Someone who keeps loaches might have a better idea there)

Here are a couple pages about the dojo loach that you may not have seen before. I know almost nothing about loaches, so I'm not going to say anything there.
http://www.petfish.net/articles/Catfish_And_Loaches/dojo_loach.php
http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/loaches1/p/weatherloach.htm

If it were me, I wouldn't put schooling fish in a 5 gallon. But I am no great expert, so that is totally your call.

If I were you, I would not worry about too much surface agitation affecting your plants since you don't have a CO2 injection system. (or I'm assuming you don't since you didn't mention it) IMO, since you have a tall tank, you need the extra aggitation the your air pump and filter provide, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Just some of my thoughts, take it or leave it. Hope that helps. :)
Oh, and do post if you use the marineland cartridges, please.
 
I just bought this filter and will not be replacing it pending any sudden damage. I've been converted from canister to power myself.

As for agitation, that's why I brought up airstones. Particularly, the stones used for facilitating protein skimmers that produce clouds of tiny bubbles that rapidly break the surface. My airstone now is just a regular airstone that produces fairly large bubbles. They are rapid but not overly and they don't agitate the surface to any great degree.
I do not add co2.

I do vacuum small portions of my gravel every other week.

I'll be closely monitering my nitrates this week between water changes.
 
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