Hi all--
I have a new 55 gallon aquarium (roughly 4 weeks old) with a Penguin 350 power filter. It's still in the process of cycling. I condition my tap water with Prime. I test the water every day; after this morning's 25% water change today, the readings were:
ammonia 0
total and free chlorine 0
nitrite .5
nitrate 10
total alkalinity 80
pH 6.4 (unusually low for the tap water in this area, but the reading may be off due to the low total alkalinity)
total hardness 120
I have a gourami, 3 platies, 3 mollies and 7 cardinal tetras in the tank and they are all doing fabulously (one of the platies got her fin nipped by the gourami, but it's growing back). I've never had an ammonia spike, it's always read 0. I've taken a water sample to the LFS for testing each week and they get the same test results as mine.
When I first set up the aquarium, I rinsed the gravel very well. Decorations include black rocks, white gravel, fake plants and a big piece of driftwood that has been soaked in water and scrubbed down well. As soon as the test strips started showing nitrite (about 2 1/2 weeks in), I started doing water changes. With each water change, I've rinsed out the filter cartridges in tank water and I've vacuumed 1/4-1/3 of the gravel. The Visitherm Stealth heater maintains the temperature at a steady 78-79 degrees according to the digital thermometer (during water changes, I'm careful to make sure the new water's the same temperature). And, we have been very, VERY careful not to overfeed the fish.
For about a week and a half, I've noticed a fair amount of particulate matter floating in the tank. It looks like dandruff (I have a black background on the back of the tank). It's not the same sort of cloudiness I experienced on the second or third day after we added the first few fish. The water is clear except for this dandruff-like material floating around in the tank. We cut the amount of food we've been giving the fish in half for the past few days (we feel like we're starving the poor lil puppies-they all do the "feed me!" dance if we get anywhere near the tank) and it hasn't make a difference in the appearance of this dandruff-like particulate matter. It doesn't get better after water changes.
What the heck is this stuff? Will it go away after the tank is fully cycled? Is there some treatment I can add to the tank or some sort of different filter media I can use to get rid of it?
And one other question (while I have your attention) -- should I add something to bring up the total alkalinity of the tank a notch? I add baking soda to my hot tub when the total alkalinity drops to 80 or below, but I'm guessing it's not that easy to remedy in an aquarium with fish.
Thank you!!
I have a new 55 gallon aquarium (roughly 4 weeks old) with a Penguin 350 power filter. It's still in the process of cycling. I condition my tap water with Prime. I test the water every day; after this morning's 25% water change today, the readings were:
ammonia 0
total and free chlorine 0
nitrite .5
nitrate 10
total alkalinity 80
pH 6.4 (unusually low for the tap water in this area, but the reading may be off due to the low total alkalinity)
total hardness 120
I have a gourami, 3 platies, 3 mollies and 7 cardinal tetras in the tank and they are all doing fabulously (one of the platies got her fin nipped by the gourami, but it's growing back). I've never had an ammonia spike, it's always read 0. I've taken a water sample to the LFS for testing each week and they get the same test results as mine.
When I first set up the aquarium, I rinsed the gravel very well. Decorations include black rocks, white gravel, fake plants and a big piece of driftwood that has been soaked in water and scrubbed down well. As soon as the test strips started showing nitrite (about 2 1/2 weeks in), I started doing water changes. With each water change, I've rinsed out the filter cartridges in tank water and I've vacuumed 1/4-1/3 of the gravel. The Visitherm Stealth heater maintains the temperature at a steady 78-79 degrees according to the digital thermometer (during water changes, I'm careful to make sure the new water's the same temperature). And, we have been very, VERY careful not to overfeed the fish.
For about a week and a half, I've noticed a fair amount of particulate matter floating in the tank. It looks like dandruff (I have a black background on the back of the tank). It's not the same sort of cloudiness I experienced on the second or third day after we added the first few fish. The water is clear except for this dandruff-like material floating around in the tank. We cut the amount of food we've been giving the fish in half for the past few days (we feel like we're starving the poor lil puppies-they all do the "feed me!" dance if we get anywhere near the tank) and it hasn't make a difference in the appearance of this dandruff-like particulate matter. It doesn't get better after water changes.
What the heck is this stuff? Will it go away after the tank is fully cycled? Is there some treatment I can add to the tank or some sort of different filter media I can use to get rid of it?
And one other question (while I have your attention) -- should I add something to bring up the total alkalinity of the tank a notch? I add baking soda to my hot tub when the total alkalinity drops to 80 or below, but I'm guessing it's not that easy to remedy in an aquarium with fish.
Thank you!!
