We set up a new tank about a month ago. It's 10-gallon, and has 3 platies and 3 white cloud minnows now. It also had 4 ghost shrimp for a while, but they died out. My problem is now, all of a sudden, the nitrite and nitrate levels are going thru the roof. I do weekly water changes of 1 - 2 gallons, so I don't know what else to do. I also noticed that one of my platies now has one eye bulging like a goldfish. Any ideas on what's going on here?
problem with fairly new tank
- Thread starter clyons10
- Start date
Test water!
We need your water parameters, you might have had a pH crash if the KH is too low, the water system may have changes sources and new source may have very different parameters, maybe they cleaned the lines after a problem and used nasty chemicals. Depending on these things, more water changes might be a good thing or bad thing, but usually more water changes are good!
What sort of dechlor do you use? does your water have chlorine or chloramine? Are you sure?
Tell us, pH, KH, temperature
We need your water parameters, you might have had a pH crash if the KH is too low, the water system may have changes sources and new source may have very different parameters, maybe they cleaned the lines after a problem and used nasty chemicals. Depending on these things, more water changes might be a good thing or bad thing, but usually more water changes are good!
What sort of dechlor do you use? does your water have chlorine or chloramine? Are you sure?
Tell us, pH, KH, temperature
According to the water test I just did, the pH is 7.8, KH is between 120 and 180, GH is between 75 and 150, nitrite is greater than 10.0 ppm and nitrate is around 80 ppm. I have an Aquatech 5-15 filtering system.
All of my fish except the one platy seem to be fine, and it has the previously mentioned problem with one eye. It is now also hiding under a shell. It's pretty fat, so I thought it might be pregnant.
I use AquaSafe to treat my water, and I have also added aquarium salt (1/2 cup, added 2 tablespoons at a time over several days). I have not added any salt since yesterday's water change.
We're trying to cycle the tank, so we can add a few more fish. I'd like to add a couple of catfish, a couple of rainbow fish, and maybe an african frog or two, if that's not too much, but I don't want to add anything else until these problems are cleared up.
I also don't have alot of decorations in the tank, because we want to be able to see the fish. Should I add a plant or two to help the tank out?
All of my fish except the one platy seem to be fine, and it has the previously mentioned problem with one eye. It is now also hiding under a shell. It's pretty fat, so I thought it might be pregnant.
I use AquaSafe to treat my water, and I have also added aquarium salt (1/2 cup, added 2 tablespoons at a time over several days). I have not added any salt since yesterday's water change.
We're trying to cycle the tank, so we can add a few more fish. I'd like to add a couple of catfish, a couple of rainbow fish, and maybe an african frog or two, if that's not too much, but I don't want to add anything else until these problems are cleared up.
I also don't have alot of decorations in the tank, because we want to be able to see the fish. Should I add a plant or two to help the tank out?
Water! Water!
Ok, the KH is good so the pH had not crashed.
You have massive nitrite readings, so more water changes are in order. The nitrates are too high also, so start doing larger water changes. Daily water changes are not too much, 50% at at ime is OK too, just be sure to match temps and dechlor as required. Get the nitrites to 1.0 or less and the nitrates to 20 or less.
Catfish, yes, after the cycle is complete otherwise they will lose their whiskers. Rainbow fish, probably not, the tank is too small. African frog, I dunno, does it eat fish? You cna have something near 10 inces of fish in this tank. You have more than 5 inches already, and the atfish are better in large groups.
Really a 10 gallon is nice to do with one species, 6 or 8 fish, and one group of catfish or other bottom dweller. How about just white clouds and catfish? 8 white clouds and 5 very small catfish would work. You just can't fit many fish into a 10 gallon while respectng most fishes need for a group of 6 or more!!
Most important, do not add anything until the nitrites are zero and nitrates are low with increased water changes.
Ok, the KH is good so the pH had not crashed.
You have massive nitrite readings, so more water changes are in order. The nitrates are too high also, so start doing larger water changes. Daily water changes are not too much, 50% at at ime is OK too, just be sure to match temps and dechlor as required. Get the nitrites to 1.0 or less and the nitrates to 20 or less.
Catfish, yes, after the cycle is complete otherwise they will lose their whiskers. Rainbow fish, probably not, the tank is too small. African frog, I dunno, does it eat fish? You cna have something near 10 inces of fish in this tank. You have more than 5 inches already, and the atfish are better in large groups.
Really a 10 gallon is nice to do with one species, 6 or 8 fish, and one group of catfish or other bottom dweller. How about just white clouds and catfish? 8 white clouds and 5 very small catfish would work. You just can't fit many fish into a 10 gallon while respectng most fishes need for a group of 6 or more!!
Most important, do not add anything until the nitrites are zero and nitrates are low with increased water changes.
While having nitrates at or under 20ppm is nice, its not easily accomplished with people who have smaller tanks and/or who are trying to cycle their tank. For now they should focus on getting those nitrites down and making sure ammonia is within a safe range...
And I wouldn't put in African Dwarf Frogs as they have tendancy to get picked on, plus they seem to do better by themselfs...after all, they have different nutritional needs and eat different foods.
And I wouldn't put in African Dwarf Frogs as they have tendancy to get picked on, plus they seem to do better by themselfs...after all, they have different nutritional needs and eat different foods.