Water problem

fballguy said:
It's what everybody told me when I put an UGF in my tank. So I took it out, and it was a real pain in the you-know what. Then I had to go spend the $$ to get a HOB filter instead. Are you saying that all those people who told me that are wrong and I should not have wasted my $$??? Because if that's the case I'm gonna get ticked(not at you) because money is not something I have a whole lot of.
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In hopes of keeping this thread on topic, water quality, I'll minimize the response, but hope it helps all.

I've maintained many tanks on just UGF. The way your statement was phrased, indicated that use of them will increase nitrates. Over feeding and high biolaod causes nitrates, the end result of the nitrogen cycle. Having an effective bacteria colony is what is doing that.

Water changes and gravel vacs help reduce nitrates, as you should be doing, regardless of what type of filtration you use. UGF will trap waste in the substrate. But all filters trap waste. Proper maintenace of them prevents that waste from becoming on issue. I'd recommend RUGF with other filters to remove the physical waste, but until you remove it, regardless of the filter method, it can be an issue.
 
AndrewMack said:
my readings are
Amonia 0-.25
nitrate-0
nitrite -0
Hardness-120
Alkalinity-80(add buffer up is the suggestion on the bottle.)
PH 6.8
And the water hardness im not Too worried about because I was told and read that cichlids prefer a Hard water. The LFS just said that the Salt helps the fish breath and is good for their gills and the set helps kill off certain bacterias in the water
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In other words, a completely uncycled tank.

The only thing I agree with in the salt statement is that it will help to kill off certain organisms - but if they aren't there, what are you trying to kill off with it? Salt has its place in a tank... Treatment of disease. Some fish are actually very intolerant of salt... Imagine that, freshwater fish that can't handle saltwater. Guess that's why they don't live in the ocean.

Over the next few days, you will see a steady rise in ammonia. In fact, at .25 you should already be doing a water change, since there are fish in there. This will go on for a couple of weeks, water changes will probably be needed twice a day or so. Then the Ammonia will drop... and instead of changing water for ammonia control, you will be changing it for Nitrite control. Couple more weeks of that. Finally, the Nitrite will drop, and you will start to see Nitrate. The tank is cycled, and you can go to doing water changes once a week, maybe twice assuming the goldfish survived the ordeal.. they are pretty rough on the water.
 
If i woulda known it was this difficult I woulda never started a FW tank. Cause I had to cycle my SW tank for 4 weeks and that is why i am done with that. the maintance is overwelming sense i rarely get a day off from work to actually maintain my tank. I was hoping to be able to do a FW tank and only need to do a water change once a week. And once these Goldfish Die off or I return them, There will be no more. Im doing a Cichlid tank, Piranha, Or a Needle fish & AngelFish tank.
 
I spend about an hour per week on my 55g doing required maintenance. Other than that, anything I do is just piddling around with it, not actually necessary.

Just like SW, FW has to cycle too. And when the goldfish die off, if you don't get something in there right away, the bacteria colonies will die off as well, and you will be back to the beginning.

That's why I linked that article on fishless cycling by R. Bishop... It's actually a much easier way to go.

Bigger cichlids are quite messy and require more cleaning, and because of their feeding habits, piranha can be extra work too. Angels are probably the easiest option on your list.
 
AndrewMack said:
If i woulda known it was this difficult I woulda never started a FW tank. Cause I had to cycle my SW tank for 4 weeks and that is why i am done with that. the maintance is overwelming sense i rarely get a day off from work to actually maintain my tank. I was hoping to be able to do a FW tank and only need to do a water change once a week. And once these Goldfish Die off or I return them, There will be no more. Im doing a Cichlid tank, Piranha, Or a Needle fish & AngelFish tank.
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If you can get some bio-spira, that will cycle your tank for you, just add it when you add your fish. It's a starter colony of bacteria.
 
at one of my other LFS, A guy there has a tank. its a 62gallon, he has 5 Big angel fish, two Bright blue Cichlids, a few clown loaches and some pacus. Her has had the tank setup for 9 months like this, all the fish are 5+inches and he is yet to have a single death caused from another fish. And that is the tank I want.....
 
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