Need help with water parameters...

[melthazor]

I had a new tank setup last Wednesday, for Pleco keeping. It's a 2x1.5x1.5, about 113L of water in it. So far all that I've added to the tank are API stress coat + (anti-chlorine), totto black water essence and totto PSB bacteria.

On Thursday I did a 80% water change, water was cloudy because I stired up the sand a bit. After the water change, I added the same water conditioners as mentioned above.

Friday, I tested the water. It had ammonia in between 0-0.25ppm, nitrites in between 0-0.25ppm and nitrates of 5.0ppm. Nothing is in the tank, no life stock or anything. So I did a 60% water change. Same water conditioners added.

Saturday, ammonia in between 0-0.25ppm, nitrites in between 0-0.25ppm and nitrates of 5.0ppm. I turned on my heater to test if it's working and to calibrate it. Forgot about it, left it on the whole day and came back around 11pm to find that flakes of slime were flying around in my tank (the kinda slime that builds up on your air tubes and suction suckers). Netted them up, did 60% water change with the same water conditioners added. Added a bag of mature ceramic rings from my goldfish tank (about 4 months old ceramic rings) to my canister filter. And added 10 harlequin rasboras to the tank (just to kick start the cycle).

Sunday, I had ammonia in between 0-0.25ppm, nitrites in between 0-0.25ppm and a consistent 5.0ppm of nitrates. Added PSB bacteria to the tank. Did not do any water change.

Monday, I had 0.25ppm of ammonia, 0-0.25ppm of nitrites and 5ppm of nitrates. Added PSB bacteria, no water change.

Today (Tuesday), I woke up at 7am and saw that the tank looks funny, fish were hiding and disoriented. So I added a bag full of goldfish gravel with an air stone buried in the bag of gravel. After adding the bag of gravel, my rasboras started schooling together. I tested the water at 1pm and got a reading of: 0.25 ammonia, 0 nitrites (not sure why this is 0ppm and my ammonia is still at 0.25ppm) and 5.0ppm of nitrates. Added PSB bacteria, no water change.

What should I do next? I'm thinking since I added the fish and mature media on Saturday, I'll do a routine 30% water change this coming Saturday. And I'll continue to add PSB bacteria daily.

Your views?

[stormhawk]

The presence of ammonia is probably from the fish or any rotting fish food you missed. It could also be residual ammonia from the breakdown of chloramine in the water. I find it easier to use a single piece of sinking tablet or pellet with an apple snail to kick start the cycling process.

The steps you are taking should be sufficient. Though to be safe, it might take another 2 weeks or so to fully stabilise.

[tetrakid]

It will help diagnosis if you put up a pic of your tank setup.

[melthazor]

The presence of ammonia is probably from the fish or any rotting fish food you missed. It could also be residual ammonia from the breakdown of chloramine in the water. I find it easier to use a single piece of sinking tablet or pellet with an apple snail to kick start the cycling process.

The steps you are taking should be sufficient. Though to be safe, it might take another 2 weeks or so to fully stabilise.

I've only fed the fish yesterday, that's the only time I fed them from sat. I gave them a shrimp pellet, they didn't eat much of it so I scooped it up. Gonna buy flakes and give it to them instead, they don't wanna approach the shrimp pellet.

The water in the tank isn't clear like the rest of my tanks at home. Note sure if it's due to the black water, but black water doesn't cloud the water right? From experience, it should only tint the water brown. This cloud I see looks like bacteria bloom.

I'm also having difficulty with bringing the ph down. Despite adding a few times of black water, ph is consistent at 7.5.

[Blue Whale]

mel, you got separate tank to keep the fish？ Your tank not fully cycled yet. Your fish very stress now.

[Blue Whale]

pleco you can find frozen bloodworm, it love tubifex but avoid it. pleco wafer is the best food. substitute can be 宝增红。

stormy, troubleshoot the bacteria thingy with her.

[melthazor]

It will help diagnosis if you put up a pic of your tank setup.

Here's a picture of the tank. I'm running the largest sponge filter from the XY series, and an Atman DF-1000. I have an Eheim 150w heater in there. I have 2 litres of biohomme, about 3 layers of mr aqua s ceramic rings, with the mini bio balls that came with the filter and a bag full of mature ceramic rings in the atman (roughly about the same amount as the bag of gravel you can see in the picture).

All rasboras are alive, only 9 will school and one will hide under the sponge filter. You don't see them now because they will hide when anyone goes near the tank. And ignore the pink lighting, it was a second hand light set I got (haven't had the time to change the tube). Actually, all will school if they feel safe...

[melthazor]

Here's a picture of all of them...



Picture of the cloudy water...Either that it's the lighting...

[tetrakid]

Thank you for putting up the pics. A nice effort for the lucky Plecs.

The fogginess of the water is rather common in a newly set up tank. It also happens every time I do big water changes, eg 30-50%. But with time, the water will be clear when there's balance in the system.

[melthazor]

Thank you for putting up the pics. A nice effort for the lucky Plecs.

The fogginess of the water is rather common in a newly set up tank. It also happens every time I do big water changes, eg 30-50%. But with time, the water will be clear when there's balance in the system.

Yeah I notice fogginess when I change 30% of water from my other tanks. Usually clears within a few hours...which I follow up with no feeding for 24 hrs after every water change.

I hope this tank sorts itself out...

[melthazor]

mel, you got separate tank to keep the fish？ Your tank not fully cycled yet. Your fish very stress now.

I don't have another tank for the rasboras, I have two mature tanks: goldfish and luohan...haha! Both will eat my rasboras...

[Blue Whale]

I don't have another tank for the rasboras, I have two mature tanks: goldfish and luohan...haha! Both will eat my rasboras...

Do you have a water container to temporary transfer them there whilst waiting for Stormy or Shadow to troubleshoot the tank for you? Just air pump/sponge the water will do. Meanwhile main tank filter continue to cycle.

:P My internet cut off whilst jam on highway (using handphone just now)
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Edited: Can buy a plastic tank (Those for turtles) cheap cheap one will do, just make sure it can house your sponge filter. Eventually this can serve as a hospital tank for you.

[melthazor]

Current livestock: only 10 rasboras...no plecos yet.

I don't have another containers....

[Blue Whale]

You have to try to separate them out first, if they stress, they will not eat in the first place.

If you really don't wanna anyhow buy food, ask the LFS (where you buy the fish) what they feed the rasboras.

[tetrakid]

Talking about Luohan reminds me of my own which I lost many years back. I had used a top filter with water splashing on to the tank, trusted by doing that it will improve oxygenation. I even connected a surface skimmer to that filter to get rid of the resulting scum-laden surface. But unfortunately, I lost that beautiful expensive fish before it could age fully. Having recently experienced the 'marvel' of hang-on filters, I now swear by them for all my fish tanks (home).

I don't have another tank for the rasboras, I have two mature tanks: goldfish and luohan...haha! Both will eat my rasboras...

[melthazor]

Talking about Luohan reminds me of my own which I lost many years back. I had used a top filter with water splashing on to the tank, trusted by doing that it will improve oxygenation. I even connected a surface skimmer to that filter to get rid of the resulting scum-laden surface. But unfortunately, I lost that beautiful expensive fish before it could age fully. Having recently experienced the 'marvel' of hang-on filters, I now swear by them for all my fish tanks (home).

my luohan tank a lot of stuff...lol!

Mr aqua Top filter with 8 trays, a k1 moving bed filter, a corner filter (filter wool with ceramic rings) and an apa prefilter filled with sea chem denitrate, hooked up to a small power head..

I don't quite like hang on back filters because they cannot hold a lot of media...in my opinion at least...

[tetrakid]

Yes, the nice thing about top filters is the abundant space for bacteria media especially (more poweful in terms of capacity). That is why nowadays, I always go for the biggest hang-on filters I can find, preferably the double-compartment type.

[michael lai]

I have stayed in the East almost all my life( various parts ) it cannot be 7.5, something is upping your PH. Lose the thermo, stop adding black water. You want to speed up acclimatization, use a cannister filter. Anyway if pleco is your intention, it is not black water or temperature but very clean water. Their bioload is high. Find the cause of your PH and buffer the water at 7, most species are cool with that.


Regards,
michael

[michael lai]

One more thing, I hope you're not using coral sand, that might be the cause of your PH.

[melthazor]

I have stayed in the East almost all my life( various parts ) it cannot be 7.5, something is upping your PH. Lose the thermo, stop adding black water. You want to speed up acclimatization, use a cannister filter. Anyway if pleco is your intention, it is not black water or temperature but very clean water. Their bioload is high. Find the cause of your PH and buffer the water at 7, most species are cool with that.


Regards,
michael

I do have an atman DF-1000 running, it's a canister filter. Filter media in it are biohomme, mr aqua ceramic rings, mature ceramic rings and bio balls.

I tested my tap water, straight from tap and osim water filter, both tested 7.5pH.

Tank wise, I cannot think of what could be raising the pH. Unless the rock caves are the cause, but they are slate and the other I'm not sure what it is. But have seen many pleco owners using them. I doubt the bog wood or caves are raising the pH. I'm using sudo bottom sand mixed with fine river sand from Y618.