37 Gallon Stocking?

[Jim53]

Hello,

I am restocking my 37 gallon tank and right now I have 6 black skirt tetras and one female bristlenose pleco.
The tank vis cycled and I am running two aquaclear 50 filters and my tests results from my api master kit are: Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrites: 0ppm and Nitrates 20ppm.

Would the following stocking list be ok for this tank?

13 black skirt tetras and my pleco

 

[Colin_T]

it should be fine as long as the pleco has somewhere to hide during the day. And make sure you have some driftwood in the tank for the pleco. They need it to help their digestion.

 

[Byron]

Agree. I would look into the nitrates though. First, are these occurring from within the tank, or do you have nitrate in your source water (tap presumably)? Test the tap alone if you already haven't, just to know.

If the 20 ppm is occurring from within the aquarium (i.e., tap water is zero nitrates) then you need to do more substantial water changes to keep this lower. The fish load is certainly not excessive, so don't overfeed; weekly water changes of 50-60% of the volume, with a substrate clean at each, should get these more manageable.

 

[Jim53]

Agree. I would look into the nitrates though. First, are these occurring from within the tank, or do you have nitrate in your source water (tap presumably)? Test the tap alone if you already haven't, just to know.

If the 20 ppm is occurring from within the aquarium (i.e., tap water is zero nitrates) then you need to do more substantial water changes to keep this lower. The fish load is certainly not excessive, so don't overfeed; weekly water changes of 50-60% of the volume, with a substrate clean at each, should get these more manageable.

The nitrates in my tap water is 10ppm. Would mixing distilled water with it help lower it some?

 

[Jim53]

it should be fine as long as the pleco has somewhere to hide during the day. And make sure you have some driftwood in the tank for the pleco. They need it to help their digestion.

Thanks so much and I'll have to get some driftwood very soon.

 

[Byron]

The nitrates in my tap water is 10ppm. Would mixing distilled water with it help lower it some?

You could, but it is not that bad. The water changes and watching the feeding might lower the aquarium nitrate.