65 Gallon Planted Tank - Need Help!

[jtino]

I have had 65 gallon planted tank with 5 Red line sharks and 7 Serpae tetras for at least 2 months now. At first i thought i did a fishless cycle successfully, but now im not so sure. It seems like every couple days i get an ammonia spike and sometimes a nitrite spike. At first i thought it was a shock to the filter with the bioload, but i continue to get these spikes. When this happens, i do a 25-40% water change, but i know this puts stress onthe fish when i do this ever couple days. they seem dull in color and they sometimes go up and down against the glass. i also dont feed them as much because i know that could be a result in these spikes but i still get the ammonia and nitrite. my goal is to have a total of 12 serpae tetras and 5 red line sharks, but because i think my fish are so stressed i dont think i should add anymore fish. Everyone i have asked in fish stores and forums has said this stocking is alright for a 65 gallon planted tank.

I have a fluval 407 canister filter that has not been cleaned for the 2 months ive had it because i keep doing water changes. i use Seachem Prime and stability when doing water changes and i also have a powerhead to increase oxygen levels.

I'm just trying not to stress my fish out so mush, which i think i am doing based on they're behavior and color. when i do feed them they all go for the food. Please help! Looking for any type of feedback!

 

[Wills]

I have had 65 gallon planted tank with 5 Red line sharks and 7 Serpae tetras for at least 2 months now. At first i thought i did a fishless cycle successfully, but now im not so sure. It seems like every couple days i get an ammonia spike and sometimes a nitrite spike. At first i thought it was a shock to the filter with the bioload, but i continue to get these spikes. When this happens, i do a 25-40% water change, but i know this puts stress onthe fish when i do this ever couple days. they seem dull in color and they sometimes go up and down against the glass. i also dont feed them as much because i know that could be a result in these spikes but i still get the ammonia and nitrite. my goal is to have a total of 12 serpae tetras and 5 red line sharks, but because i think my fish are so stressed i dont think i should add anymore fish. Everyone i have asked in fish stores and forums has said this stocking is alright for a 65 gallon planted tank.

I have a fluval 407 canister filter that has not been cleaned for the 2 months ive had it because i keep doing water changes. i use Seachem Prime and stability when doing water changes and i also have a powerhead to increase oxygen levels.

I'm just trying not to stress my fish out so mush, which i think i am doing based on they're behavior and color. when i do feed them they all go for the food. Please help! Looking for any type of feedback!

Hi welcome to the forum Tank sounds great, Rose Lines and Serpaes must look great together so much colour! I'd actually try and get the Serpaes into a bigger school probably of around 20 they are very nippy so bigger schools help control that.

In terms of the cycle at 2 months in I would have thought it should be pretty stable. Do you know what your hardness is? Sometimes very soft water can have problems finishing the cycle. I know you've said planted but how planted is planted? Could you share a picture? If possible it would be good to add some fast growing stem plants like Limniphilla Sessiflora, Hygrophia Siamensis 53b or Cardamine Lyrata. Floating plants will help to like frogbit, red root floater or dwarf water lettuce.

Don't be afraid of water changes it shouldnt stress the fish out - how are you currently doing them? The bit most likely to stress them is when you add the water back in, if you are pouring buckets that could be stressful but if possible try to pump it in with a hose or pour the water over a bowl or plate to disperse the water. Turning the lights off might help as well.

Sounds like you are putting in great efforts for your fish and tank though so a massive well done! And well done for reaching out and asking for help - I'm sure we can get you on the right track

Wills

 

[jtino]

thanks for the feedback! and yes i thought the color of these fish would be great, but honestly the color just isn't there yet. i said 12 tetras because i may get a red tail shark down the road but not sure on that yet. if not, i would get more tetras for sure.

I'm not sure what my hardness is or how to test for that. also i just want to clarify im not really cycling the tank as of right now. or maybe based on my post should i be? i thought i completed a fishless cycle a while back but again im not too sure based on my fish behavior and water tests.

the water changes are from hose directly from my sink. i take water out, add Prime, add the new water, and then add stability. Sometimes i do leave the lights off sometimes not. i have also vacummed my sand substrate only in areas where theres a lot of debri though, so i dont think that would effect anything. Picture is below

 

[Slaphppy7]

You don't need the Stability.

What kind of test kit are you using?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Tank is beautiful! My question was also going to be what test kit are you using?

Plants looks like two amazon swords, some struggling vallis, and a good amount of java fern. Java fern is very slow growing, a nice good beginners plant, but doesn't help much with sucking up ammonia and helping water parameters. Swords and vallis are faster growing and help some, but vallis can take a while to get established and grow well, and swords really need root tabs to grow huge... could really benefit from some fast growing stem plants like the ones @Wills listed above.

 

[jtino]

thank you for the compliment. ive been using an API test kit. i check each tests at the 5 minute mark.
i do use seachem root tabs for the amazon swords and the vallis. if it will make that big of a difference I'll look into some of those plants. but no issues not cleaning the filter for 2 months?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

thank you for the compliment. ive been using an API test kit. i check each tests at the 5 minute mark.
i do use seachem root tabs for the amazon swords and the vallis. if it will make that big of a difference I'll look into some of those plants. but no issues not cleaning the filter for 2 months?

Could be an issue if it's got so gunky that it's slowed the flow a lot. We often suggest not to clean the filter in a new set up for the first 8 weeks or so, to give the bacteria time to really get established, but it's okay to rinse it now. Not under the tap or in clorinated water of course, since that would kill off a lot of the beneficial bacteria. But can remove a bucket of tank water and rinse the filter and media in that.

 

[jtino]

if i did a partial water change yesterday, would it be okay to rinse the filter today or tomorrow?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

if i did a partial water change yesterday, would it be okay to rinse the filter today or tomorrow?

If you routinely do reasonably sized water changes, then shouldn't be a problem to do another one today. As far as fish are concerned, the more fresh clean water, the better.

 

[jtino]

If you routinely do reasonably sized water changes, then shouldn't be a problem to do another one today. As far as fish are concerned, the more fresh clean water, the better.

thats what i thought, but after every water change they just dont look so good. i'll stop using stability and I'll rinse out the filter tomorrow then. thank you

 

[jtino]

also would you all hold off in getting more tetras for now? i dont know if that would help or would just make everything worse

 

[Essjay]

When you add the new water, is it cold or do you use a mix of hot and cold to make warm water? And how do you add water conditioner - all before you start, after all the water's back in or something else?

 

[jtino]

my water temp is at 76 degrees and when i add water its about the same temp. maybe 1 or 2 degrees off. i do turn on the hot and cold water from the faucet. yes i add the Prime after i take water and before i put new water in

 

[Essjay]

That sounds good. I was grasping at straws to see if there was a reason the fish don't like water changes (a possible temperature change), or if something was damaging the bacteria colonies (chlorine/chloramine getting to them if you had been adding the water conditioner at the end). But it's neither of those.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

thats what i thought, but after every water change they just dont look so good. i'll stop using stability and I'll rinse out the filter tomorrow then. thank you

Same as the others, I'm stumped. In my experience, my fish seem to really enjoy water changes, getting all playful and often spawning right after a change.
Maybe as was suggested, they're finding the water coming back in too fast and it's scaring them. Can you put the new water into buckets, mix in the declor and let it sit for a few mins, then pour it back in more slowly? I pour using a jug onto a plastic plate floating on the top, so as not to kick up the sand or disturb the plants/fish too much.

Can you describe what you mean when you say they don't look good after a water change?

@Essjay could it be a pH thing?