ARRRGGGHHHH Disgusting Tank

[Eelzor]

If you do manage to get the filtration up to scatch (Which you most likely won't) you could put some Hillstream Loaches in there. But you should have good filtration for that to be such. (They clean algae too)

 

[goldene]

Hillstream loaches need clean cool well filtered water, a tiny tank already overcrowded with 3 goldfish even after adding a filter is a no no.

 

[NeilP]

Well.......

Apparantly there are two members of staff responsible for the tank.....

They do a 50% waterchange once a week( probably once a month!)

They've not heard of gravel cleaning

Didn't know it was overstocked - there are in fact FOUR goldfish


I've just bought a 3ft Tank off Losi yesterday, he gave me one of his spare Eihm Internal filters - so that will go into the tank asap when i will do a full gravel clean, water test and tank clean.

I haven't seen the tank since i first posted this - i hope that it has got better.....

If not, i will post piccies of before and after .....

Watch this space!!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi NeilP

I've been following this thread even though I haven't posted, and I'm happy to see your update.

Is this day care in one of those buildings with big windows? I know they like this kind of "cheery" environment for little kids. If natural daylight is the cause of the algae it might be worthwhile for them to move the tank to a more shaded area.

Isn't it amazing how people will set up a fish tank and expect it to thrive without even doing the slightest bit of research on how to do it? Since these teachers must have some kind of education, isn't it surprising that they don't have any common sense?

 

[goldene]

Watching and waiting curiously

 

[NeilP]

Just been down to the playschool to check out te fish tank (there are on their Winter break) and what do ya know ........ they've not done a thing to the tank since i complained nearly 2 weeks ago.

The algae and amount of poo was soooo bad that i went through about 50l of water to get it clean (had to use tons of dechlorinator!). All the shells were 'greasy' with algae and you couldn;t really see the fish at all (see pics in the
pics forum shortly).

Water Params

Amonia 1.2mg/l
Nitrite 0.1 - 0.3 mg/l
Nitrate 5mg/l

They had been using one of those chemicals that tells you that it sorts out the water params for you without having to do water changes - if only life was that simple!

So...

2nd hand Eihm internal filter - courtesy of Losi - thanks Losi..
New gravel filter
New Plastic Plants (didn't have any spare real ones - plus there is not lighting for the tank and it is in a room that does have some natural light, but not much)
Cleaned all the shells
Scrubbed the tank
Tank Backdrop
Gave the fish a wet cut and blow dry( )

And Voila....

I feel like the women in 'Is your house clean enough' (non UK members probably won;t have a clue what i am talking about ), except I'm not a woman, and i wasn;t able to make the owners feel ashamed as they weren't there!!

Water is still a bit cloudy, but that should settle soon.

If i do say so myself, the tank doesn't look too bad now.

Let me know what you think.

Neil.

 

[goldene]

Hi neilp you have been busy 'but dont you feel better now knowing you did something for the poor fish' (good lad) give yourself a pat on the back for me you mentioned you went through loads of declorinator? why when you only needed to use it in the new tank water, what is the gravel filter? is it an undergravel filter you are talking about as they are not really advisable with goldfish as the fish are so messy, the internal filter is ok but I guess 2 is better than 1 if they don't take care of the tank, the only thing now is because you have completely cleaned the tank it will have to cycle from start unless you had put the filter in your tank at home for a while to build up the good bacteria needed? you mentioned they had been using a chemical that saves them having to do water changes, it might not be as bad as it sounds as that may have actually saved the fishes lives if it was something like easybalance by tetra, it was better than nothing if they had never changed any of the tank water, how long are they on hols for so you can check on the fish and the cycling process. The only thing now is, now you have started you may have a job for life (well the fishes life anyway)

 

[NeilP]

Goldene

De-cholrinator - darn - i put it in each bucket of water before i put it in the tank - i didn;t want to stress the fish out too much each time i placed new water in.

The gravel filter - just one of the siphon ones ..... I even left the instructions for it with it in the staffroom - so they have no excuse!!

Loss of bacteria - I'm hoping that the gravel will have kept some - although i probably sucked it all up with the poo! I'll pop down again later on this week and do a water test. If need be I'll put some 'Cycle' or similar in the tank to help things along.

The water params weren't as bad as i thought they would be - the treatment they were using wasn't one i'd seen before - it must have worked to a degree though.

Job for life.... yup i think so, I;ve got kids there for the next 6 years - by that time, they should have at least a 100gallon, a couple of bettas and a marine tank

 

[goldene]

Hi neil I thought you had completely emptied the tank and filled it with new water, but if you only cleaned it out with the gravel cleaner and added new water you did the right thing by putting decloranator in the new water that you had in the buckets. sounds like you have it under control

 

[Perky]

Take tem back and start the tank again. Get a betta for it and a filter and heater. That would be ok. Another option is to get 5 Ottos or another option is to get a Dwarf Puffer and a few Ottos. Or you could tell them to getrid of the tank and buy a big snake, maybe a Python
Scrap the Python. Only kidding about it.
Try a Rabbit or two or a bird cage.

 

[Samage]

Tell them to remove the fish from the tank completely and find them new homes.

Drain the tank, purchase a bunch of stick insects, bung 'em in with a few leafy twigs.


Interesting, educational, and best of all, only a complete dolt can't look after stick insects!

 

[Adrinal]

HOLD THE PHONE.

The fish just wont get the cleanlyness they need. If you really want to help. Get the gold fish and run. Find them a new home. If the room has plumbing and the tank can be next to it you can set up a drip for the tank (not that tank a decent sized one... 40 breeder... 55...). The old water can be set to drip right back out into the sewer.... get fams to pitch in for the stuff?

If you do go the normal insuficiant route... get a HOB filter only and make it mechanical/chemical based. There is no way that you can get a non-science teacher to take care of a tank any other way. HOB with a charcoal bag.

Of course you will see that a cheep RO unit in the sink with water overflowing out will be much cheeper over time... but folks always want to go cheep in the begining...

well GL with the 5g fish tank

 

[Adrinal]

Well.......

Apparantly there are two members of staff responsible for the tank.....

They do a 50% waterchange once a week( probably once a month!)

They've not heard of gravel cleaning

Didn't know it was overstocked - there are in fact FOUR goldfish


I've just bought a 3ft Tank off Losi yesterday, he gave me one of his spare Eihm Internal filters - so that will go into the tank asap when i will do a full gravel clean, water test and tank clean.

I haven't seen the tank since i first posted this - i hope that it has got better.....

If not, i will post piccies of before and after .....

Watch this space!!

oops missed this post

 

[Adrinal]

OK i read the rest of the posts..

Get the gravel out of there. Forget biological filteration... its never going to happen at a fast enough rate. stick to mechanical/chemical.
A clear glass bottom is much easier to clean out as well.

If the lights arn't on a timer yet that would be good as well. The less the light is on the better (as far as making the clean up job easier).

 

[Opcn]

Snails! SNAILS! then they can pluck out the snails and toss them when they have to many. I'd sugest lost of red ramshorns. As for alge control I think it is a bad idea the alge scrubs they water clean and helps the biological filtering so It is better if the alge gets the amonia and the snails get the alge and the trashcan or LFS gets the snails.

and Fancy bodyd goldfish only get to be 6" long.

Opcn