Help, My Tank Is Not Relaxing Me !..im So Stressed !

[Yvonne1961]

Hello everyone,
Im at my wits end here !..seems 15 hrs on this computer researching just makes it worse !
So do the 3 pet stores in the next town..everyone has different opinions on just what to do...
For 5 mo. all has been fine,I change water 25% every 2 wks, vacuum every other time just a 3rd of tank.. then last week i opted to plant 3 "live plants:...after having my water tested at one of the said Pet Stores.
I started noticing a difference in my water..greenish..i panicked and pulled the 2 not so good out !
Also with in days of plant removal my water had become very cloudy brownish..so pet store suggested a bottle of instant clear..I did it for 2 days..
it helped , but still didnt look right..."pearlized like" ..
I took in another water sample, all was within limits, with the nitrate being up, but under the limit still..
I explained that it ran 6 week cycle with mollies that lived and multiplyed..then removed mollies and fry, adding 4 dime size Angels, all more than a half dollar now, 2 pleco and 3 male fancy guppies ..all seem happy ! for 4 months till last week..The pet store chic said it was my waist build up,(improper vacuuming)she said do a 50% water change ..I asked if I could change rocks ..the others were part of my "used" package set up..she said yes.just leave as much crap from under old rocks as I can,

..around 3 days into the filthy water 2 of the angels decided to go into the castle for 3 days..when they came out, both were covered in like a film, not all over, just running in swirls all over their sides and on tail fins..The Koi Angel cleared up in just a few days, but his hiding buddy (silver with black stripes and orange specks with red eyes) has changed over the last 5 days..the light swirly pattern are now raised and fuzzy grey.. and white dots are in and around the fuzz..he eats, he plays at glass when he sees me..the others look fine as well, although yesterday I noticed very very tiny white spots all over the tail fins of my Blush Angel, much smaller than on Stripe one.Very hard to see !, fin not as clear as ive seen it ...
Its a 46 gal. Bow, with dual whisper 60 340gpm.. (NOW)..i switched saturday night from an Aqueon 200gpm that ceased up in the middle of my rock and water change..thinking it would be a better filtration system but mostly no choice, using some of the yucky cloth off of the used Aqueon filters and pressed against the backs of the 2 new Whisper ones..but I had no Bio sponge : (
It will be here today (over nite delivery) with a brand new whisper 60 (same model)I plan to rinse the 3 day old cartridges off in removed tank water and place them in new whisper with the (new Bio sponge : (...(I know you shouldnt do all that cleaning at once..beleive me , I KNOW !
Oh, did I mention while doing 50% water change Saturday night, I changed my rocks, careful to leave as much crap from under the old as I could..Geez, then the Aqueon froze up !..thats when i ran to basement pulling out the Old Whisper with the noisey impeller..ordering a new one was cheaper than driving to next town,buying bio foam and impeller..so here I sit waiting on Fed Ex...omg, I thought an aquarium was relaxing"..hahahahh, um , I never been so upset !!
I am going to vacuum gravel 1/3 area and 30% water change weekly now !!!!

But after saturday nights MESS with filter and new cartridge set up ..IM FROZEN !!!!Im trying to get my tank back healthy..now MEDICATION TOO !!!!!
I keep looking at meds..im leaning toward fungis,? Ich ? Both !
and my Pleco, would that be the sensitive fish on directions of bottle..(wardley essentials ick away)also treats fungus (SAPROLEGNIA)..active ingredient .075% Malachite green half strength for sensitive fish...And it says remove carbon from filter..eeek !..i just am frozen!..HOW DO YOU DO THAT !..Its got the Bio Foam (brand new)and cartidges already filled !!!!???
Im in Montana now,..but 20 yrs ago I had a 30 gal set up in Florida..2 Angels 2 irredecent shark 2 plecos and a Betta for 7yrs !!!!...never did anyone ever get sick !or bullied !..and I didnt treat my tank like a science project !
I tried taking pics, but it just shows up as blue markings on camera...nothing to see there..ill keep trying !

any help ?..please ?
Well fed ex is here.....Here I go again ! : )

 

[lock77]

You can treat at full strength. Sensitive fish would be loaches, corys etc. Pleco is probably the toughest fish there is. You could treat with meds but I use a higher temp and some aquarium salt for ich.

 

[WILDER]

What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Your fish have whitespot. If they have tiny white spots, or look like they have been
sprinkled in salt.

You need to be doing a gravel vac, and water change once a week.
Also hoover underneaath the rocks once a week.

Is your tank in direct sun light.

 

[Chad]

Deep breath!

Am I reading right that the filter broke?

How long has this tank been set up for?

 

[lock77]

Deep breath!

Am I reading right that the filter broke?

How long has this tank been set up for?

5 months

 

[Yvonne1961]

yes Hi !..thank you !...tanks been set up over 5 months !..i fixed old filter by just rinseing it..but it was after i put
the whisper on already..so nowim staying with whisper ..better filter : )

 

[Yvonne1961]

What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Your fish have whitespot. If they have tiny white spots, or look like they have been
sprinkled in salt.

You need to be doing a gravel vac, and water change once a week.
Also hoover underneaath the rocks once a week.

Is your tank in direct sun light.
[/quot

Well i cant figure out how to post either !...lol
No test kit at home..i just take water in every couple weeks to pet store..never a problem

 

[WILDER]

I would advise investing in a liquid test kit set.

I would also recommend upping your tank maintenance to once a week.
Rocks included.

Start treating for whitespot.

Raise temp to 30.
Remove black carbon from filter.
Increase aeration.

I think I would preform a water change before adding the med.

Good Luck.

 

[Chad]

I'm wondering if during your work on the filter and the change over if it caused the bacteria to in the filter to die off which would lead to elevated ammonia/nitrite which can lead to issues with the fish.

 

[Yvonne1961]

Thank you so much Wilder !..what is 30 ?...im at 80 now for temp..did a water chng last now and doing one in a few minutes

 

[WILDER]

Temp in this link.
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdwspot.htm

 

[JohnHuff]

Ya, water change and vacuum part of the gravel every week. Also when you rinse your filters don't use chlorinated tap water, it'll kill the bacteria. Personally, I can't imagine any of the HOB filters have enough bio capacity.