Help Now Please

[WILDER]

http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/beginner.../a/fishcalc.htm

 

[twinsmom]

Thanks for the link, I will read it as soon as I get home, should I add the same type of filter I have now, or will a smaller filter do? Currently I have the penguin Bio wheel 200. It filters 200 gal per hour.

 

[3fsh]

Actually, adding a filter will do nothing to help the problem. Filters cannot get rid of nitrates, only plants and/or frequent water changes can do that. You need to find the pleco a new home a.s.a.p. He is the prime source of the nitrates, which are making your fish sick. Even plants can't keep up with a pleco unless it is a large enough tank. Another problem is that I don't think you have the right gravel, lighting, or water qualities for your plants. They need an iron enriched substrate such as flourite in order to grow well, 2-3 watts per gallon of light (unless they are low light plants), and very low oxygen content in the water. If you do not remove the pleco, the fish will continue to suffer and die due to the high nitates.

 

[WILDER]

Maybe go for a half size one it depends on the current, don't want to be blowing them all over, lol, maybe penquin one hundred then, good luck.

 

[WILDER]

I agree, but it never harms to over filter a tank, but the plec does want finding a new home.

 

[3fsh]

  I agree, but it never harms to over filter a tank, but the plec does want finding a new home.

I prefer to overfilter my tanks... unfortunately, another filter will not help her problem. The pleco must go.

 

[twinsmom]

When I bought the plants, the guy at the lfs sold me plant lighting specifically for the plants. I am going to rehome the pleco. How should I go about the gravel/ plant situation? I have a whole lot of gravel right now. I don't want to traumatize the fish. If I lower the oxygen content wont I harm the fish?

 

[twinsmom]

Maybe go for a half size one it depends on the current, don't want to be blowing them all over, lol, maybe penquin one hundred then, good luck.

You are right about over filtering. LOL I don't want to blow the fishies away

 

[WILDER]

If the fls will take the plec the tank should go back to normal. plants and lighting don't no anything on them much, so just thought adding another filter would help the tank along while you sorted the plec out good look, plenty of water changes to fetch the readingd down abit..

 

[twinsmom]

I am going to add another filter, since it can't hurt. I will try to research the plants, or maybe someone else knows what I should do. As for the white spots on the molly, and the other problems, any suggestions

 

[WILDER]

As long as it isn't itch, the whitespot should clear in good water quality, good luck.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.unclenedsfishfactory.com/Librar...y10Planted.html

 

[twinsmom]

Thanks Wilder, and everyone else, I will add the stats of my tap water's nitrate level, one other question, how will I know if it is ich?

 

[WILDER]

Look like they have been sprinkled in salt.
http/www.badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article2.html

 

[3fsh]

When I bought the plants, the guy at the lfs sold me plant lighting specifically for the plants. I am going to rehome the pleco. How should I go about the gravel/ plant situation? I have a whole lot of gravel right now. I don't want to traumatize the fish. If I lower the oxygen content wont I harm the fish?

I'm sorry, but if he sold you a pleco to put in a 35g, I wouldn't trust his advice on plants. I've had people tell me all sorts of garbage... just because they think they are experts doesn't mean they are.

I will PM you a link to a great plant website where you can look up the plants you have and find out their specific requirements.

When I switched out the gravel, I put the fish and plants in a small tank with a sponge filter. (I also put most of the tank water in the tank with them, so it kept their water parameters pretty much the same.) While they were in the small tank, I took out 3/4 of the gravel from the main tank, and replaced it with flourite. Pleeeease, make sure to rinse the flourite 5 million times in dechlorinated water before you add it to the tank. Otherwise, it will cloud up the tank and you won't be able to see anything. I recommend washing the it the day before you add it... that way the fish aren't waiting too long to be put back into the tank. (Also, make sure that the filter media stays wet during the whole process.) A little clouding is okay, and it won't harm your fish a bit. After you finish re-planting the tank, you can add the fish along with their original water.

A lower oxygen content won't harm the fish if your plants are healthy and have enough light and good fertilized gravel to root in. They produce a lot of oxygen (when healthy), so they make air pumps unecessary!

Hope that helps! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.