I Got Control Of My Tank Back After A Few Years - Need Tips!

[Derfel]

hi there,

I started a fish tank about 8 years ago and left it in the care of my
parents when I went to university about 5 years ago and they have been
looking after it ever since. I am however now living with the tank again as
my father recently passed away and they are again my responsibility. I
never really lost interest in fish it's just been impossible to keep them
when you're moving house every 6 months so I'm glad I now have a chance to
get back to them. I've browsed around a few sites and forums but still have
a few questions which hopefully some people here will be able to help me
with

firstly - What I have:

Well established (8yrs+) tank 30 x 12 x 15 (24 Gallons)
Fluval 3 Plus - Internal Filter
Heater (recently replaced)


Current Fish:

3 x Cardinal Tetra - (1 inch)

2 x some kind of black tetra - maybe you can help identify (see pic) (1.5 inch)

1 x Some kind of Red Tetra - maybe you can help identify (see pic) - (1.5inch)

2 x Kulhi (Coolie) Loach - (3 Inch each)

1 x Albino Corydoras - (2 Inch)

1 x Bristle-Nosed Pleco - (4 Inch) only original fish left (8yrs so definately stopped growing)


Current Plants:

1 x thing which is rooted but climbs up and creates a big clump on the surface (taken about 2/3 of it out and it's still big!)

Questions:


1) I've just done a nitrate and pH test, nitrate was fine but pH is the
minimum of the test range (5.0 or lower). All my fish are best suited to
around 7 pH so this obviously needs to change. I've seen pH treatments
which 'automatically' set your tank to a specific pH. Are these reliable or
should I just go for a standard 'pH plus' kit and manually get it to the
right level. Also are these 2 tests (pH and nitrate) still the main ones or
is there another important one I should be doing (I see quite a lot in the
shops but which ones are the essential ones).

2) Gravel, I don't know where the gravel has gone but there's definatly a
lot less of it now, it's well below an inch at one corner and never goes
above 2 inches anywhere. Should i add some more (obviously well washed)?

3) I'd like to add quite a few corydoras (4-6), a couple more small
tetras to (increase the current shoal), some livebearers, a male betta some
gouramis and maybe danios or barbs but like I said I don't know exactly how
much more my tank can take, I have the 11 fish now but in the past I had
over 20 so I know it can take quite a few more. The filter is quite
powerful so theres always a lot of rippling going on on the surface. Any
opinions/recommendations appreciated.


4) Any tips on smallish plants which don't become too invasive and won't get eaten?

thanks

p.s. you may notice the Clown Loach in the picture - he is hopefully being rehomed shortly, my parents bought him and he's unsuitable for the tank (needs bigger tank + friends).

 

[chibi]

Those tetras you have are Von Rio/Flame tetras (red ones) and X-Ray Tetras (black ones).

Are you sure your pH is below 5?? If it is around 5, it can affect the fish in negative ways, and around 4 can kill them.

If you have such a small amount of gravel and want corys, I'd replace it with sand.

As far as the fish go, I wouldn't reccomend a betta... they are picked on by tetras and harrass other fish. If you want more fish, I'd get a few more tetras to make the shoal bigger, corys and maybe 1 gourami. Be sure to do lots of water changes, because this is quite a lot of bioload!

Not sure about the plants, sorry.

 

[Gazoo]

First of all, welcome to TFF and I am sorry for the loss of your father.

I'll only comment on a few of your questions. I'm sure you will get many other responses that will answer your questions.

Questions:
1) I've just done a nitrate and pH test, nitrate was fine but pH is the minimum of the test range (5.0 or lower).

Are you sure your pH test kit is accurate?

Also are these 2 tests (pH and nitrate) still the main ones or is there another important one I should be doing (I see quite a lot in the shops but which ones are the essential ones).

An Ammonia and Nitrite test kit would be good to add. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals makes a Freshwater Master Test Kit that would have all the basics and is cheaper than buying individually; especially if its an on-line purchase.

2) Gravel, I don't know where the gravel has gone but there's definatly a lot less of it now...

Could have somebody sucked up the gravel when doing water changes?

p.s. you may notice the Clown Loach in the picture - he is hopefully being rehomed shortly, my parents bought him and he's unsuitable for the tank (needs bigger tank + friends).

You know your stuff.

 

[Derfel]

1) I've just done a nitrate and pH test, nitrate was fine but pH is the minimum of the test range (5.0 or lower).

Are you sure your pH test kit is accurate?

hi there and thanks for the advice. Well I used a very old pH test first and when that came out as low I went and bought a new one (wasn't sure if they could go out of date or not) and it showed the same thing (so clearly they don't go out of date - in eight years anyway). So I'm pretty sure I do have a low ph situation, which is presumably down to not frequent enough water changes, I now plan on using a ph booster and changing the water weekly for a while (just tested my tap water and it's 7.0 so it's definatly a problem with the tank - too much decaying waste I guess?). I've also noticed there's quite a bit of green algae on the decor and rear tank wall, could this contribute to low ph?

 

[Kevstir]

i wouldn't go adding any of the pH buffer stuff m8, if you add it and it suddenly jumps from 5 to say 7 then your fish will get pH shock and more than likely die , if your tap water is 7 i would just do a water change every 2 days until the tank comes up to that , that way you giving the fish time to adjust slowly, you can also add bicarbonate of soda to the tank to up your pH , again you would have to do this slowly , water changes would be best i would think

 

[andyt_uk]

i wouldn't go adding any of the pH buffer stuff m8, if you add it and it suddenly jumps from 5 to say 7 then your fish will get pH shock and more than likely die , if your tap water is 7 i would just do a water change every 2 days until the tank comes up to that , that way you giving the fish time to adjust slowly, you can also add bicarbonate of soda to the tank to up your pH , again you would have to do this slowly , water changes would be best i would think

i agree with kevstir, you need to check your KH too - a hardness measure (sorry 'nother test kit to buy) you will probably find that is v low maybe even zero - the higher this is the more buffering is available in the system to naturally keep the pH more stable.
as stated a sudden change could be more harmful than the lower measure.. check your tap water, lots of water changes will get you closer to your tap water reading, but if your kH is also low you will need to increase that, which will help stabillize the pH
for a tank that size i would estimate about a 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into fresh water when you do a water change - you should see KH increase, pH will get closer to your tap pH, and the increased KH will help stabilize the pH
aim for around KH 3->6



i knew my chemistry degree would come in usefull one day

 

[Derfel]

ok thanks for all the advice people! I'll try frequent water changes instead of buying a booster but I will buy a couple more test kits.

just one more thing - should I add any other treatments (a dechlorinator?) to the fresh water when I do a change or just the bicarbonate of soda?

 

[chibi]

Dechlorinator, definitely. All the time. Pure water from the tap or other water source has too much chlorine and could kill your fish.

 

[Gazoo]

just one more thing - should I add any other treatments (a dechlorinator?) to the fresh water when I do a change or just the bicarbonate of soda?

You might also need something that removes chloramine (not to be confused with chlorine) depending on how your water is treated.

 

[IceMan569]

plants java plants are great

Java moss is cool i think

it is good in all kinds of water-lighting-and cool for fish to

 

[Derfel]

thanks everyone!

could do with some advice on my strange water hardness too please check this