I Was Only Away For 5 Days!

[Memz]

Hello, as it says, I went away for 5 days and left mum to pop in and feed the fish and the cat.

I have returned to a dead Glo-light, could barely see in the tank for algea and had Nitrite of 0.3 and ammonia of 0.6.

I did an immediate 50% water change but I still have a pink tinge with the nitrite but this means less than 0.1 on the box and a yellow tinge of ammonia which means less than 0.6. The chart numbers dont go any lower. The PH post w/c is 7.5 and nitrate is 5.

The plants also have an algal growth, I dont know the names of most of the plants but the worst affected I have chucked out and the java moss has gone fluffy. The grass type stuff has gone brown and looks rubbish. It looked so nice before.

I cant really understand what she has done, I showed her EXACTLY how much to feed them and told her to turn the lights out at night. I'm wondering if she may have left them on accidently and maybe given them a bit extra food thinking I was stingy. After looking at other posts, does it help to say I have an 18w T5 bulb? I have turned them off for the time being. The tank does get some early morning sun for an hour or two.

I'm more concerned with the stats tbh, I took me ages to get them right after a very (yes you've heard it all before 100 times) dodgy, misguided start. I think I may be slightly over-stocked too with a 48l tank and 13 small fish the biggest being 2 dwarf gouramis.

Shall I do another w/c tonight or will this be too stressful for them?

Thanks for you time.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'd do another water change now. It's most likely that your mum, meaning well of course, overfed; non-fishkeepers nearly always do.

Next time you go away, either leave the fish without being fed at all, or measure out the food into daily amounts and hide the rest!

 

[balajake]

She probably threw in half a tub of food every day. You need water changes, big ones

 

[Memz]

Oh Good Grief!!! Just been to check on my sons Minnows (he had already checked them and said they were fine) and found so much uneaten food on the bottom. Have checked all the food pots and yes..... it would appear she has fed them what I have fed them in the last 6 MONTHS!!!

The minnows have had an 80% water change, and I have scooped as much food as I can up, they will get another w/c tomorrow. My tank will get another one now.

How often can I do water changes? And is it the over-feeding that has caused the algea?

Thank you both for your replies.

 

[balajake]

Test the water and see what the ammonia and nitrite levels are and go from there. You can do 90% every day if it's needed. Hopefully one will do it if you manage to get the food out. I would also recommend swishing your filter pads in the old tank water to remove all the cruddy rotting food from them

 

[Essjay]

For future reference, I use those pill boxes with a compartment for each day. My son calls in to feed them and all he has to do is empty that day's compartment. And hide all the fish food before you go then she can't be tempted to get some more. At least my son knows he's not to give them any more than I leave out. In fact I usually get home to find he's forgotten the odd day, but not given them 2 day's worth next time so the missed food is still in the box. He's well trained!

 

[Memz]

Thanks again Balajake! Just done another 70% in my tank, there is just the slightest tinge of yellow and pink on the ammonia and nitrite tests but I will still do another big change tomorrow. I have given the java moss a big trim up and the grass. I have also tweaked out the tops of the other plants. It all looks rather bare in there now.

Essjay, I like the pill pot idea