Need Info On Feeding And Tank Maintenance

[billyboy]

I've got a 10-gallon tank with 4 platies and some type of silver tetra - not sure. The tetra has been around for many years from a group of tetras that slowly died-off. The platies are all new as of a month ago. I use an AquaClear filter (sponge and carbon filter) and a heater. The tank is kept at 76 degrees, there's a gravel substrate, a florescent light and a few plastic plants. All of this is kept on a stand in a room with no direct sunlight. Very simple.

Prior to getting the platies, I cleaned the tank real well, vacuuming the substrate and cleaning or replacing the plants and ornamental items. Everything was clean/crystal clear. The platies were added and within a week, I got the worst algae bloom I've ever had.

I tried changing out 50% of the water and I tried a chemical algae destroyer. Both did nothing. So I researched a bit, and tried a 72-hour blackout, followed by a 50% water change and filter cleaning. Algae is mostly gone now, but the water is still not clear. I just ordered a UV sanitizer in hopes of getting the water clarity I'd like.

I had my aquarium light on about 14 hours a day for years. I learned that is not good, so it's on 6 hours a day now, from 3pm to 9pm. I feed the fish when the light goes on and a second time when the light goes out 6 hours later. I give a pinch of freshwater fish food flakes - about as much as they can eat in 2 minutes or so.

Here are my questions:

- Is this the proper time to feed them?
- Is this the proper amount?
- Is 6 hours a good length to have the light on and is this the proper time of day?

Any other advice is welcomed.
Thanks much in advance for your advice!

 

[phoenixgsd]

i assume you didnt thouroghly clean the filter?
times of feeding and when the lights go on is personal preference, 6-8 hours a day is ample lighting, and feeding once a day is usually fine, even skipping a day every now and then is fine, over feeding can cause ammonia build up

 

[basboi85]

I feed my fish twice daily one in morning say 9-10am then again 9-10pm and don't feed on Sunday, lets them have a clean out.

I have my lights on in the morning for a hour pushing 2, then when it starts getting dark say 4:30 I switch them on until 10:30-11:00pm.

 

[snazy]

Platies are active during the day so feeding them when lights are on is just fine. They eat like pigs too. I feed mine once a day but smaller feeding two times a day is ok too if you have the time. Overfeeding is not a problem, but a filter that can't cope with the ammonia produced by overfeeding is the problem. Don't starve your fish because of that though, it causes stress. I overfilter the tanks and have never had an ammonia/nitrIte spikes because of overfeeding.

As for the algae, overcleening the tank may have got rid of the good bacteria along with the debris. Cleaning too much at once is just for us humans to enjoy the result. It should be done in stages. Also, if you are talking about green water algae, it's caused by ammonia spikes more than likely so the increased bioload from the platies along with the overcleaned tank is probably the trigger.

 

[billyboy]

i assume you didnt thouroghly clean the filter?
times of feeding and when the lights go on is personal preference, 6-8 hours a day is ample lighting, and feeding once a day is usually fine, even skipping a day every now and then is fine, over feeding can cause ammonia build up

I did an "OCD" job of cleaning the filter.

Super-clean.
Thanks for the info on lighting and feeding.

Platies are active during the day so feeding them when lights are on is just fine. They eat like pigs too. I feed mine once a day but smaller feeding two times a day is ok too if you have the time. Overfeeding is not a problem, but a filter that can't cope with the ammonia produced by overfeeding is the problem. Don't starve your fish because of that though, it causes stress. I overfilter the tanks and have never had an ammonia/nitrIte spikes because of overfeeding.

As for the algae, overcleening the tank may have got rid of the good bacteria along with the debris. Cleaning too much at once is just for us humans to enjoy the result. It should be done in stages. Also, if you are talking about green water algae, it's caused by ammonia spikes more than likely so the increased bioload from the platies along with the overcleaned tank is probably the trigger.

Thanks!

I feed my fish twice daily one in morning say 9-10am then again 9-10pm and don't feed on Sunday, lets them have a clean out.

I have my lights on in the morning for a hour pushing 2, then when it starts getting dark say 4:30 I switch them on until 10:30-11:00pm.

Thanks!

 

[billyboy]

So, I'll stay in the 6-8 hour timeframe for lighting, and I'll keep with doing a pinch of flakes twice a day. I hope the UV sanitizer does a good job of cleaning up the somewhat cloudy water that I have now.

I'll be back with more questions no doubt.

Great forum!