New 75 Gal - Tank All Was Fine Until I Cleaned It!

[Smells a bit fishy]

Dont add salt as this could burn the pleco's skin, and does nothing for algea.

Turn you lights on less during the day, and get more plants. Also ammonia can increase the growth of algea. So if there is any ammonia in the water, sort that out first and then deal with the algae if it doesn't sort itself out

 

[osikorn]

Ok. There is ammonia in the water. I will keep the lights off. I'll pick up a few new plants. Change the water. And see what happens. Do I use water conditioner each water change?

 

[Miles_hot]

yes - if you fail to neutralise the chlorine int he water say goodbye to your bacteria! Either de-chlorinate the water before you add it or add enough de-chlorinator for the whole tank to the tank before adding the water (useful if you're doing a big water change)

HTH

Miles

 

[Stephan]

If I'm doing a 25% change on a 30 gallon do I add enough conditioner for the 7.5 gallons or 30 before I add the water?

 

[osikorn]

I tested the water quickly during my lubch hour. Im not in front of it now but ... Ph 7.6 ammonia between 0 and .25 nitrate and nitrite was normal. I'll test again tonight. Is this wierd

 

[Miles_hot]

If I'm doing a 25% change on a 30 gallon do I add enough conditioner for the 7.5 gallons or 30 before I add the water?

If you add the de-clorinator to the water before you add it to the tank (i.e. in the bucket between the sink and the tank) you add enough for the bucket (for 7.5G) if on the other hand you're looking to just chuck the water into the tank (hose pipe or can't figure out how to add tiny amounts to each bucket) you add enough for the whole 30G tank to the tank before you add any water.

HTH

Miles

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Eagle - I suspect that the normal way to remove the nitrates is a water change however I seem to remember reading that plants will also do it - thus the frequency of water changes can be reduced with a greater degree of planting....

Miles

Somewhere on here I'd read that plants will only use 5ppm of nitrates per day - and that's with the high lighting, CO2 injecting, etc. Plants aren't really the answer, unless you are going to have a ton of plants and very low bioload. Plants do a lot of other beneficial things, most notably look much better than the fake ones. But, their role in removing nitrate is greatly overrated, I believe.

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

If I'm doing a 25% change on a 30 gallon do I add enough conditioner for the 7.5 gallons or 30 before I add the water?

You add enouph for the water you are putting in.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

If I'm doing a 25% change on a 30 gallon do I add enough conditioner for the 7.5 gallons or 30 before I add the water?

You add enouph for the water you are putting in.

If you are adding the dechlorinator to the tank directly, you add enough for the full volume of the tank. If you are adding it to the water you are adding, then you add enough only for the water you are adding.

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

If I'm doing a 25% change on a 30 gallon do I add enough conditioner for the 7.5 gallons or 30 before I add the water?

You add enouph for the water you are putting in.

If you are adding the dechlorinator to the tank directly, you add enough for the full volume of the tank. If you are adding it to the water you are adding, then you add enough only for the water you are adding.

Oh really? I didn't realise that. Hmmmm..........

 

[eaglesaquarium]

We are all here to learn.

 

[osikorn]

I just tested before I did my water change, and here are my results. Ph: 7.6 Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: between 0 and 5.0

So what do you guys think.

I just did a 50% water change and took out all the "toys" cleaned them. Cleaned the sides with a rag. Replaced and refilled with cooler water. Added conditioner and took a deep breathe.

So far my only casualty is the blue on my blue lobster. He is now brown. But alive.

Am I out of the woods? The water looks much clearer. I hope it keeps.

The rocks in the filter are ammonia rocks for freshwater. Marineland brand. They are black and white.

I am excited to be able to see the front and back of the aquarium at the same time.

Whew! This water change made a big difference. I took out green water and put in clear water. I hope it stays clear.

Thank you Thank youThank youThank you

I really appreciate everyone's advise and patience with me. I will never make this mistake again!!!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

We are all here to learn.

 

[raptorrex]

If I'm doing a 25% change on a 30 gallon do I add enough conditioner for the 7.5 gallons or 30 before I add the water?

this can depend on both, how you dose the tank, and on the conditioner used.

if you add the conditioner to the tank, prior to adding new water (conditioner dependent) you dose for the total tank size. if you dose the water you are changing (conditioner dependent) you add for the size of container you are using. (or for the total of water to be changed).

conditioner dependent, it is many hours before the conditioner is "used up". this means it does not really matter how you dose, as long as you follow the instructions given, by the product. as time goes by you will get a "feel" for the best way for you. you can also add the conditioner before or after adding the new water.

few tips though:

at first, follow the maker instructions. only experiment as you gain experience. even if you are told, here or anywhere else, of a different way.

having said that, lol. we, often recommend here to dose, up to, to twice the "proscribed" amount.. again only experiment when you know your conditioner.

use a conditioner that, also, has heavy metal binding additives (its the only reason i use a conditioner).

dont be "conned" into buying an expensive conditioner. Prime, for example, works out @ pennies per tank, even very big ones. (this seems to come out best if you ask posters here, who have any length of experience that is). other, well known, conditioners can add up to £'s, per change, if you have a large tank..

 

[osikorn]

High range Ph 7.8
Ammonia between 0 & .25
nitrite is 0
Nitrate is 0

I did another water change because Algae continues to grow in the water. what can I do at this point to stop the madness