I Make Gum
New Member
Hi, I am fairly new to keeping fish.
I started my tropical freshwater tank on 11.17.07 (Nov. 17, 2007)
I started the tank when I inherited a Betta who would have been flushed....
So I read about cycling the tank and all that and I add the betta to a 5 gall. tank and added a pleco almost immediately. I added live plants that came with snails. They were ramshorns and got out of hand. I waited for the tank to cycle and added about 6 weeks later 2 mollies and 3 dwarf puffers.
Long story short, the betta is now safely by himself .... and tank set up is now as follows:
Tank Set up is 5 gal. with 3 dwarf puffers, 2 Mollies and a rubber lip pleco. Heavily planted with live plants, Temp = 79.0 - 81.5 on average. I use a heating pad at night to make up for the heat that is lost when the lights are off. Lights are usually on during the day through the evening and off at night. Filtered with BioWheel 5-10 gal. filter. I also have an air pump for the pleco. small, rounded gravel bottom
I have a way to test everything except kH--I can't find a liquid test for this...only strips that come as part of another kit (That i don't need). Any recommendations on a good kH test kit?
Everything has been fine until I changed the water earlier this month. On 01.13.08 my Nitrate level was 40ppm. NO2 and NH3/NH4 are at 0 each. All other set up conditions the same. Time for h20 change.
The results when I tested the water yesterday (02.01.08) are as follows before h20 change:
pH = 7.4-7.6 (I will give ranges when the color seemed to be between 2 measurements)
NO2 = 0.25
NO3 = 10
NH3/NH4 = 0.25
so these numbers mean the fish are being exposed to bad conditions and I change the water (50%) and leave the tank alone for the night. I keep all the set up the same and do my best to keep the temp the same and light consistent.
I test the water again today. The results are:
pH = 6.8
NO2 = 1.0ppm
NO3 = 40ppm
NH3/NH4 = 0.25ppm
So the nitrates went up overnight after a 50% h20 change. So I change the water again, after this test doing a 2/3 change this time and deeply vacuuming the gravel. A lot of black solid stuff came up...
So then I measure the water about an hour after changing it and my levels are:
pH = 7.4 - 7.6 (same)
NO2 = 0 - 0.25ppm
NO3 = 20ppm
NH3/NH4 = 0 - 0.25ppm
Nitrites and Nitrates are lower and Ammonia and ammonium seem to be lower too.
Does this mean, though, that I need to change the water again tomorrow? Should I wait that long...?
Do I need to wait longer? These are still hazardous water conditions right?
Is the tank over crowded? have I over fed them? Please help me...I think I've done something wrong....
In all this though, the fish are acting completely normally. Everyone is getting along just fine. No one seems stressed, everyone is active, no gaping, no clamped fins, eating normally, etc. The water also did not seem cloudy or dirty, nor did it smell.....There seemed to be nothing cuing me to change the water.
So now I'm confused about how often are water changes necessary: Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly? depends on tank and water conditions? I thought I had learned all these answers, but obviously something is not working right!
Thanks in advance
I started my tropical freshwater tank on 11.17.07 (Nov. 17, 2007)
I started the tank when I inherited a Betta who would have been flushed....
So I read about cycling the tank and all that and I add the betta to a 5 gall. tank and added a pleco almost immediately. I added live plants that came with snails. They were ramshorns and got out of hand. I waited for the tank to cycle and added about 6 weeks later 2 mollies and 3 dwarf puffers.
Long story short, the betta is now safely by himself .... and tank set up is now as follows:
Tank Set up is 5 gal. with 3 dwarf puffers, 2 Mollies and a rubber lip pleco. Heavily planted with live plants, Temp = 79.0 - 81.5 on average. I use a heating pad at night to make up for the heat that is lost when the lights are off. Lights are usually on during the day through the evening and off at night. Filtered with BioWheel 5-10 gal. filter. I also have an air pump for the pleco. small, rounded gravel bottom
I have a way to test everything except kH--I can't find a liquid test for this...only strips that come as part of another kit (That i don't need). Any recommendations on a good kH test kit?
Everything has been fine until I changed the water earlier this month. On 01.13.08 my Nitrate level was 40ppm. NO2 and NH3/NH4 are at 0 each. All other set up conditions the same. Time for h20 change.
The results when I tested the water yesterday (02.01.08) are as follows before h20 change:
pH = 7.4-7.6 (I will give ranges when the color seemed to be between 2 measurements)
NO2 = 0.25
NO3 = 10
NH3/NH4 = 0.25
so these numbers mean the fish are being exposed to bad conditions and I change the water (50%) and leave the tank alone for the night. I keep all the set up the same and do my best to keep the temp the same and light consistent.
I test the water again today. The results are:
pH = 6.8
NO2 = 1.0ppm
NO3 = 40ppm
NH3/NH4 = 0.25ppm
So the nitrates went up overnight after a 50% h20 change. So I change the water again, after this test doing a 2/3 change this time and deeply vacuuming the gravel. A lot of black solid stuff came up...
So then I measure the water about an hour after changing it and my levels are:
pH = 7.4 - 7.6 (same)
NO2 = 0 - 0.25ppm
NO3 = 20ppm
NH3/NH4 = 0 - 0.25ppm
Nitrites and Nitrates are lower and Ammonia and ammonium seem to be lower too.
Does this mean, though, that I need to change the water again tomorrow? Should I wait that long...?
Do I need to wait longer? These are still hazardous water conditions right?
Is the tank over crowded? have I over fed them? Please help me...I think I've done something wrong....
In all this though, the fish are acting completely normally. Everyone is getting along just fine. No one seems stressed, everyone is active, no gaping, no clamped fins, eating normally, etc. The water also did not seem cloudy or dirty, nor did it smell.....There seemed to be nothing cuing me to change the water.
So now I'm confused about how often are water changes necessary: Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly? depends on tank and water conditions? I thought I had learned all these answers, but obviously something is not working right!
Thanks in advance
grrrrr....he better stay small!!!
