please help

orillian

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I got a new tank about 3 weeks ago. It's 38 US Gallon. I have a Penguin 170 power filter. Two fluorecent bulbs, 25 watts each. Two Nutrafin CO2 systems. About 6 live plants. 1.5 inches of gravel with laterites at the bottom. My fish are: guppies x 5, platys x 4, cory cats x 2, danios x 5, tiny platy fries x 3. Water is set at 24 degrees Celsius.

The plants are growing awesome. When I bought them they were 1/3 of the height of the tank. Now they have all reached the full height of the tank and are also branching out a lot. And the fish seem to be very happy, they are eating a lot and growing. I feed them regular flakes twice a day, colour flakes and freeze dried blood worms occasionally. I am starting to feed algae tablets to the catfishs. I have not tested the water in the last couple of days, but pH is about 7-7.5, very little ammonia or nitrite/nitrate. Forgot what the exact water hardness is, but it is about medium.

My problem is recurrent tank cloudiness. Most of the cloudiness seems to be at the bottom part of the tank. There is also a slight brown/yellow tinge to the water. No funny smell.

My questions are:

1) Do I have too many fish ie. overstocked? If you don't think that I am overstocked, how many more fish can I accomodate ant what kinds?
2) Do I need to upgrade my filtering? Should I buy a second power filter or add a canister filter? Please give me some suggestions. I have heard that too much filtration is bad.
3) Am I having an algae bloom or a bacterial bloom?
4) Should I get some algae eaters? What kinds?
5) Should I use chemicals to get rid of the cloudiness? If yes, what kind?
6) How often should I fertilize my plants? Liquid or tablets?
7) Some of my fish are losing a bit of colour. The platys are getting some darker/black pigmentations in the dorsal area. Any dietary advices?
8) Some of the plants have darker leaves at the top, but only at the very top. The stuff is almost black and can be wiped off. Is it a kind of algae? Any solution?
9) How often should I change water and how much? Do you recommend using dechlorination chemical or should I just let the water sit for a couple of days?
10) Do algae tablets lead to tank cloudiness? I am worried that the cory cats are not eating enough so I give them a small tablet (size of a penny) every day. I don't know if they finish the food because I give it to them after I turn off the light and go to bed.
11) I bought some Start Zymes and some Cycle. Should I use them?

Please give me some suggestions.
Money is not a big consideration.
Please help and thanks in advance.
 
1) Do I have too many fish ie. overstocked? If you don't think that I am overstocked, how many more fish can I accomodate ant what kinds?

Doesn't sound like your overstocked..

2) Do I need to upgrade my filtering? Should I buy a second power filter or add a canister filter? Please give me some suggestions. I have heard that too much filtration is bad.

In a planted tank over filter, does cause lots of CO2 to escape from the water before the plant have time to use it.. To much water current also have a bad effect of fish that is not used to/build for fast flowing waters.

3) Am I having an algae bloom or a bacterial bloom?

I would say your having a bacterial bloom, can you get a nitrite reading.. Sound like your tank might be in need of a water change. Since your tank does have a yellow tint, I wouldnt see it as a algae bloom. but at 1.3wpg of light Brown algae might be at the order of the day..

4) Should I get some algae eaters? What kinds?

Its always a good idea the have one or two, just the keep the algae to a min (you'll never completely remove all algae in your tank) what type I dont know, if you could get some SAE.. they are great..

5) Should I use chemicals to get rid of the cloudiness? If yes, what kind?

no

6) How often should I fertilize my plants? Liquid or tablets?

look at the side of the bottle.. If your plant is growing but the algae get a overhand cut down.. somepeople say start at half a dose in the first few months just to make sure algae doesnt start. After a while you'll notice you'll need to add some more that recomended.

7) Some of my fish are losing a bit of colour. The platys are getting some darker/black pigmentations in the dorsal area. Any dietary advices?

Still sound like to much nitrates

8 Some of the plants have darker leaves at the top, but only at the very top. The stuff is almost black and can be wiped off. Is it a kind of algae? Any solution?

IME too little light cause some plant to grow for the top of the tank as close to the light as possible and grow 4-5 leaves at a darker color that the rest.. but there is plants that does this anyway.

9) How often should I change water and how much? Do you recommend using dechlorination chemical or should I just let the water sit for a couple of days?

once a week and add some dechlorination.. you can measure the nitrates if you have a high reading everyweek, a 25% water change is good, but a 10% change everweek is normaly all that is needed

10) Do algae tablets lead to tank cloudiness? I am worried that the cory cats are not eating enough so I give them a small tablet (size of a penny) every day. I don't know if they finish the food because I give it to them after I turn off the light and go to bed.

Dunno.gif


11) I bought some Start Zymes and some Cycle. Should I use them?

is it a new tank.. less that 6 months?? is YES.. well sure that might be the cause of all your problems.. but it will still not be a two day solution.
 
Thanks for your help.
Checked my nitrite level. It's <0.3.
 

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