Water Stats + Overstock?

[marcandnic]

Good evening all.

Background facts:

I have an established juwel rio 180.
Filter:
Standard juwel built in internal
Eheim classic 2213 been running approx. 4 weeks.
Eheim classic 2215 been running for 3 days.

Tap water ...
Ph 6.8
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40

Tank water ...
Ph 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 80

Stocking ...
14 congo tetra
1 large common angelfish
1 baby common plec
1 royal plec
7 albino cory
7 harlequins
1 silver hatchet
1 apistogramma borelli
1 zebra danio
2 lyre tail guppy
5 neons

I have gravel substrate, 2 pretty large pieces of bog wood, a bunch of camboda (sp?) Bacopa caroliniana and 2 bunches of hygrophila corymbosa.

The harlequins, neons and guppy were all taken through them not being needed by other fish keepers.

The fish all get along well, no nipping or agression. The hachet seems to think he is a congo tetra. The congo and harlequins are very rampant ... always showing off and scattering their eggs.

Anyway, i know the common plec will get very big but i plan on getting a 5/6ft tank next year (xmas time). I have plans to change my current gravel substrate to sand once my external filters have matured.


Am i overstocked? Is this why my nitrate level is so high?

 

[mattlee]

the tank must look pretty full and im my opinion overstocked. nitrates of 80 with 40 from the tap isnt much to worry about maybe do larger water changes this will reduce it further but it will never get below 40ppm as that is your tap stats unless you heavilly plant the tank but i guess there isnt much room for plants

 

[Wills]

Your in a similar situation to me with a high reading of nitrate in the tap water, the only way I have found to get around this is weekly water changes and filter cleaning each 6 weeks. There are a few things you can do to help like a nitrate removing filter before you add the new water to the tank I know someone on this forum uses this system and they cost about £50 I think unfortunately for me I cant afford that right now...... but at some point in the future I want to get one my self.

To be honest in a 180 thats quite a heavy stock especially with 14 congo tetras I mean these are big fish as adults and then with the rest its going to be a big reason why the nitrate level is high and then with two plecs as well its only going to get higher as they grow. I would rehome the two plecs for now and get some back when you have the tank size and maybe cut the number of congos or get a larger tank as a medium step - something like a Juwel 300 - Juwel 400 would work well and are both easy to find at a decent price second hand.

Wills

 

[marcandnic]

I think it is definately at its capacity.

As I said though I am looking to get a bigger tank, maybe sooner, it's just waiting until I drop on one really.

I don't want to get rid of the plecs - 1 cost me £25 (Royal) and I love the common plecs, ever since having a large one in a 6ft tank when I was younger. They're a bit of a soft spot for me.

Here is how the tank looks though at the moment.

 

[karin]

Just for comparison, I have 7 congos in my 60 gallon that is 48 inches long. I have 3 males and 4 females and in my opinion, I'm maxed on congos. 14 sounds pretty overstocked especially as the males get quite large. My biggest is about 4 inches long. They grow fast.