mlkpookie

I am still trying to fix our tank. We have a 70 gal and are down to 6 fancy goldfish. We found out we were overstocked and upped our water changes to 50 % weekly. Our filter system (emperor bio wheels) does 800 GPH. The tank has been established for almost a year.

We finally got our ammonia down to 0 and nitrate to 10, our (nitrite always stays at 0) with a 50% water change. It was like that for a week and then our ammonia went back up this week to .25. We did our 50% water change this week too.

I am not sure why we have ammonia in the tank, and we don't over feed. We also vacuum weekly with our water changes. We do not add cycle or any other bacteria product to the tank, and we do have live plants to help with the cycling.

We don't have any additional media in the filter/tank (sponge, lava rock, ceramic). But we do have several decorations in the tank.

Should we use some sponge until we can locate ceramic media? We went out to some LFSs today and found some bio spira packets. We were thinking that maybe we could just add a packet of that instead, or should we do both add sponge and the bio spira?

I am not sure why we still have ammonia in our tank and I have read the cycling articles, am I missing something? We do have algae growth so I had to get something to clean to tank walls, does this destroy bacteria colonies? A little sponge thing on a handle for cleaning algae.

Also since we are down to 6 fish do we need to continue the 50% water changes?

I am also wondering how the water changes of this quantity will affect our other levels over an extended period of time, eg..PH and Alkalinity.

I noticed my PH went to 8.4 from 7.8 and Alkalinity went from 180 to 120. Could this be a result from the live plants, reduction of algae(due to cleaning) or the % of water changed?

I am just wondering if we are going to need to invest in a buffer?

twood63

I have never had any luck "buffering" I end up shocking the fish because of the peaks and valleys. When I first got into the hobby I had a 55 that that happened to and I lost all but the plocostumus. I tried a PH in a bottle and it was disastrous. I got out for about 7 years. Since getting back into the hobby all I have done is use substrate for my Africans in a 55. My other 55, 90 29 and 20 whenever I see a PH movement I'll do a water change. I'm lucky our water here in Northeast Ohio is around 7 and even my Discus do well with that PH but with them it's a twice a week water change. I hope this helps.

T

ian2mic

As far as I have learned, water changes shouldn't affect anything really. Except to help. Your good bacteria mostly lives in the gravel and the media in your filter, not so much in the water. If you have high ammonia, you should keep up with the water changes, possibly even do them twice a week until it evens itself out. I am of the opinion that any messing around with chemicals is bad, so since you say it's been established for a year perhaps it's some sort of cycling it's doing on it's own and you just need to do large water changes till it evens out again. I'm not sure why you would have ammonia and nitrate but no nitrite, maybe someone else could answer that...

I also don't know much about ph except that I know it is harder to lower your ph than it is to raise it. If it's lowering then possible it's something in your tank, like decorations etc... some kind of chemical that you're not aware of. I know I read once to test your tap water and that is pretty much what you're stuck with if you don't want to mess it up too much.

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"It's a fish eat fish world"

twood63

If your planning on using a substrate for control watch the materials that will leach out into you biotope. I would use a roughed up ceramic because material like the lava rock, shells will throw your PH higher. What are you looking for as far as your PH. With the larger Goldfish I believe you will have swings in the PH because of the watse the Goldfish produce. Another product you might want to try is stress coats version of Ammo out just to reduce the Ammonia until your tank balances. If your not using carbon I would go that route to. Do you have a pic of what the tank looks like. We might have a better handle if we can see your fish. I hope any of the above helps.

I know how frustrating it can be when your shooting in the dark trying to figure the problems out.

T

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1 125 South American
1 90 gallon Discus
1 55 gallon 1 Africans

mlkpookie

ok here goes: see if you can check out these pics of our tank.

http://pictures.aol.com/ap/publicSlideshow.do?shareInfo=aeVRhXusOtIRZUL9u9PFg r7xCrbL0JznBmmabtfzkIqJJdNX5w59hg%3D%3D

It's a slide show. It shows the front and pictures of the left and right side of the tank.

twood63

I like the way your tank is set up.
Has anything happened to the plants? The reason I ask is your water looks clear and what I could see from the fish they didn't look bad. The link below I found looking for answers to your problems. It looks more toward a problem with the fish than your set up. it has a diagnosis on water.

http://www.ponddoc.com/Store/FishHea.../Diagnosis.htm

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1 125 South American
1 90 gallon Discus
1 55 gallon 1 Africans

totallyfrozen

I don't understand what is going on with your tank exactly, but it sounds like your bacteria cultures have thinned out (or died off). I know that should absurd--maybe it is.
I don't know that this would fix the problem, but if it were my tank, I'd start adding 1 tsp of bacteria per 10 gal once a week for the next 2 - 3 weeks, do water changes (treating the water to remove chlorine, of course). Then I'd just give it time.

BTW, where did you get that fish statue that you are using as an aerator? VERY COOL!! I want one of those for OUR goldfish tank!

number1PArealtor

Try Petsmart for the statues. I've seen them there and I know that's where mlkpookie got hers.
Love ya girl! Figured I'd help your threads where I can while your offline.

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Nikki

mlkpookie

I'M BAACK!!

Hey you all thanks for your responses!

Twood63 I'll check out that link.

Maybe i'll post a new thread asking why I have ammonia and nitrate but no nitrite. We want to get a master test kit but the only ones in this area don't test for GH or KH. Maybe since we are using the dip testing strips they aren't reading accurately enough, but the pet store uses them and fets the same reading too.

My plants seem to be doing fine. I only need to clean them a little here and there, which is probably pretty good cosidering we don't fertilize or use CO2, or special lighting. I have noticed a leaf here and there turning a light shade of green and you can almost see through them. But the plants in our tank have been there 1 - 3 mths and it's just started happening.

Yes I did get those fish head statues at a pet smart, they also have aerated dragons and several other things that come with the aeration stone.

Thanks number1PArealtor for manning my posts much love ! Let me know if I can return the favor anytime girl!