New to fish keeping and need some help/advice

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#1
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#1
Hi,
I'm a newbie like the title reads, but I seem to be having problems with my tank.
The tank is about 2 months now and it has just recently become white cloudy. I read to feed them less which I have been and water change, which I do anyways to keep cleaner water. Also, I have a test kit and my nitrates seem to be very high. I've only had one casualty, which is better than most, but it's still sad when even one dies.

I have in my 10G tank:
1 chinese algae eater
3 platys
5 bloodfin tetra
5 blackskirt tetra

I've read up on what to do and have been doing water changes, feeding less, vacuuming the gravel, making sure my filter is cleaned, and testing my tap. I don't now if this is normal and I just need to let the cycle catch up or do something to help alleviate the levels. Also, one of my platys is staying near the top of my tank in a corner :( what is wrong with him? stressed?

please help
thanks
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#3
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#3
Welcome to the forum! In order to help we will need to know your exact readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. We don't know without you giving us a number for your nitrates what "very high" means. Also you shouldn't be cleaning your filter - that is one of the places the beneficial bacteria will grow. What temp are you keeping the tank at? If your tank is too warm, the oxygen will be decreased and that could make the fish go to the surface. I noticed the tank is in front of the window and that is not a good idea unless you can put a barrier there - depending on the climate where you live and the amount of sun on the window, although almost any amount of light from outside will promote algae growth.
 

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#4
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#4
Right now I'm using the strips, which aren't very good indicators, but I haven't got paid yet to get the full test kit. The strip says that my nitrite is at 5.0, nitrate is at 20, and I don't know my ammonia but the sample I took to the pet store the guy said that the ammonia was a bit high. As for cleaning my filter I meant just rinsing it off in the water that I have siphoned out from vacuuming. The temp is at about 78. As for the window I did not know that and will definitely move my tank away from it.
 

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#6
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#6
Also, to give as much info as I can, I'm using the tetra PF10 whisper exterior filter with the bio bag disposable filters. I'm doing a 20% water change/vacuum, which ever is needed at the time, twice a week. I use the tetra brand color flakes or bloodworms, aquasafe +, and have used the water clearifier twice now over the last 4 days as recommended on the bottle. I did give my algae eater an Hikari algae wafer for a couple of nights and it started after a few days of using those so I stopped. Also, dj ok I'll do that I did not know that either thanks.
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#7
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#7
Any amount of nitrite or ammonia is very toxic to fish. (Nitrate at 20 would be okay) You really need to be changing about half the water daily to get the nitrite and ammonia readings to zero. Don't let the LFS just say "fine" or a "bit high" get actual numbers. you might even have to do partial water changes twice a day to get the ammonia and nitrite to zero.
 

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#8
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#8
Ahh ok. I'll go take a sample and get a real number. I'll try doing the water change at half the amount later tonight as I just vacuumed the gravel and got a good bit of detritus out of there. Also, after I refilled with new, treated water, when I turned the filter back on I seen that there is debris coming out of the the filter. Should I see if something is wrong with the actual filtration device or wait and see what happens after the water change tonight? Also, thank you very much thyra
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#9
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#9
I am not familiar with any of the bio bag type filters so maybe someone else will chime in with info on why the detritus comes out of the filter. IMO the filters biggest purpose is to oxygenate the water and harbor beneficial bacteria. Also your 10g tank is probably at the high limit of stocking, in fact probably over - unless I am mistaken I count 6 black skirt tetras. Also I think Chinese algae eaters can get way too big for that tank - I will admit, I am not familiar with all the algae eaters - I stick to otos which stay pretty small.
 

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#10
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#10
I looked it up and it has to do with the quality of the carbon that comes in the pack. I just need to buy the better carbon is all. Ahh ok I did not know I was going off of what my LFS told me and yes the Chinese can get up to about 6-8 inches I think is what I saw, which the LFS did not tell me when purchasing :/
 

skjl47

skjl47

Large Fish
#11
Nov 13, 2010
712
0
0
Northeastern Tennessee.
#11
QuickLearner said:
I looked it up and it has to do with the quality of the carbon that comes in the pack. I just need to buy the better carbon is all. Ahh ok I did not know I was going off of what my LFS told me and yes the Chinese can get up to about 6-8 inches I think is what I saw, which the LFS did not tell me when purchasing :/
Click to expand...
Hello; Not sure what the carbon is to be used for, but suspect that if it is part of a filter system you will discover that carbon has a limited time of useful adsorption (At most a few days) and likely will do little, if anything, for the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite issues you appear to be having.
Did you perhaps get the advice about carbon from the same place that sold you the chinese algae eater? Those algae eaters not only get fairly big, they do not eat much algae as they get larger and become aggressive. They are reported to attach to the sides of other fish and suck the slime coating and causing damage.
Carbon will at least do no harm except perhaps to your pocket book.
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#12
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#12
Do yourself a favour and take the Chinese algae eater back to your lfs and see if they will give you a credit. They do little to keep at algae at bay and in fact can start feeding on the slime coats of their tank mates causing stress and injury. Not a good fish for community tanks...
And welcome to the forum!
Laura
 

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#13
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#13
Skjl47, Yes I did get the recommendation from my LFS. The guy said that carbon would last for about a month and be great in helping my tank. Currently my LFS is a Petco, so most likely he's trying just to sell, but he could just really think that, I don't know. As for the Chinese AE, I'll definitely take him to a LFS that I found that is close and reviewed very well to get a different AE. I did not know they were not a good choice. Thank you Lauraf and skjl47
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#14
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#14
Unless you are having an algae problem, you do not NEED an algae eater in the tank at all. For a 10 gallon tank, you would be limited on one due to the size. The oto species are good for small tanks, but need a well-established tank and to best with a planted tank. They are a bit sensitive to water parameters and would not likely survive with a tank that is still cycling.
 

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#15
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#15
Oh, I did not know that, my LFS said that I would need one in there. At least I know now, thanks OC. I'm taking my CAE to a different LFS that is much better than the petco I went to, so that he and my fish will be better off. I'm not really having any algae problems at all, he was eating all the food that the fish did not. Also, I've gotten another filter, knowing that you shouldn't just change filters because of the beneficial bacteria, and the water is clear and the levels of both ammonia and nitrates are dropping. Seems like it was just part of the cycle where they spike? But my tank is on the way to recovery.
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#16
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#16
I would question that nitrates are dropping, unless you mean they drop when you do water changes. You want to see some level of nitrate, and zero ammonia and nitrite in your tank. When nitrates get to 20ppm, that is the time to do another water change. If you see ANY ammonia or nitrite, you should do water changes untill it is brought back to zero. Water being 'clear' is not a good indication that the water is healthy.

Keep up with the water changes and asking questions!
 

Q

QuickLearner

New Fish
#17
May 5, 2012
9
0
0
NC
#17
Opps I meant nitrites I miss typed, but I have been doing water changes ever since it (ammonia and nitrites) have spiked and is on it's way down. I'm bad at wording things. The levels of nitrates were at about 20ppm, nitrites were btw 5-10, and ammonia was btw 2-5. Now after been doing the water changes for a couple days the nitrates are about 10, nitrites about .5-1, and ammonia down to 2 almost 0, the test is still a little colored. Also, thanks for the help OC, I'll definitely keep using the forum for help :) it is a great source of info and help
 

You must log in or register to reply here.