Question on a 35 gal. tank

[PatBonner27]

I got a new 35 gal. "bow"front tank a few months ago. I have 3 silver sail fin mollies, 3 dalmation mollies, a cory cat and a small (about 1 inch) sucker mouth cat. I had the tank set up for over 6 weeks before adding fish. Everything seems to be great, I've even had to set up a small baby fry tank for the babies being born.
My questions are this:
I have been doing a 1/3 water change every 3 to 4 weeks. I have been told to just do 10% every week. So can someone please tell me which one is correct?
I also have noticed in the last 2 weeks that the water looks a little greenish. There is nothing growing on the plastic plants or decorations. And help with that would be great.
I am on a fixed income and can't afford a test kit till next month.
Thank you for any help you can give me. *twirlysmi *SUNSMILE*

 

[FreshyFresh]

Pat, has the water ever been tested in the tank? It would be impossible to determine if the tank had been properly cycled (based on today's standards) without a water test kit. They're not that expensive. My API master test kit that should last me for ~2yrs+ was ~$20.

On the other hand, if your fish have been thriving in there for some time, the water quality must be up to proper specs. Congrats to you there!

Standard recommended procedure would be a 10-15% water change every week at a minimum.

Lots of direct sunlight can cause algae, as can high nitrates. Need that test kit!

Joel

 

[CAPSLOCK]

33% water change every 3 weeks or 10% every week is the same thing - do whichever you are going to keep doing consistently. Either one is fine. That being said, if you are noticing green water after 2.5-3 weeks (right before the water change), and it seems clearer for a week or two after the water change, you may find that doing smaller more frequent changes helps to reduce that.

I agree with Joel, sounds like an algae issue causing the green water - if the tank is getting direct sunlight, that can be a cause. Or getting a lot of light in general (strong lights on 10-12hrs+), combined with having extra nutrients in the water, which would be from overfeeding most often. Simplest option is to try cutting back on feeding for a few weeks to see if that makes any difference.

 

[PatBonner27]

Pat, has the water ever been tested in the tank? It would be impossible to determine if the tank had been properly cycled (based on today's standards) without a water test kit. They're not that expensive. My API master test kit that should last me for ~2yrs+ was ~$20.

On the other hand, if your fish have been thriving in there for some time, the water quality must be up to proper specs. Congrats to you there!

Standard recommended procedure would be a 10-15% water change every week at a minimum.

Lots of direct sunlight can cause algae, as can high nitrates. Need that test kit!

Joel

Joel, thank you for answering me so quickly. I had the water tested today and they said the nitrates were high. They said to get a product called "Stability" So I did and just put it in the tank about an hour ago.
Oh, I do understand the need for a good test kit, but as I said, I live on a VERY fixed income.($499.00 a month total) But I plan on getting a good kit in Feb. How long do you think it will take to get the nitrates where they should be and have you ever used or heard of this product?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Generally doing water changes is what will bring the nitrates down unless your water has seriously elevated nitrate levels. Are you using dechlorinated tap water? If so, it depends a bit on the water - some places water has very little nitrates in it (near 0), other places the nitrates may be quite high.

If you do a 50% water change, you will essentially take the nitrate level down by 50% (less what level your tap water has).

 

[FreshyFresh]

Pat, too bad you didn't ask the fine folks here first!!

Like CL says, you could have saved the money you spent on "Stability" and just did a large water change to lower your nitrates. One of the reasons regular water changes are done are to keep nitrate levels low in the tank,

Joel

 

[PatBonner27]

Generally doing water changes is what will bring the nitrates down unless your water has seriously elevated nitrate levels. Are you using dechlorinated tap water? If so, it depends a bit on the water - some places water has very little nitrates in it (near 0), other places the nitrates may be quite high.

If you do a 50% water change, you will essentially take the nitrate level down by 50% (less what level your tap water has).

The tank sits as far away from the window as possible and gets 0% direct sunlight. When I do the water change, I treat the water (before adding it to the tank) with "starts Right" and "prime". Arn't these good products?
I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the help
*GOLDFISH* *crazysmil

 

[lauraf]

Prime is an excellent product. It's all I use. I can't speak to Start Right. If your nitrates are high and you are experiencing green water, do several large water changes. It's okay to take a lot of water out of your tank - as long as you treat the water you put back in, you won't have a problem.

 

[FishDad]

Welcome Pat, from my own personal experience 50% weekly water changes will keep a nice, neat, clean and healthy tank. Sounds like the pet store pulled a fast one on you will that stability stuff. As said above, water changes will remove the nitrates for you. The more you do, the less you'll have. I like changing all my tanks on the same day every week, that way I don't have to even think about it. It keeps me... ehem, regular.

 

[PatBonner27]

Boy do I feel stupid. I mentioned about the water looking green. Well when I took the hood/light off for the water change, I found the problem. There was algie covering the entire glass area where the light sits !!! But I did a 50% water change and had the water re tested and everything is fine. Thanks for all your great advice.
I also wanted to say that I now have 12 healthy, happy, baby (fry) sailfin mollies !!!

 

[Thyra]

Anytime you get your water tested you need to ask them for the numbers. The LFS tend to just say "fine" and fine to one person may not be fine to another. Your goal is zero ammonia and nitrites and about 20ppm nitrates, although many fish can deal with nitrates even much higher than that, but as already stated water changes are the key to control.

 

[PatBonner27]

Hey Super Fish, this has nothing to do with fish. I hope you don't mind my asking, but do you know anyone with the last name of Wood in yelm? My parents are from there. Mom is in a home now and Dad has passed. I use to go out there at least 3 times a year and sure miss it. They lived a few blocks from Yardbirds. I can't remember the name of the road. But I loved it up there.
*GOLDFISH*

 

[Thyra]

Wood & Sons had a dairy farm years ago and the sons kind of branched out into construction. We really don't know them personally and I haven't heard about any of them for years. We have lived here for 34 years - I suspect one of our neighbors, who is a life time resident (Rick Johnson) may have gone to school with the younger generation who are probably close to or in their 70's

 

[PatBonner27]

My Father was a diff. Wood. He was retired army. But thanks for the info. I miss standing at her kitchen sink and seeing Mount Ranier. Thank you so much for responding to me. By the way, My fish are foing great.
*celebrate

 

[Thyra]

Yup, I know what you mean - I have Mt. Rainier out my kitchen window. I grew up in the mid-west and from the time I can remember, I longed for the mountains although I had never seen them. I married a guy in the Coast Guard and we got sent to the Oregon coast and I have been here ever since. Love it!!