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Recently, i have been experiencing some problems with my tank. High nitrates are a part of the deaths, but out of curiosity, what is the life expectancy of the sverage red swordtail? I have had 2 deaths in the past 2 days! I am trying my best to lower the nitrates, but out of 25% WC, i am seeing some results. I am now going to Check the Nitrates and do a 25% WC. I am doing a 25% every other day. I just hope it is enough!

Now I am down to 4 swordtails. When i get my Nitrates and other conditions under control, do you think i can purchase my loaches or should i first purchase the neons. The loaches i will buy in groups of 2-3, depending on size, and the Neons in groups of 3-4. i am thinking that the loaches should come first, but for any reason the tetras come first, please let me know...

My Nitrate Levels are _______(will update)

THanks again,
GF

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Nitrate should be easily controlled be regular water changes and live plants, plus a good housekeeping practices. A 25% is a bit light if you are having problems I would go at least 30%(BUT check your water supply) to make sure you are not importing it into the tank.

Your filtration what is it and is it fully and corectly maintained?
You water changes what percentages and most important of all how often?

What is your feeding program how much and how often.

As far as getting any more fish I would like to know a lot more about your tank first, size, filtration, substrate (depth & cleaning) fish sizes and how many of each, plants type and how many?

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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I would hold off on any additions until you have your water quality well settled, and are not losing fish. You really don't want to add another variable while things are already off kilter.

In the mean time, Keith's asked very good questions. The more info you can offer us the better.

I vote! Do you?

OK!

I am sorry for not keeping up with you guys!

ANyway, my nitrate levels look to be around 40-60ppm.

I do a 25% WC every other day, to reduce stress, and during that time i gravel vaccum out the mulm. I feed once a day with a about a pince of Flakes, and i toss in an algae wafer for the bottom dwellers. The flakes thouggh, have recently been settling down, because the swordtail is lonely and wont eat a thing. His companion died yesterday....

I am keeping up the maintanance of my filter, and i have some sponges as substitutes for filter catrtridges. I know my water supply isnt importing nitrates, because i already checked a month ago. I think the cause of this is snail detritus, and dead snails.

My Tank:

20g High
1 Swordtail
1 Rainbow Shark
1 Pleco(medium-small)

Plants:

5x (I think) Aponogeton bulbs, fully grown
1x Quick growing Amazon sword
1x Java Fern-Full grown with offspring
1x Lance Anubis
1x Crypt(Dunno what species)

Filtration

Penguin Biowheel for 30g

Substrate

1.5 inches of gravel in most places, some places 0.3 higher or lower.



Thats all!




EDIT: Just in case it is coming from my water supply-which it isnt!-what should i do?

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I can understand high nitrAtes. Yes they can be a factor in fish deaths. More so if the fish are stressed additionally by other circumstances.

What I experiences was a case where I'd bought a used tank from someone who'd never seen a gravel vac! The water that came out of the tank was BLACK, and even after a 90% water change the nitrAtes were still off the charts!


Howd' I get them down I hear you ask? Hornwort, wisteria, and some water changes.

If you suspect the snails do whatever you can to get them out of there. Suck the dead ones up with your gravel vac. Go through by hand if you have to, there's likely a lot of dead ones that's not only going to make the fish unhappy but your tank will start to smell (if it doesnt already).

Increase the water changes a bit, concentrate on getting the snails out, and switch to feeding every other day. You don't want anything to settle to the bottom. If you have a breeding trap you can try to isolate the sword to make sure he's getting the food. Oftentimes however isolating the fish can mean they stress out more.

40-60 isn't horrible, but it's not the best. Test a few hours after each water change and keep us posted.

^_^

I would strip the tank down and wash the gravel with the old tank water to start off with.
Buy a lot more graver 1-3mm and mix it with the gravel you have after you have cleaned both lots of gravel. The gravel should be at least 3ins deep for best results. Then when it is set up do a deep cleaning regularly ( I do mine weekly)
Remove all the fish and plants place them in a container and keep the filter going.
Clean the tank completely to remove all the gunk under the gravel.

Replace the gravel, partial water, plants, top up the water.
Add some Stress coat or Melafix and a good dose of Cycle or similar product as you will experience a small spike.
Add the fish except the pleco to big for that tank.
Feed sparingly every second day and half the amount you feed now.
Just because you checked your water supply one day does not mean it is the same ever day.

I hope this helps.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

OK! A lot has happened since my last post!

Snail counts have reduced alot, and i am turning the light on for more hours, because i forgot to when i was trying to kill the algae. My nitrates have lowered to 30 MAX. It may be 20-15ppm, but i am not quite sure... I checked the water suppply again, and got the same result: no nitrates, but you did prove a good point there keith.

On the case of hornwort, I am never doing that again, too messy if not enough light, which in my case is insufficent. Wisteria; Is it hard to grow, or is it light requiring? Anybody know of a good place to get a Compact flourescent, or a 2 bulb fixture for less than a hundred dollars? If so, please do inform me!

Anyway, i noticed that the swordtail is very skinny, and i worry about his health. I could put him in the smaller 10 gallon, so he can eat, but i think that that would stress him out. I am going to try to go to a LFS to get brine shrimp, but in the meantime, i have nothing to feed it that is live and wiggly.

Finnally, how do i strip the tank down? I know i have to remove all decor and plants and gravel, but how do i do it without harming the plants? How can i replant them so that they wont lose their root system? HOw will this help? I have small gravel, about the size BB's.

THanks sooooooo much you guys! I was genuinely worried about the tank, and if i had OTS......Thanks

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