Correct water readings

Tom · 07-08-2005, 11:54 AM

Just a quick question ...
I recently set up a 55 gal fw tank. It has been running for about a month now. I have 2 mollys, what started out as 3 guppys (now I have 2 fry) I have a good amount of plants in the tank (about 10). My ultimated goal is to have a very nicly planted tank.

My question is what are the perfect paramaters for the water.

MY readings are
ph 7.8
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite and 5 ppm
(sorry I might have mixed the last 2 names up)

I use a penguin filter (not sure of the size, it came with the tank as a kit so I assume it is the right size)
Also I added an undergravel filter.
My substrate is about 2" of gravel.

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks!
Tom

**Damon** · 07-08-2005, 12:32 PM

It sounds like an (dare I say understocked) tank with good filtration. What are you wanting to know exactly about the tank?

Tom · 07-08-2005, 12:52 PM

LOL,
I know its is understocked. It is a new tank and I am still trying to figure out what kind of tropical fish I will be adding. The current stock is my "test batch"

What I wanted to know is what are the optimum conditions for growing the plants. I want to have the plants well established before I stock the tank furhter.

Also I have a break out of brown algea.

The next fish I will be getting will be some sort of algea eater.

I was looking for one that will not destroy my plants and will be able to co-exist with small fish (i.e. mollys, neons, ect)

I was thinking of picking up some pleaco's but I am worried about the size they will get to. I was also thinking of some otto's.

I just cant decide what will be better. I was gonna stop by the lfs after work today to do some window shopping

**Damon** · 07-08-2005, 01:04 PM

Your water is hard. Brown algae isn't uncommon in newly cycled tanks. As for growing plants, you can make it as basic or as complicated as you want. You have 2 tank types. A low tech approach with easy to grow (but no less beautiful) plants. Myra can help you out there. Or a high tech approach which costs more, requires more matainence, but allows you to grow a larger variety of plants. Once you decide what you want to put into it, we can go from there.

Tom · 07-08-2005, 01:13 PM

I was looking for a simple method. I am looking for many plants, the more basic the better. I have heard that long stemed plants are the best for new tanks. I am sorry but I cant quote the names of the plants I have. I would like plants that dont need CO2 injection.

As to the algea and the type of fish I want to keep, what would be the best algea eater and how many would be best.

In a few weeks I will hopefully be putting in a school of neons

**Damon** · 07-08-2005, 03:05 PM

Stem plants usually are better nutrient sponges as next to mosses they are about as simple as plants get. Rather than list all of the low light low matainence plants I'll just post a link.
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_...=2&filter_by=3

Tom · 07-11-2005, 02:17 PM

Just an update ...

I picked up some of the plants from the link. So far they are doing ok.

I also picked up some chinese algea eaters (4 of them to be exact)

wow!!!! did they do a number on the algea. The tank looks spotless

**Damon** · 07-11-2005, 03:21 PM

Take all but one back. They are not really community fish and grow to a foot long. They also stop eating algae as they mature and get agressive towards fish. They have been known to kill.

BlackArchFish · 07-11-2005, 03:53 PM

Gold Chinese Algae Eaters get agressive? (Makes I Love Lucy Sound) EOOOOOWWW......

**Damon** · 07-11-2005, 05:25 PM

http://fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/cae.xml

MyraVan · 07-12-2005, 05:57 AM

Since you have hard water some good plants are hornwort, anacharis, and vallis. These will all grow well in plain gravel, in hard water. Many of the plants on the list Simpte referred you to are indeed easy, but will grow too slowly to help much with your algae problem (like the Anubias and African and Java Ferns).

Oh, what are your lighting levels? I have anacharis and vallis growing in a tank with 1.5 WPG, so as long as you have hard water, they don't need all that much to grow.

A bristlenose pleco might be a better algae eater for your tank than the CAE, for the reasons Simpte mentioned.

Tom · 07-12-2005, 07:56 AM

Wow, I am quite upset reading the above posts. The lfs recomended the 4 algea eaters they also said they grow to a max of 2-3 inches. They also had a sign infront of the tank with the same info.

I can see the agressiveness starting. One of the larger ones has been chasing the other ones around.

On the plus side the tank and gravel are spotless. They managed to really put the algea problem into check.

**Fishfirst** · 07-12-2005, 10:21 AM

get oto catfish... they love brown diatom algae as well... but I would wait for your tank to culture some more

Tom · 07-12-2005, 01:03 PM

I had a huge spike in my readings last night. My ammonia readings were close to 10 ppm I could not believe it. I did a quick water change and so far so good. I got my levels down to .25 ppm All the fish are doing fine.

Lexus · 07-12-2005, 01:54 PM

I thought with plants you couldnt have an underground filter?

07-08-2005, 11:54 AM	#1
Tom Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Age: 27 Posts: 15	Correct water readings Just a quick question ... I recently set up a 55 gal fw tank. It has been running for about a month now. I have 2 mollys, what started out as 3 guppys (now I have 2 fry) I have a good amount of plants in the tank (about 10). My ultimated goal is to have a very nicly planted tank. My question is what are the perfect paramaters for the water. MY readings are ph 7.8 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite and 5 ppm (sorry I might have mixed the last 2 names up) I use a penguin filter (not sure of the size, it came with the tank as a kit so I assume it is the right size) Also I added an undergravel filter. My substrate is about 2" of gravel. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks! Tom

07-08-2005, 12:32 PM	#2
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	It sounds like an (dare I say understocked) tank with good filtration. What are you wanting to know exactly about the tank? __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-08-2005, 01:04 PM	#4
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Your water is hard. Brown algae isn't uncommon in newly cycled tanks. As for growing plants, you can make it as basic or as complicated as you want. You have 2 tank types. A low tech approach with easy to grow (but no less beautiful) plants. Myra can help you out there. Or a high tech approach which costs more, requires more matainence, but allows you to grow a larger variety of plants. Once you decide what you want to put into it, we can go from there. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-08-2005, 03:05 PM	#6
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Stem plants usually are better nutrient sponges as next to mosses they are about as simple as plants get. Rather than list all of the low light low matainence plants I'll just post a link. http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_...=2&filter_by=3 __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-11-2005, 03:21 PM	#8
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Take all but one back. They are not really community fish and grow to a foot long. They also stop eating algae as they mature and get agressive towards fish. They have been known to kill. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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07-08-2005, 12:52 PM	#3
Tom Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Age: 27 Posts: 15	LOL, I know its is understocked. It is a new tank and I am still trying to figure out what kind of tropical fish I will be adding. The current stock is my "test batch" What I wanted to know is what are the optimum conditions for growing the plants. I want to have the plants well established before I stock the tank furhter. Also I have a break out of brown algea. The next fish I will be getting will be some sort of algea eater. I was looking for one that will not destroy my plants and will be able to co-exist with small fish (i.e. mollys, neons, ect) I was thinking of picking up some pleaco's but I am worried about the size they will get to. I was also thinking of some otto's. I just cant decide what will be better. I was gonna stop by the lfs after work today to do some window shopping

07-08-2005, 01:13 PM	#5
Tom Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Age: 27 Posts: 15	I was looking for a simple method. I am looking for many plants, the more basic the better. I have heard that long stemed plants are the best for new tanks. I am sorry but I cant quote the names of the plants I have. I would like plants that dont need CO2 injection. As to the algea and the type of fish I want to keep, what would be the best algea eater and how many would be best. In a few weeks I will hopefully be putting in a school of neons

07-11-2005, 02:17 PM	#7
Tom Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Age: 27 Posts: 15	Just an update ... I picked up some of the plants from the link. So far they are doing ok. I also picked up some chinese algea eaters (4 of them to be exact) wow!!!! did they do a number on the algea. The tank looks spotless

07-11-2005, 03:53 PM	#9
BlackArchFish Nerdical Maximus! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Apopka, FL Age: 19 Posts: 376	Gold Chinese Algae Eaters get agressive? (Makes I Love Lucy Sound) EOOOOOWWW...... __________________ -= 30 Gallon Long 4 Albino Cories, 1 Blue Ram, 1 Female Betta, 5 Flame Tetras, 6 Neon Tetras. -= 30 Gallon Tall 1 Marble Angelfish, 1 Male Betta. -= 10 Gallon Tank Gold Gourami.

07-11-2005, 05:25 PM	#10
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	http://fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/cae.xml __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

07-12-2005, 05:57 AM	#11
MyraVan Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 864	Since you have hard water some good plants are hornwort, anacharis, and vallis. These will all grow well in plain gravel, in hard water. Many of the plants on the list Simpte referred you to are indeed easy, but will grow too slowly to help much with your algae problem (like the Anubias and African and Java Ferns). Oh, what are your lighting levels? I have anacharis and vallis growing in a tank with 1.5 WPG, so as long as you have hard water, they don't need all that much to grow. A bristlenose pleco might be a better algae eater for your tank than the CAE, for the reasons Simpte mentioned.

07-12-2005, 07:56 AM	#12
Tom Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Age: 27 Posts: 15	Wow, I am quite upset reading the above posts. The lfs recomended the 4 algea eaters they also said they grow to a max of 2-3 inches. They also had a sign infront of the tank with the same info. I can see the agressiveness starting. One of the larger ones has been chasing the other ones around. On the plus side the tank and gravel are spotless. They managed to really put the algea problem into check. Last edited by Tom; 07-12-2005 at 11:11 AM.

07-12-2005, 10:21 AM	#13
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,546	get oto catfish... they love brown diatom algae as well... but I would wait for your tank to culture some more __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

07-12-2005, 01:03 PM	#14
Tom Fishy Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Age: 27 Posts: 15	I had a huge spike in my readings last night. My ammonia readings were close to 10 ppm I could not believe it. I did a quick water change and so far so good. I got my levels down to .25 ppm All the fish are doing fine.

07-12-2005, 01:54 PM	#15
Lexus Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 22 Posts: 2,406	I thought with plants you couldnt have an underground filter? __________________ 55 Gallon 2 Blood Parrots 2 Angelfish 1 Fantail Goldfish 46 Gallon 1 Albino Bristlenose 2 Angelfish 4 African Dwarf Frogs 4 Black Skirt Tetras 5 Zebra Danios 8 Tiger Barbs 9 Neon Tetras 13 Assorted Corys 29 Gallon 8 Daffodil Cichlids & fry 1 Electric Blue Crayfish 10 Gallon 2 Snails

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