Tank levels are HIGH but fish are okay

[Moonlight Fairy]

I don't know how it got like this because I take very good care of my tank but today, at work I tested my water because I want to possibly add a few smaller fish and my results shocked the day of out me. My Nitrate and Nirate levels? were beyond toxic on the test, my pH I knew was low like 6.2 - 6.4 but pH up is in my mind to buy tomorrow and it read that I needed to add buffer up? I have had my tank running for a while & have had the same fish for over 7 months except the two baby plecos anyways is there anything I can use that will slowly fix my levels with out killing my opaline gourmai, 2 blue gouramis and my 3 plecos? or what should I do.. I do a 50% water change once a week. I change my filter every 30 days, I move the gravel around to get any uneaten food cleaned out or to fall so my baby plecos will clean it up.. my water is clear as day, never had a algae bloom, I dont over feed my fish. Any suggestions?

[osteoporoosi]

How big is the tank, what fish, etc..?
Sound that your tank has never been cycled. Minimize the feeding, do 1/2 waterchanges twice a week for the first aid.

[Moonlight Fairy]

my tank has been cycled, its been up for over a year. i have 1 opaline gourami, 2 blue gouramis, and 3 plecos ( 2 are small, like tiny and the other one is about 2-3" in a 10 gallon tank until my 55 gallon is done cycling. I think my tank is re cycling itself, i was reading about that last night. This like sucks but I need to know what to get to stop this process so i can buy the stuff at work. I feed once a day, not even a lot, my fish tear the food up and for my plecos i drop 2 alage disks in there and thats gone in about 2 hours

[Damon]

ASSuming the plecos are common (not that it matters in this tank), they cant stay. Even the smallest pleco needs 20 gallons of water if not more. They create huge amounts of waste. They will eventually kill off everything in your tank. The gouramis fully stock the tank as it is. You cant keep balance in this tank with the plecos.

[Moonlight Fairy]

i just said i have a 55 gallon cycling.. i have a few weeks left before I can add anything.. i know people who have a 10 gallon with like 4 plecos and like 10 fish in there and their water is fine... perfect actually. so ASSume. Im just asking what can I use to lower everything and there is stuff out there that is possible to change the way my water is. Well really i came here for help and all i get is you shouldnt be having this and such.. I KNOW already. I just want to change my water quality with out killing my fish.

[Damon]

There is nothing you can do short of constant water changes. I don't know why you are getting so upset. If there was a viable solution, we would have posted it. There isn't. There is no miracle solution to your problem. Plecos are dirty. They foul water fast. Your numbers will not come down short of replacing the water. Your fish aren't ok either. You are stunting them and risking permanent damage to them. Their lives are being shortened every day they are in these conditions. Your PH is fine too. No need to mess with it. PH altering products cuase more problems than they attempt to fix. You can take our advice with a grain of salt. It's totally up to you.

[Moonlight Fairy]

should I just get rid of the babies. I want to keep my big pleco.. though he is lazy. I guess ill just have to wait til my 55 is done.

[Damon]

If you're going to keep the big pleco, you might as well keep the babies. Just keep up with the waterchanges and hope for the best.

[Moonlight Fairy]

Well I will be doing 25% water changes once a week and using AmQuel+ for my tank. It was we use at work.

[madmatrixz3000]

It really sounds like your actually takeing out more than you think you are. I had the same problem. What kind of filter are you running on your 10 gallon tank? I suggest a bio wheel or else I suggest a few bio-balls and an addition of bacteria in a product like Cycle or something similar.

[karatechic007]

hey listen here buddy....people are trying to help you and you already ASSume you know every thing.....i understand what you mean (i have the same thing happen to me) but maybe you shouldnt be so snooty....maybe the people dont know exactly whats wrong so they are making suggestions anyways....good luck!

[Moonlight Fairy]

im not the one being SNOOTY okay.. and second im not a buddy.. im a chick. Third, of all.. I know they are not help, but i got more help from someone who knows how to help me in this situation, not what i shouldnt and should be doing okay?! im not here to make enemies or to fight, I just wanted help and I felt negitive vibes and I HATE that. soo KEEP THE ASS IN ASSUME TO YOURSELF BECAUSE I AM NOT STUPID, I JUST WANT ANSWERS... and buddy.. AmQuel + worked on my tank.. OMG IT TOOK A GUY WHO IS FROM THE SAME ****************ING COUNTRY- ENGALND- AM FROM To EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT I WAS DOING WRONG.. See I was doing 50% when I should of been doing 25% because I am killing my nitogen cycle myself my doing that.. well.. its been working... my level are becoming normal.


Sorry to be a ********************.. but I only give back what I get and no one has really been up forward with me..

shows who really has brains now and these days.. I am an aquatics specialist.. I work with both salt and fresh water fish.. I was putting you to the test.. and you all really failed.. you can keep plecos and a few other fish in a small tank - HOLDING tank.. if the fish are small enough and dont show stress. I train my employees better than you could learn off the damn internet and from websites.. just because you think you know it all you dont.. it proved to me right there. There are simple medication treatments with water changes for over crowded fish tanks. Why am I waisting my time.. Im going to bed.. I have work in the morning

[Lexus]

If you know it all why did you ask? I work with fish at my work but I dont go parading around acting like I know it all....

We are all here to learn and if you are going to complain about our advice, DONT ASK.

As far as the swearing goes... this is an all ages forum and I find it very offensive that you would blow up like that. I use that language too but there is a time and a place and it is NOT HERE. please refrain yourself from that language from now on.