A little help please !

[SimonH]

I am new to fish keeing and have a couple of problems, I have a new 126l tank. set it up and left it for almost 2 weeks with everything set up including plants. Apparently I live in an area of VERY high PH (East Berks) I tried lowering the PH with a product called PH down, but it would always go back up, I spoke to my local fish shop (maidenhead aquatics) who were very helpfull.

I have now stocked my tank with 8 Danio's (mixed zebra/leopard) and 2 Pearl Gourami (male/female)

I would like to get maybe a plec or two and a couple of angel fish

The problems I am having are the following,

1) The Gourami's are still very timid and do not appear to be feeding at all

2) I have brown algea

and some how i've got snails !!!!

Any help with the above would be GREATLY appreciated

 

[FishFun]

1. If you have live plants, the snails probably came on them. Blanch a cucumber slice (drop in boiling water for 30 seconds) then add to your aquarium. Leave over night anchored to the bottom of the tank with a small bowl or saucer and snails should be on the cucumber in the morning. Remove cucumber along with snails.

2. Have you tested the ph of your city tap water? If the tank is brand new and you have added 8 danios and 2 gourami within 2 weeks, all at the same time and your ph is high, it is more likely because your tank is not cycled yet and too many fish were added too soon. Do small partial water changes everyday until your ph goes down. About 10 to 20%, remember to treat your water with a dechlorinator.

3. Brown algea - You need complete darkness in your tank. Wrap your tank with towel or something so that no light goes in and the algea should die in a few days. Also, feed your fish less for a couple days so that there is less nutrients for the algea to feed on. (don't cover up the top of the tank though because you still want air to get in for the fish.)

Adding new fish: Sorry, have to do this in gallons. Liters do not compute for me.

Your tank is approx 33 gallons. Rule of thumb is 1 gallon of water to 1 inch of fish.

Currrently you have 8 Danios, which reach about 2 to 3 inches adult size. We'll say 2.5" for simplicities sake. 8 x 2.5 = 20" = 20 gallons.

2 pearl gourami's = 4" x 2 = 8" = 8 gallons

Your total tank load so far is 28 gallons with the fish that you currently have in there. Your tank can only hold at best 5 more inch of fish.

Angel Fish are definately out of the question. They reach 6 inches at maturity and they grow very fast. You actually are about right in the number of fish that you have currently. It is better to understock by a few gallons than overstock.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dubby]

I also live in a high PH area. Instead of fighting the PH I have tried to get fish that can tolerate the higher PH. Some of my fish (cardinals) are supposed to be from low PH areas. But my LFS has a high PH and it appears that these cardinals have somehow been acclimatised to the local PH. Ask your LFS about their PH.

Brown algae is common in new tanks. Adding a few algae eaters such as Mollys, SAE, shrimp will help clean it up. I would not advice using Ottos as the tank is new.

I would advice against using any chemicals to remove the algae or changing PH.

 

[FishFun]

Sorry, haven't quite figured out all the little buttons in this forum yet! Copied the green section from another post on algea. This reply is also by Dubby! I learn somthing new all the time in this forum!

Brown algae is common in new tanks. Adding a few algae eaters such as Mollys, SAE, shrimp will help clean it up. I would not advice using Ottos as the tank is new.

I would advice against using any chemicals to remove the algae or changing PH.

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Brown algae is generally found in new tanks and tends to form in areas which get less light. eg: on the glass just above the level of the gravel.

Algae in general, forms when there is an excess of nutrients or light. And in my experience the more the light you tend to get the greener forms of algae.