Could really use some assistance

[xxAlexxx23]

Hey guys,

So I just started up my fish tank about a month and a half ago and i used to own one previously but now just refreshing my mind and learning more about it.

So i have a 40 gallon tank and a 5 gallon tank both are freshwater. I'm having problems keeping both of the tanks nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia low. I use tap water every time that i do a water change and use the Stress Coat+ once done to help with the chlorine and all that stuff so i was wondering is there anything that i can do/use to always maintain them at a low level or even not have it?

The 40 gallon tank has 9 fish and the 5 gallon has 3 fish in it. Feeding is done about twice a day once in the morning and once at night.

If anybody could help me out with this i would greatly appreciate it! I am starting to slowly give up on it cause i keep losing fish slowly. THANKS!

 

[JuiceBox52]

@Colin_T

 

[Guppy10]

Go very easy on the feeding is the answer, fish need surprisingly little ,, but will eat all the time given the chance. Twice a day is too much imo.

 

[xxAlexxx23]

Go very easy on the feeding is the answer, fish need surprisingly little ,, but will eat all the time given the chance. Twice a day is too much imo.

that should help with taking down my problem? and less light perhaps?

 

[utahfish]

that should help with taking down my problem? and less light perhaps?

Light isnt going to decrease or increase nitrate. If anything even if one doesnt have live plants algae that grows will consume some nitrates.
Like has been said cut down on feeding do weekly water changes, adding live plants can help as they consume nitrates to grow.

 

[xxAlexxx23]

Light isnt going to decrease or increase nitrate. If anything even if one doesnt have live plants algae that grows will consume some nitrates.
Like has been said cut down on feeding do weekly water changes, adding live plants can help as they consume nitrates to grow.

Alright awesome ill give it a water change waiting for my RO water and cut down the feeding to once a day!

Appreciate the help guys!

 

[Colin_T]

What is the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate level (in numbers) in the tanks?
What sort of filter is in/ on the tanks?
How often do you clean the filter?
How do you clean the filter?
How long was the tank set up for before you added fish?
Did you cycle the aquariums before adding the fish?

-----------------
Your tanks could still be cycling and that is why you have ammonia and nitrite readings. Or you could have messed up the filter bacteria by replacing filter media/ materials.

If the tanks are still cycling, then don't bother testing for nitrates because nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate, and give you a false reading.

The easiest way to reduce ammonia, nitrite or nitrate in an aquarium is by doing big daily water changes. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day until the levels are on 0ppm. Then do a 75% water and gravel clean once a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Reducing feeding to once a day will also reduce ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings too. However, if the filter hasn't cycled, it won't change the numbers.

 

[seangee]

Alright awesome ill give it a water change waiting for my RO water and cut down the feeding to once a day!

Twice a week is enough until the bacteria in the filters kick in.
What fish do you have and why are you planning to use RO?

This may be a valid thing to do, but RO only tanks tend to be quite acidic. My pH is too low to get an accurate reading on aquarium tests in my RO tanks. This is not a problem if you have soft water fish. At least its not a problem for the fish. It is a problem for the bacteria as they grow much slower in acidic water. If you really need to soften your water you may want to consider doing a 50/50 mix until the bacteria is established.

Also plants really do help, the more the better and the faster growing the better. They do need to be actively growing.

 

[Salty&Onion]

I see nobody said anything about the use of Stress Coat. Its not worth using, 1st- its a superstition and 2nd- it hurts fish's gills as it contains aloe vera.

 

[seangee]

I see nobody said anything about the use of Stress Coat. Its not worth using, 1st- its a superstition and 2nd- it hurts fish's gills as it contains aloe vera.

Right now water changes are more important. If that's what you have use it. Lets get over the urgent problem and deal with that later.

 

[xxAlexxx23]

What is the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate level (in numbers) in the tanks?
What sort of filter is in/ on the tanks?
How often do you clean the filter?
How do you clean the filter?
How long was the tank set up for before you added fish?
Did you cycle the aquariums before adding the fish?

-----------------
Your tanks could still be cycling and that is why you have ammonia and nitrite readings. Or you could have messed up the filter bacteria by replacing filter media/ materials.

If the tanks are still cycling, then don't bother testing for nitrates because nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate, and give you a false reading.

The easiest way to reduce ammonia, nitrite or nitrate in an aquarium is by doing big daily water changes. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day until the levels are on 0ppm. Then do a 75% water and gravel clean once a week.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Reducing feeding to once a day will also reduce ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings too. However, if the filter hasn't cycled, it won't change the numbers.

Starting with the 40 gallon tank -
ammonia - was safe
nitrate - in between 80-160
nitrite - is way past 10.0
Tank is a top fin starter kit so i use the normal filter that it came with.
Swap out the filter cart every two weeks almost
the tank was set up for about a day using API quick start kit readings were all normal
never cycled the tank (didnt know about that till now)

Did a 25% water change on Tuesday and cleaned the gravel and all decor. Everything seems to have skyrocketed after that cleaning.
----------------------
As for the 5 gallon tank -
ammonia - 0.5
nitrate - 80
nitrite - 10.0

This tank seems to develop a lot of algae as well was cleaned on last Friday and when i came back from my trip on Monday the algae had taken over more than before. This is also a top fin kit that i use. I actually had to take the fish out to clean up all the algae that had developed in there and then pop them right back in.

The workers at my local fish store are saying that the problem is coming up from the use of tap water and that i need to use their RO water which are charging me $1 a gallon.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Starting with the 40 gallon tank -
ammonia - was safe
nitrate - in between 80-160
nitrite - is way past 10.0
Tank is a top fin starter kit so i use the normal filter that it came with.
Swap out the filter cart every two weeks almost
the tank was set up for about a day using API quick start kit readings were all normal
never cycled the tank (didnt know about that till now)

Did a 25% water change on Tuesday and cleaned the gravel and all decor. Everything seems to have skyrocketed after that cleaning.
----------------------
As for the 5 gallon tank -
ammonia - 0.5
nitrate - 80
nitrite - 10.0

This tank seems to develop a lot of algae as well was cleaned on last Friday and when i came back from my trip on Monday the algae had taken over more than before. This is also a top fin kit that i use. I actually had to take the fish out to clean up all the algae that had developed in there and then pop them right back in.

The workers at my local fish store are saying that the problem is coming up from the use of tap water and that i need to use their RO water which are charging me $1 a gallon.

By "safe" you do mean 0? Zero is the only safe level

 

[xxAlexxx23]

By "safe" you do mean 0? Zero is the only safe level

yes idk why i didnt put the "0" haha

i did the test last night with the strips i have at home and it was at 0

 

[JuiceBox52]

yes idk why i didnt put the "0" haha

i did the test last night with the strips i have at home and it was at 0

Okay that's a relief. Lol.


I doubt your tap water is causing the algae, they just want your money

 

[xxAlexxx23]

Okay that's a relief. Lol.


I doubt your tap water is causing the algae, they just want your money

yeah theyre blaming my tanks on that saying nitrate and all that is because of my tap water and feeding of twice a day. I have been looking into some carbon and other types of filters to add into my filter to keep my nitrate nitrite and ammonia levels down