Help!

[conorandlucy]

My wife and i have had our 60 litre tank for just over a month now and have been having major problems getting the levels in our tank right.

We have currently in our tank:

2x Opaline gourami
2x Pearl Gourami
4x male guppie
4x platys
1x Algae eater (cant remember which one but its black)

We have a normal sponge filter in the corner.

We have had the water tested twice at our local garden centre and both times the ammonia and nitrite have been very high despite having done a 25% water change, a 50% water change and another 75% change today. We are losing fish left, right and centre!

We need some advice as to what to do! Getting very concerned as to whats going on!!!

 

[rooooster]

It sounds like your have new tank syndrome. Basictly your tank hasn't cycled properly yet. Look at the post avoiding and treating new tank syndrone

 

[WILDER]

Your'e overstocked for a 12gal, and your filter dosn't sound like it's up to the job, I think you are going to have to replace it, also how long has the tank been set up.

 

[Phantom Thief]

Unfortunately, it looks like you did not cycle the tank.

This means that the ammonia and nitrite has probably built up to fatal levels. I would recommend you get a test kit of your own so that you can test the water without going to the local garden center. The first thing i would do is to return some, perhaps all of the fish to the lfs. Then proceed to cycle the tank, and get them back.

If that is not possible, then you will need to do daily water changes to keep the ammonia as low as possible until it cycles, which may be more then a month.

P.T.

 

[WILDER]

It's it a juwel tank.

 

[sylvia]

First read through the link in my sig.

Then re-home some of those fish because 15 gallons is realy not adequate for all those fish (especialy seeing as gouramies are territorial and your algae eater is probably a pleo that'll get to be 18 inches long!)

The reason your readings are out of control is that your tank has not yet cycled, is over-stocked and you have added too many fish too quickly. Reading through that link should be enough to show you what you need to do to save your remaining fish and stabilize your water quality.

I also think you should get your own test-kit and keep in mind that if you are going to cycle with fish you should also get rid of the guppies, leaving just the hardy platies to take the stress.

Next time you buy fish, make sure you know the adult sizes and use them to calculate according to the 'one inch per gallon guideline'. Keep in mind that in a 15 gallon any fish that grows to over 6 inches is unsuitable.

Good luck!

 

[conorandlucy]

the other thing that we were advised to add to the tank was a clean water aquarium filter media. we have to keep it on for a fortnight and the get the water retested.

will this do any good?

 

[conorandlucy]

Your'e overstocked for a 12gal, and your filter dosn't sound like it's up to the job, I think you are going to have to replace it, also how long has the tank been set up.

the tanks been set up for a month now. We didnt put anything in for the first week.

 

[conorandlucy]

It's it a juwel tank.

the tank is not a juwel tank but is an equivalent.

 

[WILDER]

What type of filter is it.

 

[conorandlucy]

the filter is a Rena Filstar sponge filter

 

[sylvia]

Sponge filter? You need something a lot more powerful than a sponge unless you remove most of those fish. If you replace the filter however, leave the sponge inside as well for a few days so that you don't lose all the beneficial bacteria you have begun to grow.
Please read the link in my sig. if you haven't already.