Where Am I Going Wrong.

[oldoak66]

I have a 10 gal (UK) tank - 54 litre - and I have fishless cycled it. It is planted and has a pea gravel substrate and a piece of bogwood for my plec. The fish inhabitants currently (due to some deaths in the family - 1 guppy and 1 neon) are:

4 neon tetras
6 harlequin rasbora
3 various cory (peppered, albino and bronze)
1 bristlenose
2 male guppies

I have been treating for white spot as the neons had an outbreak - using Interpet White Spot Plus.

I think I may have got the fishless cycling wrong or missed out a step. I also think I may have put too many fish in at one go. However, please direct me where I have gone wrong because, I know that the chemical levels can be raised due to more poo when giving meds but my levels drop to 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite and then a day or so later they rise again to 0.1 ammonia and 0.3 nitrite. I do a 40% water change and then all is well for a few days and then up they go again. The nitrate has remained at 25. Is it possible that I am doing too many water changes (but I feel sorry for the fish if the levels go high) and my filter is therefore not cultivating bacteria? I also realise that doing water changes dilutes the meds. But, how can I rectify the situation without killing my fish? Also is my tank overstocked - I would like to add a few more corys. I always use Tetra Aquasafe and I have added some Interpet Filter Start as well just to help out, even though I know it is probably not very good. I have sent for some Seachem Prime because I've heard good stuff about it.

I'm sorry if this is a bit vague but I'm new to all of this and I don't really know how to explain things better.

Thanks for any simple advice you may be able to give me.

 

[DDeHavenII]

I can't be too sure but I think it is overstocked, you have 15 fish there, Not even my 20 gallon is going to get that big.

 

[djceri_g]

I would either buy a bigger tank or an extra external filter as you are overstocked, how did you cycle your tank? by adding pure ammonia or fish food?

 

[oldoak66]

I cycled with pure ammonia. The LFS told me my stocking level was fine - oh no! How many am I overstocked by? What difference does the external filter make?

 

[djceri_g]

I cycled with pure ammonia. The LFS told me my stocking level was fine - oh no! How many am I overstocked by? What difference does the external filter make?

The rule is 1 inch per gallon, how much addonia did you add to cycle this tank? did you add all the fish at the same time

An extra filter and more water changes means sometimes you can get away with adding extra fish.

 

[oldoak66]

I added 10 drops of ammonia - it took almost 4 weeks to cycle. When I thought it had done, I did a big water change and added the first fish - the neons and 2 sucking loaches (which I took back because I didn't realise how big they'd grow and that you shouldn't have 2 together). Then, almost a week later I added the rest of the fish. Could I get away with the fish that I have if I just did more water changes rather than get another filter or not? Most of the fish have now been in there almost 2 weeks.

 

[djceri_g]

IMO after the cycle is done, keep feeding the bacteria with daily drops of ammonia and plan when to get your fish, the night before you get your fish do a huge water change to get rid of the nitrate. I would then buy all the fish together after researching the best fish to buy etc. Maybey your tank is going though a mini-cycle because the bacteria was starved. Im not to sure what to asvise you now on what to do next, maybey some of the other people can help

 

[-germ-]

Oldoak, IMHO your best bet is to purchase (as mentioned) an extra filter OR return some fish...
In the mean time get yourself some SeaChem Prime, most LFS stock it as a dechlor, this will seriously help your fish out.
You are cycling fish in obviously, but i can't comment on fishless cycling having never done it ( )....
10 drops cycling in 4 weeks sounds really odd though....
I think whatever bacteria you had built up may be dead
Anyhow, get some Prime, link is in my sig.
good luck

 

[oldoak66]

Thanks for the responses. I have already ordered some Seachem Prime and I guess I will need to take some fish back - which is a shame coz I'm attached already. I didn't add 10 drops in 4 weeks, sorry that didn't come across right. I added 10 drops at first then when it got down to 0 I added more and so on.

 

[andywg]

The rule is 1 inch per gallon,

Not rule, guide

I don't think I have a FW tank at less than 2" per gallon.

 

[Jodiem]

im my opinion its a bit overstocked, it could be because there are to many fish in there so the ammonia/ waste could have hurt the fish in some way

 

[rdd1952]

I added 10 drops of ammonia - it took almost 4 weeks to cycle. When I thought it had done, I did a big water change and added the first fish - the neons and 2 sucking loaches (which I took back because I didn't realise how big they'd grow and that you shouldn't have 2 together). Then, almost a week later I added the rest of the fish.

I think here is part of the problem. When you completed the fishless cycle, you would have had plenty of bacteria to handle a full fish load (although Im not certain 10 drops in a 10 gallon is enough to raise the level to 5 ppm). When you only added a few, then waited a week and added the rest, quite a large amount of your bacteria would have died off from lack of food so the additional fish load would have started the tank cycling again.

I would continue to do water changes as needed to keep the ammonia and nitrite below .25ppm.

As far as stocking is concerned, I think you are heavy but with a very good maintenance schedule, you will probably be ok. I think people may have missed that the tank is 10 UK gallon so it is about 14 US gallons. Your fish are in the 30" range but no big waste producers other than the BN. If you could return some fish (the corys as they prefer larger groups of their own species and the guppies) you would be in much better shape stock wise.

 

[oldoak66]

I figured I'd got the cycling wrong somehow and now it appears that I have. I will have a re-think about my fish and see if I can take some back. Sad about the corys because they're great characters - would rather take back the harlequins, neons and guppies or neons and guppies.

I am happy to do very regular water changes too, so will have to see how I get on. Will probably take some fish back on Friday.

And yes, my tank is 11 UK gallons and 14 US gallons.

Thanks again.

 

[rdd1952]

If the corys seem happy, they should be ok. Sometimes different species will school together and other times they won't.

 

[djceri_g]

I added 10 drops of ammonia - it took almost 4 weeks to cycle. When I thought it had done, I did a big water change and added the first fish - the neons and 2 sucking loaches (which I took back because I didn't realise how big they'd grow and that you shouldn't have 2 together). Then, almost a week later I added the rest of the fish.

I think here is part of the problem. When you completed the fishless cycle, you would have had plenty of bacteria to handle a full fish load (although Im not certain 10 drops in a 10 gallon is enough to raise the level to 5 ppm). When you only added a few, then waited a week and added the rest, quite a large amount of your bacteria would have died off from lack of food so the additional fish load would have started the tank cycling again.

I would continue to do water changes as needed to keep the ammonia and nitrite below .25ppm.

As far as stocking is concerned, I think you are heavy but with a very good maintenance schedule, you will probably be ok. I think people may have missed that the tank is 10 UK gallon so it is about 14 US gallons. Your fish are in the 30" range but no big waste producers other than the BN. If you could return some fish (the corys as they prefer larger groups of their own species and the guppies) you would be in much better shape stock wise.

yep, couldnt agree more