AboutNick Expertise I can answer virtually any question relating to freshwater aquariums. I specialize in everything and anything to do with planted and unplanted community tanks, from stocking and compatibility to technical, plant care, set-up and maintenence. I have experience with all kinds of fish and have cared at one point or another for almost every kind of freshwater tank through the years. I can also help find you the best equipment and foods for your money. There are certain products that are useless, and ones that are great, usually the only way to find out is to try them, and I have tried them all.
--If you are having problems with your goldfish, and they are in a tank under 30 gallons please do not bother me with your question. The answer to any question relating to goldfish in tanks under 30 gallons is yes, they do have disease, no they will not live long in a tank that size.
Experience I have been keeping fish since I was 6, I have numerous tanks set up right now and I am the department head of the fish section at a local pet store.
Question Hi Nick,
Let me start off by saying that i am new at this aquarium thing. I inherited 20 platy fish from some friends, i thought great i will buy a tank and away i go. I know, i was wrong, within 1 week they all died. Since then i have searched the net and found out all sorts of things about cycling and only adding a few fish. i have kept my tank running since then. i had my tank water tested at the local aquarium and it was very high in ammonia. probably why my fish died. This is my setup.
I have a 4 foot tank which hold around 180lt of water, double flourecent lighting, underground filter which i have 4 updrafts, heater, an old ship wreck and some artificial plants as decorations. Since my fish died i have cycled around 25% of water twice a week and tested the water every second day, although my ph is good (7.2 - 7.6) my ammonia is slightly dropping currently around 1.0 - 2.0. nitrates and nitrites are 0. Could this be because my tank isn't producing bacteria. i have heard that underground filters dont work well if so, what kind of filter is best for me. I want to probably put platties in again and would this be safe now. I am going out of my mind as i dont know if my tank is actually producing bacteria. can you please offer some advice as i dont want to put any fish in until i know that it is right to do so.
Regards,
Mark
Answer Hello Mark!
I'm nodding along as I read your post, sounds like you've got everything right on!
I would take out and replace the undergravel filter as soon as you can. As soon as your tank cycles, it will uncycle when you eventually take out the undergravel and you will have to start all over from square one.
There are many filters that you could use, however I strongly recommend the AquaClear 110 Hang-on back filter.
That would be all you need. No powerheads or air tubes or other equipment. Just the one filter.
Now, the Aquaclear filter comes with three slots for filter media. One is biomax, the second is carbon and the third is the sponge. You can keep the carbon in your filter if you would like, but it is expensive to keep replacing. I recommend taking out the carbon and instead putting in a second biomax. After the first month, wash the sponge out in tank water twice a month, and replace it twice a year. Do the same with the BioMax's, except replace them once a year. Never wash or replace all of the media at the same time, this ensures that you will always have some beneficial bacteria in the filter and your tank will be perptually and strongly cycled.
