Hi. Only just joined so I hope it's okay if I start off by asking for advice. I'll start with my long rambly story, then give all necessary info (just want to be clear about history).
Daughter got her first 55l tank last April and first inhabitants were amano shrimp, bristlenose pleco (young) and some platties. Over time we lost some platties, replaced by mollies, lost them too. Think there were various reasons - dodgy water initially which I sorted when I realised (husband had told me a tank only needs to be left running with a filter for a couple of months to be ready for fish), then there was the ridiculously over powerful filter which I'm sure injured at least one against glass (so I replaced that with Fluval U1 which worked great so long as I cleaned it every week), then there was possibly the lack of minerals in our water (not sure if we had something installed to remove them when boiler was done, but we live in Yorkshire too), so I used a bit of equillibrium to bring it up a tad for sake of fish and plants. All good from them on in the old tank and through the whole thing both Pebbles (the pleco) and the amano shrimp had been eating and behaving normally. (Also interesting to note is we never had nitrates, can only assume plants were taking it all up - ammonia and nitrites were clear)
Christmas time upgraded to 110L tank. New filter (Fluval U3) with some sponge from old filter stuffed in middle bit with the ceramics (and also left a big chunk in the tank). Reused old gravel and put new small black gravel on top. Reused arch ornament with air stone in it (bubbles out of two holes at top) as Pebbles and shrimp were always on it. Reused as many plants as we could and bought a couple of new ones. Some have taken off great, others not so much. Tried to transfer as many of our pest snails as we could (daughter loves em and I think they added a lot to tank stability). Recently also added bogwood.
Before Christmas most recent additions were a dwarf frog and yoyo loach (called Tornado). Sadly dwarf frog was found white and dead at bottom of tank one morning. Not sure what happened to him but he used to eat the odd bloodworm so didn't starve.
Since new tank set up I have obsessively tested ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph (at least three times a week). No issues noted.
Pebbles Strange New Behaviour
Used to hide under cave during day mostly. Now either behind filter near top or resting on a smooth rock or resting on gravel at front. Used to eat algae off walls. Now we have an algae bloom and she's not interested. Used to love courgette. Put one in last night and she lay on top of it but didn't seem to "latch on". Every now and again (perhaps every 20 minutes) she darts to the top of the tank and back. Assume it is for air for some reason. It mostly happens just after she blows some bubbles out of her mouth. As far as we can tell she looks normal (I can't get a photo while she's resting at the back of a black filter behind glass but I will when she moves). Haven't noticed any fast breathing, or spots etc.
Tank and tank mates
110L. Amano shrimp and one platy since the beginning. Then another platy and 4 little tetra (two different types). Most recently yoyo loach and the dwarf frog who died (probably arrived early December so they inhabited the old tank).
3. Water parameters. - all taken today (as I do most days because I'm currently obsessing)
a. Ammonia - 0 (I even used a second kit to be sure)
b. Nitrite - 0 (second kit again just to be sure)
c. Nitrate - 0 at the 5 min reading mark but goes vaguely pink after 20 mins or so, but that just confirms it's working.
d ph - 7.5, gh - 11/12, kh - 4
4. Filtration and water change regime.
a.What filtration do you have running on your tank? - Fluval U3. Have it set as combo of gentle middle flow for plants and top flow for surface agitation (lots of ripples at top and gentle movement in middle of tank) It came with carbon which I used initially but when Pebbles starting behaving oddly, I swapped it out for clean and clear one with phosphate removal as I read that toxins can leach out if left in a long time and can also cause algae issues which we had for first time in this tank but never in old one.
b. How often do you do water changes? how much do you change? - In old tank did a small one (less than 10%) every week and worked fine for us. In new tank it is prob around 10% ish every week.
c. what do you use to remove chlorine/chloramines(if present) and heavy metals? Prob doesn't have them as Yorkshire water and others say they use nothing, but I use one drop of Seachem Prime per 2L jug of water rested 24 hours in a big plastic box and warmed with a second heater.
5. Diet Initally she cleared algae, then we introduced the little pleco wafers which she liked, then started on the odd courgette or kale, both of which she loved. Other fish get flakes, blood worm, freeze dried daphne on a rotation. But I don't think she's eating at all now, although I could be wrong.
6. Temperature of tank water
The sensor is less than halfway down the tank but it reads 25 degrees C which is what we have it set at on the thermostat. Might be colder at the bottom?
7. Treatments Used already
No treatments as no idea what it could be, other than reading that if they dive for the top it's lack of oxygen. Did try a second battery powered airstone (very very loud and annoying) for a few hours at opposite side to other air stone but she still went to surface as previously.
8. A Pic
I don't have one right now because of her position against a black filter behind glass but will do as soon as she is more visible.
I know I give too much information but figure it gives the full picture and we might get better feedback. Many thanks in advance.
Daughter got her first 55l tank last April and first inhabitants were amano shrimp, bristlenose pleco (young) and some platties. Over time we lost some platties, replaced by mollies, lost them too. Think there were various reasons - dodgy water initially which I sorted when I realised (husband had told me a tank only needs to be left running with a filter for a couple of months to be ready for fish), then there was the ridiculously over powerful filter which I'm sure injured at least one against glass (so I replaced that with Fluval U1 which worked great so long as I cleaned it every week), then there was possibly the lack of minerals in our water (not sure if we had something installed to remove them when boiler was done, but we live in Yorkshire too), so I used a bit of equillibrium to bring it up a tad for sake of fish and plants. All good from them on in the old tank and through the whole thing both Pebbles (the pleco) and the amano shrimp had been eating and behaving normally. (Also interesting to note is we never had nitrates, can only assume plants were taking it all up - ammonia and nitrites were clear)
Christmas time upgraded to 110L tank. New filter (Fluval U3) with some sponge from old filter stuffed in middle bit with the ceramics (and also left a big chunk in the tank). Reused old gravel and put new small black gravel on top. Reused arch ornament with air stone in it (bubbles out of two holes at top) as Pebbles and shrimp were always on it. Reused as many plants as we could and bought a couple of new ones. Some have taken off great, others not so much. Tried to transfer as many of our pest snails as we could (daughter loves em and I think they added a lot to tank stability). Recently also added bogwood.
Before Christmas most recent additions were a dwarf frog and yoyo loach (called Tornado). Sadly dwarf frog was found white and dead at bottom of tank one morning. Not sure what happened to him but he used to eat the odd bloodworm so didn't starve.
Since new tank set up I have obsessively tested ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph (at least three times a week). No issues noted.
Pebbles Strange New Behaviour
Used to hide under cave during day mostly. Now either behind filter near top or resting on a smooth rock or resting on gravel at front. Used to eat algae off walls. Now we have an algae bloom and she's not interested. Used to love courgette. Put one in last night and she lay on top of it but didn't seem to "latch on". Every now and again (perhaps every 20 minutes) she darts to the top of the tank and back. Assume it is for air for some reason. It mostly happens just after she blows some bubbles out of her mouth. As far as we can tell she looks normal (I can't get a photo while she's resting at the back of a black filter behind glass but I will when she moves). Haven't noticed any fast breathing, or spots etc.
Tank and tank mates
110L. Amano shrimp and one platy since the beginning. Then another platy and 4 little tetra (two different types). Most recently yoyo loach and the dwarf frog who died (probably arrived early December so they inhabited the old tank).
3. Water parameters. - all taken today (as I do most days because I'm currently obsessing)
a. Ammonia - 0 (I even used a second kit to be sure)
b. Nitrite - 0 (second kit again just to be sure)
c. Nitrate - 0 at the 5 min reading mark but goes vaguely pink after 20 mins or so, but that just confirms it's working.
d ph - 7.5, gh - 11/12, kh - 4
4. Filtration and water change regime.
a.What filtration do you have running on your tank? - Fluval U3. Have it set as combo of gentle middle flow for plants and top flow for surface agitation (lots of ripples at top and gentle movement in middle of tank) It came with carbon which I used initially but when Pebbles starting behaving oddly, I swapped it out for clean and clear one with phosphate removal as I read that toxins can leach out if left in a long time and can also cause algae issues which we had for first time in this tank but never in old one.
b. How often do you do water changes? how much do you change? - In old tank did a small one (less than 10%) every week and worked fine for us. In new tank it is prob around 10% ish every week.
c. what do you use to remove chlorine/chloramines(if present) and heavy metals? Prob doesn't have them as Yorkshire water and others say they use nothing, but I use one drop of Seachem Prime per 2L jug of water rested 24 hours in a big plastic box and warmed with a second heater.
5. Diet Initally she cleared algae, then we introduced the little pleco wafers which she liked, then started on the odd courgette or kale, both of which she loved. Other fish get flakes, blood worm, freeze dried daphne on a rotation. But I don't think she's eating at all now, although I could be wrong.
6. Temperature of tank water
The sensor is less than halfway down the tank but it reads 25 degrees C which is what we have it set at on the thermostat. Might be colder at the bottom?
7. Treatments Used already
No treatments as no idea what it could be, other than reading that if they dive for the top it's lack of oxygen. Did try a second battery powered airstone (very very loud and annoying) for a few hours at opposite side to other air stone but she still went to surface as previously.
8. A Pic
I don't have one right now because of her position against a black filter behind glass but will do as soon as she is more visible.
I know I give too much information but figure it gives the full picture and we might get better feedback. Many thanks in advance.