NEW GUY ON THE BLOCK!

24 posts • Page 1 of 3

Member introductions and random (non-aquarist) topics.


lucky11237
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:27 am

NEW GUY ON THE BLOCK!

by lucky11237

I am having a little problem with my tank that I just can't put my finger on. My water does not clear up, I keep getting some patches of film clouds on the bottom surface, and my water smells like sulfer I think? I changed the water, cleaned filters, removed poop from the bottom, and it still smells and it's cloudy! I am not over feeding and I just added an air stone to keep water flowing. Can someone please help. These fishes belong to my son who is only 6 years old and I would like to keep him happy with his pets. How can I clear the water and kill the smell!


fihsboy
 
Posts: 1837
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:20 pm

by fihsboy

Did you cycle the tank? How many fish do you have? Are you using tap water? What size is the tank?


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

by Snowboss4492

try putting and air stone in there too.........are you running the lights all the time? 2-3 hours a couple times a day is plenty in the begining, how often are you or your son feeding {is he feeding anything other than fishfood??lol it happens}

it sounds like your water is getting stagnent, get it moveing around and that smell should go away

Boss


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

I know the EX70's use filter media inserts with carbon. As long as the carbon is fresh you shouldn't be getting much smell unless the tank is heavily overstocked. What is meant by 'tetra 40' in your profile? Are you running two filters? If so that sounds like plenty filtration and water movement as long as you're keeping up with maintenance..


lucky11237
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:27 am

by lucky11237

The Tetra 40 is an air pump that I bought to get the water moving in the tank. I just placed it yesterday. I have a fish that my son calls Mr.Girafee (Nimbochromis venustus) that is always hiding, doesn't want to eat, and does not mingle with others. Is he sick? Or is he, in his last bubbles?


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

by Snowboss4492

my bad i should have looked at your profile ...............its been so long since pics posted i dont even pay attention anymore

TM has a good point with the carbon ...........if your running two filters pull the media out of one and run a lot of carbon for a couple weeks and then go back to carbon and media pads............if your only running one filter maybe look into buying a cheap small aquaclear filter or something and just run carbon in it


Burgerking7679
 
Posts: 112
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:53 pm

by Burgerking7679

Just got a few Qs, might help me answer some of yours. What size is the tank? Did you rinse the gravel/rocks/plants? Did you rinse the media before putting it in the filter?


lucky11237
 
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2009 1:27 am

by lucky11237

My tank size is 37Gal. Yes I did rinse the gravel, rocks, and plants. No I did not rinse the media (carbon pakets for filter?)


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

The whisper EX70 is quoted at 340gph, which means it probably pushes closer to 300gph with media and such in it (i know the media inserts for this include carbon..as I have an EX30 on my gf's 10gal). Carbon filters certain wastes and chemicals and generally will remove almost any fishy odor from a tank if used in enough quantity. Its agreed on by most aquarists that the minimum water flow in a tank should be 7x the volume of your tank. 7x37=259, so filtering 300gph should be more then adequate in perhaps a community environment, but it wouldn't hurt to add supplemental filtration or water movement (powerhead) since some of your fish may be messy.

Unlike other carbon media inserts I don't think the whisper ones have to be rinsed. With other kinds they tell you to rinse it to remove residual dust and such but it seems tetra found a way to remove that before getting it into the foam floss insert.


Burgerking7679
 
Posts: 112
Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:53 pm

by Burgerking7679

I dont get it, what can be causing this... really confused.

On the sick fishy querie, make sure to feed malawi cichlids plant based foods, too much meat will cause them to lump around and can even kill them, so check out the food you're feeding them. Also, a Venustus can grow to 14" long, so he wont be happy in a 37g tank for long.

NEW GUY ON THE BLOCK!

24 posts • Page 1 of 3

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