coolchinchilla
June 28th 05, 06:56 AM
Today when I was changing the water I noticed that there was a spot
on the grate for the UGF that was bare. I know that means bad news
-- bad bacteria and other nasties grow in the other portions of the
UGF. I have no idea how long it's been like that.
It's a 30 gallon tank (tall) with 10 cichlids and a pleco, all 3-4
inches long. It's been established for about 3 weeks and in that
time I had it cycled. For filters I have two hang-on-back power
filters, a mature sponge filter and the UGF with a powerhead. The
water parameters: ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0-5, nitrate = 20-40ppm.
pH = 8.4+ and alkalinity = 300ppm. (The pH and alkalinity are about
normal for my water -- no change here).
My attempts to fix this without hurting the tank were this:
1. I filled the tank back up with water (10 gallons)
2. I covered the bare spot with gravel again.
3. I turned on the powerhead and caught the water it pulled up from
the UGF in a tube and put the water in buckets so few "nasties" were
spit into the tank. I removed 10 gallons this way.
4. I filled the tank up again.
5. I pulled off 10 gallons of the UGF water into buckets again.
6. I filled up the tank again.
7. I changed one of the HOB filters -- new carbon and new filter bag.
8. I rinsed the other HOB filter in aquarium water to get the gunk
off the filter bag without destroying the good bacteria housed there.
9. I added stress coat and stress zyme plus a teaspoon of aquarium
salt dissolved in aquarium water.
The fish were certainly stressed out because of all my comotioning
in their tank but everyone seemed to start swimming around like normal.
Did I succeed in fixing my UGF problem? Is there more I can do?
Are there any additives that I should put in? Anybody with any links?
Thanks in advance.
coolchinchilla
on the grate for the UGF that was bare. I know that means bad news
-- bad bacteria and other nasties grow in the other portions of the
UGF. I have no idea how long it's been like that.
It's a 30 gallon tank (tall) with 10 cichlids and a pleco, all 3-4
inches long. It's been established for about 3 weeks and in that
time I had it cycled. For filters I have two hang-on-back power
filters, a mature sponge filter and the UGF with a powerhead. The
water parameters: ammonia = 0, nitrite = 0-5, nitrate = 20-40ppm.
pH = 8.4+ and alkalinity = 300ppm. (The pH and alkalinity are about
normal for my water -- no change here).
My attempts to fix this without hurting the tank were this:
1. I filled the tank back up with water (10 gallons)
2. I covered the bare spot with gravel again.
3. I turned on the powerhead and caught the water it pulled up from
the UGF in a tube and put the water in buckets so few "nasties" were
spit into the tank. I removed 10 gallons this way.
4. I filled the tank up again.
5. I pulled off 10 gallons of the UGF water into buckets again.
6. I filled up the tank again.
7. I changed one of the HOB filters -- new carbon and new filter bag.
8. I rinsed the other HOB filter in aquarium water to get the gunk
off the filter bag without destroying the good bacteria housed there.
9. I added stress coat and stress zyme plus a teaspoon of aquarium
salt dissolved in aquarium water.
The fish were certainly stressed out because of all my comotioning
in their tank but everyone seemed to start swimming around like normal.
Did I succeed in fixing my UGF problem? Is there more I can do?
Are there any additives that I should put in? Anybody with any links?
Thanks in advance.
coolchinchilla