Fish tank help?

Question

I have a 30 gallon fish tank with 2 large flower horns, one large pleco, and one small Red devil. i know.. i know.. my tank is over crouded, but ive gone to all these fish stores with even more crouded fish tanks and the water is still crystal clear. Recently my tank got extremely mirky as a result of my 80 percent water change(annoying parents forced me). So i decided to take all my fish to a fish store and he kept it for me for a hole week. In this time my entire fish tank because extremely clear. I have just recently added my fish back to my tank today and im hoping to keep it clear. So far i know i have replaced the filter cartaliges(i have 2 filters one 30 gallon filter and one 10 gallon filter.) Im not going to feed them alot and im keeping the tank clean with my net by taking out all the poop. I have put in amquel to reduce amonia, and a chemical that gets rid of chlorine and all other heavy metals(aqua safe). Are there any tips that anyone can give to help me(like lighting etc)

lol i know all that... about the tank cycle, algae, aggressive fish, yata yata. Ive had my flower horns since birth and they dont fight although each one is about 8 inches long. My tank was fine and squeeky clean untill my parents forced me to change the water. My parents dont live with me, but they do love to come to my house and waste my time. I have a 400 gallon tank being custom made for me to accomidate my flower horns, but that wont be done untill about a month. Ive had fish for a long time, im simply asking this question to reinforce my knowledge and maybe get some new insights from other experienced fish keepers

Answer 1

The fish stores can get away with overcrowding because these fish do not live that long in the tanks. They are sold or die before any damage is done. Plus, if it's a good quality store, they're doing daily water changes to maintain that clarity. You have fish that each require 50 gallons of water for a healthy environment. You don't need to use Amquel and Aquasafe both. They're the same product and you're just wasting your money. Cloudiness is usually just related to new tank syndrome. If you have made sure you have cycled your tank, your water parameters are at their correct levels, do proper water changes and proper tank cleanings and maintenance, the cloudiness will go away. All of this said, you will have constant problems as long as you have such a small tank for such large fish. Because of your serious overcrowding, you will need to do water changes probably every other day to every three days to maintain clear, healthy water. And then there's the issue of these aggressive fish attacking each other because of the cramped quarters. You also need to educate your parents that a squeaky clean tank is not in the best interest of the fish and that it is dangerous to overclean a tank. Once they understand the nitrogen process and even algae, I think they will be far more understanding and not force you to unnecessarily clean your tank. Good luck!

Answer 2

I saw the photo you posted of your tank a while back when you were asking about adding something (decorations) to it - I said it was overcrowded then!

I just wanted to clarify a statement you made about overcrowding in fish stores. Yes, the tanks appear crowded by what the public sees. What you don't see, however, is that all those overflows on the back of the tanks - they go to a huge sump - some the size of a room, depending on the store. So while the tanks are stocked heavily, the "hidden" water volume balances it out - like if tou were to put all your fish on one side of your divider, they'd look crowded, but the water volume would still be the same. Plus, commercial tanks (at least where I'm at) also have a biowheel filter about 8" in diameter and 14-16" long per 4 foot display unit. And a UV sterilizer. And an automatic water exchange that replaces a certain volume of tank water every hour with fresh (essentially a 100% water change 3 - 7 days based on flow rate). And we still have to clean the glass a few times a week. Next time you're in a pet store (especially a PetSmart) ask to see their filtration system.

No system is perfect, even if they have all the equipment listed above. And it only gets harder when you don't have all that. The only way you can keep keep the water clear is by lighting & nutrient control. If your tank's cloudiness is due to algae, leave the lights off, or reduce the wattage in the bulbs. That's about all you an do from the lighting end.

For nutrient control, there are more options. Not overfeeding (not saying you do, but you mention you'll be feeding the fish less now), more frequent water changes, larger volume of water changes at the same frequency (if you clean the gravel too well, you run the risk of removing too much beneficial bacteria and creating a bigger problem, though), and the last two you're not going to like - fewer fish in the existing tank or larger tank for the existing fish. Using Amquel isn't stopping your problem. Sure, it neutralizes the ammonia, but still leaves it in a form usable to your tank bacteria. The fish keep putting out the ammonia, the bacteria feed on it and reproduce. This population explosion is only adding to the cloudiness in your tank.

I think you'll find that as you add more of your fish back to the tank, you're going to have problems again - not for a while, maybe, but eventually.

Answer 3

Not realy any tips to give you. You are over crowded which is the root cause of the cloudiness etc but are not interested in fixing that problem.

You should never, ever based a permanent tank set up on what you see in stores. Those fish are only there for a short period of time and regular rules don;t apply.

MM

Answer 4

truthfully, my first advice could be to get a minimum of a 20 gallon tank in case you could arise with the money for it. a 10 gallon tank is extremely proscribing in terms of what fish you could shop in it, and it particularly is extra durable to maintain than a greater tank because of the fact the water high quality can replace quicker. many of the fish you spot in puppy shops are too massive to maintain in a 10 gallon tank in case you purchase them interior the suggested numbers for perfect college length. do no longer question me why, yet many puppy shops do no longer carry aquariums greater than fifty 5 gallons, yet they sell fish that ought to require a greater aquarium than that. very almost each shop i've got seen consists of oscars which pick a minimum of seventy 5 gallons. besides, in case you have your heart set on a 10 gallon tank, pay interest to catx, exceedingly her article approximately stocking a 10 gallon tank. She knows what she's speaking approximately. exceptionally, do no longer even think of approximately putting goldfish in a tank that small. those "cute little goldfish" you spot in shops would be a foot long as adults and pick 20 gallons of water in step with fish.

Answer 5

Sounds like you don't do enough water changes. That would explain why your water would get dirty from changing the water. If you do 20-50% water changes once a week, including gravel vacuuming, you should not have any problems.

Your parents seem to know what they are doing, instead of being annoyed by them, maybe you should take their advice before you torture your fish further.