Freshwater tanks a disaster this week.

[fishtaco]

This week was something else, I have been making some changes to my freshwater set-ups including the addition of a 75 gallon set-up in my greenhouse.
First off even though it is winter, the new 75 is growing algae everywhere and my captive breed bristlenose I put in have grown up eating fish food and guess what? They are barely working on the algae. One top of that the tank got ick and now the ants have found the tank and seem to love fishfood. This tank was supposed to be easy, I set it up with a ton of filtration, good heaters and a cool lighting system using a shop-light hanging over it with nice bulbs. Tossed in 8 octocinclus (SP) and hopefully they will help with the algae.
My 55 is an established tank and had a large pictus and a couple nice sized bala sharks in it, added a few really nice koi angels and everybody was doing fine, then that tank got ick also and the pictus started swimming relentlessly 24/7 causing the bala sharks and angels to stress out and make the ick worse.
I suspect the pictus might have freaked out because looking tonight the heater has water in it and might have been sending a current out through the water? Anyway as of tonight I have one angel left in that tank and he is not looking good.
Been doing freshwater since forever and my first tank was a stainless top and frame with a slate bottom and a corner bubble filter and this is the most fish I have ever lost in such a short time and needed to vent. Thankfully my planted freshwater nano is doing fine and my other two saltwater nanos are doing great as always, but this week at least I have to say that my saltwater tanks are really easier than freshwater.
Looks like next week I will have to re-set the 55 and pick-up a new heater and let it cycle for a few weeks and try over again. The feed store sells guppies for 99 cents each and I will pick-up dozen and couple cory cats and I am going to let that tank sit for a good long time before I spend any more money on fish for it.
Fishtaco

 

[stdreb27]

What kind of sun exposure is you tank getting in the green house?

 

[fishtaco]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/3229283
What kind of sun exposure is you tank getting in the green house?
It's getting no direct sun at all, my green house is attached to the north side of my house and the tank is up against the wall of the house. Hopefully this is just a bloom and things will stabilize shortly. I have lots of tropical growing like crazy in there and it is pretty packed so sun should not be an issue and when it is opened up in the summer it tends to be the coolest "room" in the house because I put it on the north side.
Fishtaco

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Fishtaco
http:///forum/post/3229408
It's getting no direct sun at all, my green house is attached to the north side of my house and the tank is up against the wall of the house. Hopefully this is just a bloom and things will stabilize shortly. I have lots of tropical growing like crazy in there and it is pretty packed so sun should not be an issue and when it is opened up in the summer it tends to be the coolest "room" in the house because I put it on the north side.
Fishtaco
I love those little nasty snails that reproduce like rabbits. Used to stick em in all my fw tanks, because then I'd NEVER have to scrub the sides...

 

[fishtaco]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/3229418
I love those little nasty snails that reproduce like rabbits. Used to stick em in all my fw tanks, because then I'd NEVER have to scrub the sides...
I thought of that since I have an abundance of those in my planted tank and they are really no problem, the problem is my large silver dollars just eat them as soon as they go in the tank and they don't even reach the bottom..
Fishtaco

 

[flower]

Algae...the horror of freshwater tanks. Get a Plecostomus, they are the best alage eaters.
I bought those huge orange snails, I don't recall the name. The fish left them alone. I scrubbed my tank every three months, gravel and all while the fish lived in a bucket for the day. My poor back.
The good news is that when Freshwater fish get ich, all you need are those floating dissolving disks and just plop them in like Alka-Seltzer and all is well. I never lost a freshwater fish to ich again after discovering those things.
Put your fish food in a tupperware container with a lid, and put some ant traps out where it can't fall into the tank.
I personally think saltwater tanks are easier to care for...lots of critters that eat algae, and water changes of only 30% max...an no total break downs for cleaning.

 

[fishtaco]

Flower I do have a bristlenose pleco in the tank, but he is lazy and much prefers flake food. I won't buy a regular pleco because they are a tank buster type of fish and the LFS around here won't take them anymore when they outgrow your tank so that is not an option for me. The bristlenose stay much smaller btw. Now I need to figure out what to restock the 55 with when the time comes.
Fishtaco

 

[uneverno]

IDK where the idea comes from that freshwater aquaria are easier to care for than salt-water. Is it because the critters are cheaper that the loss is easier to take? %%
Chemistry is chemistry. Fresh water is not pure H2O. It also contains salts - just in different concentrations that ocean water does.
Algae is algae either way and grows under the same basic conditions. If you're having an algae bloom, taking care of it is essentially the same in either fresh or salt: Dilution is the solution to pollution. I.e. reduce Nitrates and Phosphates, adjust lighting, etc.

 

[uneverno]

IDK where the idea comes from that freshwater aquaria are easier to care for than salt-water. Is it because the critters are cheaper that the loss is easier to take?

Chemistry is chemistry. Fresh water is not pure H2O. It also contains salts - just in different concentrations that ocean water does.
Algae is algae either way and grows under the same basic conditions. If you're having an algae bloom, taking care of it is essentially the same in either fresh or salt: Dilution is the solution to pollution. I.e. reduce Nitrates and Phosphates, adjust lighting, etc.

 

[uneverno]

IDK where the idea comes from that freshwater aquaria are easier to care for than salt-water. Is it because the critters are cheaper that the loss is easier to take?
It's certainly different, but easier?

Chemistry is chemistry. Fresh water is not pure H2O. It also contains salts - just in different concentrations than ocean water does.
Algae is algae either way and grows under the same basic conditions. If you're having an algae bloom, taking care of it is essentially the same in either fresh or salt: Dilution is the solution to pollution. I.e. reduce Nitrates and Phosphates, adjust lighting, etc