Search the Community

@nabokovfan87 Tank Lifespan: 1-2 years Substrate: Estes/Stoney River Black and White since the start. Root Tabs: Seachem dosed every 2 months roughly at the base of all plants or intended growth areas. Decor: 3 pieces of drift wood and 1 penn-plax castle since the beginning. Plants: 3 dwarf lilly, vallisneria, new banana plant (not the first one), lots of crypto flamingos, handful of column feeders, crypt greens, etc. 2 heaters Filtration: Fluvial 407 (previously 2 AC110's) and one 110gph marineland power head Didn't have this problem while having the 2 AC110's but I realize overstocking typically relates to high nitrates. Filter media: factory coarse sponges, 1 level of additional coarse sponge, one level of polishing pads 100&50 micron, 2 levels of biomedia. Lights: 2 hygger 48" lights Liquid Fertilizer: 7 pumps of easy Green 1x weekly (true water volume is about 63 gallons I believe). Fish feeding schedule: M, W, F, Su; Alternate between either bloodworms/brine shrimp for the mid and top fish. Some slow sinking Xtreme or Hikari for everyone. Fluval bottom feeder or algae wafers for the bottom crew. Occasionally throw in cucumber. Fish: (it's a heavily stocked tank, but I haven't had any issues with anything until adding angel fish which I have since removed and some) 4 dwarf guoriamis (6 months), 2 Siamese algae eaters (3.5"), 9 bleeding heart tetra's (years), 9 glofish (years), 4 mystery snails (2 months but have always snails), 12 neon tetra's (years), 7 amano (years), 2 bristlenose (1+ year), 4 African dwarf frogs (2 for years, 2 are a few months), 6 albino Cory (years), 6 kuhli loaches (years), 2 vampire shrine (new, not sure if they're staying), 2-3 oto's (year or so), 1 hillstream loach (6 months or so). Nitrates have guided me towards water changes every 2 weeks in the past as they wouldn't touch 40ppm until week the end of week 2. Ph sits at 7.0-7.2. Tap water is also 7.0-7.2, essentially 0 nitrates. I dose conditioner per affected water: change 20 dose for 20. I choose to rinse filter media every other water change and only on alternate weeks and have never alternated or rinsed biomedia. I have a bad habit of not rinsing sponges or filter floss in tank water, I just run it under tap water. I don't vac my substrate. I do have some shedding from plants that I haven't cleaned up, but it's not an atrocity imo. Fish reaction that caused me alert was an absolutely ridiculous ammonia spike followed by a 30-40% water change and Fritz turbo. Then routine maintenance to follow +fritz bacteria. Weeks ago. This morning I got a .50ppm showing, puzzles. I've checked for dead creatures, none that I've seen but there's quite a few hiding places. I may have forgotten some stuff, ask away.