I'm getting discouraged :(

[PUNISHER VETTE]

I know it takes patience but still....i feel sad for anything that goes in my tank(plants and fish). 29g that started in Nov.

I've got horrible fuzzy moss on all my plants... and last time i saw that it killed the plant. I just hope the plants i have can survive it this time. What doesn't have the fuzzy stuff growing on it has a layer of dust or something...

Almost all of the 10 neon tetras and 1 clown loach i put in have died within a few days.... I think it has something to do with my DIY CO2 generator and the clear film it leaves. Then when i turn on the main filters it gets stirred up into the water...

I've got snails getting pretty bad....but can't have a loach or it dies...

When i tested my water i had pH 7.6, Ammonia between 0-.25 ppm, Nitrate between 0-5.0ppm, Nitrites 0ppm. I've added BioSpira from the pet store that was supposed to help cycle my tank...

I've done the weekly water changes. Don't overfeed( haven't had fish in it that much) I'm sure the dust is just dead plant matter but how can i clean it up? My phthon will probably suck up the leaves and if i run the filter when i stir everything up the clear film gets mixed in...

Even though the DIY CO2 might be killing my fish on a plus i have seen some improvement in my plant growth.....


Any pointers or helpful stuff i should be doing?

[OscarFan]

Do you turn your filters off.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

PICTURES. I would post them here but i wanted to keep them big so you can see what I'm talking about.

First my DIY CO2 system.
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Second the "dust" on everything
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Black slime of my sword
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Fuzzy stuff
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now stuff growing in my substrate
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[OscarFan]

How long has the tank been going.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

Do you turn your filters off.

I had a Penguin 300(made for a 70gal i think) that i had on all the time.
When i set up my DIY CO2 i turned it off and switched over to the powerhead which has minimal movement and chops us my bubbles...

When i put the fish in i was worried they didn't have enough oxygen so i had both on... fish started dying and i turned the 300 off again.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

How long has the tank been going.

Going on 3 months now.

[OscarFan]

Im not quite sure I no what a power head is but I think you should always have a filter on.

[OscarFan]

And did you put all the fish in at once.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

And did you put all the fish in at once.

I put a clown loach in and a few days later put in the 10 neon tetras......What i found out was i didn't accumulate them the proper way. But now i know how to do that with the Drip method for when i decide to get fish again.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

The powerhead is just a filter with a plug that you can add a tube to to supply air/CO2 if needed. if you look at my DIY CO2 in the back ground you can see the little black filter(Power head)

[OscarFan]

The stuff growing on the rocks is algae.

[OscarFan]

when you put them in were they staying near the top.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

when you put them in were they staying near the top.


Not at first. But slowly one or 2 at a time would start to swim very wildly and within an hour would be dead.

[OscarFan]

Could be Coo2 poisoning try disconnecting the Co2 when you put them in.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

Could be Coo2 poisoning try disconnecting the Co2 when you put them in.

My test kit didn't come with a KpH tester which is for CO2 right? Maybe i should get a kit that tests for that. You would think with the plants i have they would get enough O2 right?

Plus when i put them in i think i turned on the filter right away....
But all but 2 are dead and it's not looking good for those left. I'm guessing morning they'll be gone :(

After this i probably won't put anymore fish in for quite some time.

[OscarFan]

I would turn the CO2 off and see if they make it. If not I would try to get the plants settled and going before you get fish.

[OscarFan]

What kind o f lighting do you got

[Pr0eve]

did you add baking soda to your C02 maker? was that you? every were I read no ones adds baking soda.

looks like baking soda on your stuff.


mix 3/4 cup sugar, 6 cups water and a pinch of yeast (roughly 1 teaspoon does the trick). The exact ratio of ingredients is not critical. For example, I use enough water to fill the bottle to about 3 inches from the top. You don't want to get the mixture too full, as the mixture may foam a bit, and you don't want the foam flowing into your tank.

Using the above mixture, I regularly get 10-14 days of strong CO2 production, at a rate of one bubble every 3-7 seconds. When the system stops bubbling (the drop in gas production is often precipitous), dump out everything and mix up a new concoction.

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[Lady Hobbs]

Algae just loves new tanks and loves the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. That's why those with new tanks generally have a problem.

Just two weeks ago, I set my tank back and had a small amount of ammonia (25%) but it's all it took to set the algae off on a rampage.

Until you can get your tank stabilized, having algae is nothing new altho aggravating as heck. It can take about 3 months to get everything to settle down.

The dust on those leaves looks like the subtrate is getting stirred up too much when you do water changes. Let the water in slowly so everything isn't stirred up like that. Wipe off the leaves of the plates as well as you can with some paper towel. Not easy to do, I know.

Your tank should be done cycling by now but it appears as it's not done. Have you done too much cleaning or changed out the filters too much or something? I'm thinking you probably had only a very few fish after you had your die off and then the tank was empty for awhile and you added a bunch more? If so, your bacteria died and adding new fish tossed you into another cycle.

Change your water often until you can get rid of that algae and run your lights only 8 hours a day. If you don't have good plant lighting, you don't need the CO2 as it would be useful. Make very sure your power head isn't too near your bubbler or you will suck too much of it into your tank.

I did that and lost 14 fish in one night! I had a current to near the bubbler and the CO2 was just pouring into the tank.

[plow]

Not at first. But slowly one or 2 at a time would start to swim very wildly and within an hour would be dead.

That to me sounds like CO2 poisoning.. to die so quickly. Just that they died within 2 hours sounds like some kind of poisioning..

I'm no expert but I wouldn't rely on plants to provide oxygen, make sure your powerhead nozzle points to the surface a bit to provide surface agitation. Surface agitation is how you'll keep oxygen levels up from what I understand.

I would disconnect the CO2 altogether and concentrate on establishing a balance with the nitrogen cycle. If you are still having problems then you know that the CO2 is not the issue.

hope I have been of some help.

[Kuli_Loach]

You have a big CO2 system for that tank. I had/have planted tanks that grow great with no CO2 system but only with florapride and plant food tabs(very rarely). I agree though, CO2 is your problem. That is all algae on your stuff except for the dusting and that is like bakingsoda or something. Always leave the filter going as well. I see no use in a powerhead really but it's your choice. That tube is NOT for adding CO2 I believe though, it is there to add bubbles if you want or just shoot out water, being an air supply, I have a bunch for my S/W tanks. Do a large water change a couple of times to get the slime and gunk out. Unhook the CO2 system and put your filter on. Your tank will probably loose it's cycle so you will have to get that biospira or do fishless cycle again. Do weekly w/c of 25% at least. Good luck on this and hopefully if I missed anything someone can pick up and I know people will not agree with me on unhooking the CO2 but I say planted tanks 55g and below don't need them really.

[Lady Hobbs]

I had my share of trouble with the stuff. All it takes is having the filter a bit too close to the CO2 or an air stone......anything that hits it all all will cause the CO2 to fly out of there.

I did something as silly as dropping in the air stone in the tank at night a bit too near that CO2 and I had slime from everywhere in 4 hours and all those fish dead.

Then another time I did another neat trick. I unscrewed the top from the bottle and just let the airline hang. Another good job, Hobbs. The water from the tank leaked out all over the floor.

I am using it again right now but very careful with it and actually, it's a royal pain.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

I'm running about 2.5wpg on my lighting.


My DIY CO2 was 2 cups sugar, and a tablespoon of yeast. No baking soda.
Didn't see any growth at all within 2 or 3 months so i decided to put it in. Since then i have have had my wendii grow 4 leaves within the 2 weeks. I wanted my tank to be very heavily planted which is why i decided to use CO2. Even though it's only a 30 gal i can't see having a tank that looks like a forest without it...

Haven't changed my filters any so that can't be it. I'll just keep trying to clean the algae off as much i can and do my water changes. Hopefully it will get under control quickly.

I'll try to find a diffuser for my CO2 for cheap somewhere. From what i was thinking is the powerhead chops up any bubbles that goes into it and helps the CO2/O2 if it's an air hose diffuse into the water easier.

2 neons still alive and i turned on my big filter this morning so when i get back and they're still alive then i know thats not it.

[Lady Hobbs]

Toooooooo much yeast. Cut that back to 1/2 teaspoon to 2 cups sugar.

Who the heck told you to use that much yeast? You are getting way too much CO2 into your tank.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

Toooooooo much yeast. Cut that back to 1/2 teaspoon to 2 cups sugar.

Who the heck told you to use that much yeast? You are getting way too much CO2 into your tank.

I think read a thread that had those specification for the system. One bottle isn't even producing anymore so i'll just unhook the thing for now. I'll cut it back to 1/2 from now on.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

I just realized that i put some of that cotton/wool that comes on some plants in my filter to help with the bacteria growth. I'm sure i also have some of it still wrapped around my plants that i didn't want to break the roots off.

anyway maybe this stuff is breaking up and causing that dust layer over everything.

[smaug]

I know you have your heart set on having a forest in your tank and that is why you are so adament about having co2.Trust me with this,you dont need co2 to have it.My tank is growing so thick I had to get rid of plants last week and I am not using co2 with the exception of seachem excel.I have almost 4wpg I dose with ferts I have a fertilized substrate but I do not have co2.Turn that soda machine off for awhile,concentrate on getting rid of the ammonia and possibly do something to bring your ph down,7.6 is a bit high for plants you want 7.0or less.Check the hardness of your water especially your kh[carbonate hardness]you want 4-5 ppm.That dust is almost certainly substrate being stirred up .The white slimy stuff is diatomacios algae which is common in younger tanks such as yours.The black slime is common in tanks with an oxygen problem.The best filter for a planted tank is an external canister filter ,something that can build a large bio filtering capacity.I use a rena xp-2.Do not use carbon as it removes neccesary elements that your plants need.I hope some of this helps,you really seem as if this is bringing you down,dont let it,we all went through it.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

I'll definitly tune the amount of CO2 i use but i can't deny the growth i've gotten in just 2 weeks with it. Before i hadn't seen any new growth on plants since i put them in my tank. Then.

Within a week of adding it i already had 4 new leaves on my wendii and my hairgrass is starting to spread out.

I use Seachem excel. Should i be using any other fertilizers?

I wouldn't say i have my heart set on having a forest. In time sure but as of now i just want my tank to not look like crap. Black stuff on leaves...fuzzy algae and plants constantly dying isn't what i had in mind.

[smaug]

I use Seachem excel. Should i be using any other fertilizers?
Yes,especially if you are going to stick with the co2.Yes even if you arent.I use cheleated iron,pottasium,nitrogen and seachem flourish in small doses twice a week.

[country_boy454]

I only use 1/4 tsp of yeast in my DIY CO2 for my 29 gallon. It lasts about 15 days.