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Talldutchie's point about the tap water (non-zero nitrates in the tap occur for a lot of people - even ammonia and rarely, nitrites) and ferts (too much of a good thing is sometimes ... bad) are a...

Also, once a high nitrate begins to show, the substrate if often saturated with the waste. Consider also stiring the substrate just before a 75%+ water change. While Neon's really require very clean...

I am confused relative to the possible low oxygen level - if the value your kit shows is considered low, than regardless of other issues you add an air stone - period. If ever in doubt about oxygen...

Your nitrates should be between 3 - 5 ppm from my reading. If you will be having fish, the phosphates will be fine. However, an iron kit is a good idea since the level needed is important and too...

A forty gallon tank (unless one of the tall type tanks) is a bit tight for two angels to properly grow. Also, hiding places (plants - real or fake, woods, rocks and the like) are a good idea since...

With any new tank, how are the current water parameters? Specifically the nitrate levels? Also, are there any trace ammonia/nitrite readings (need to be on your guard adding new fish)?

How often...

The issue with any large water change is matching pH. If the water you are adding has a pH within 0.2 of the tank, all will be fine. If not, than a series of small water changes will be required. A...

Garlic is NOT an antibiotic in any proven manner; as for the long list you give only one I've ever seen is as a food additive for internal parasites. If you are suggesting these benifits for people...

Steeler and others should take note - this danger is exactly why I have and everyone should have all aquarium power cords plugged into a power/current interrupter unit (a GFCI unit.) It is absolutely...

Your tank's nitrates are far too high. This would partly explain the fin rot; more to the point is the amount of water you change in the tank is not enough - you need to do a near 100% water change;...

Your pH is very good - 7.6 allows better bacteria growth than lower values. The issue is that the ammonium level is high causing slow growth of bacteria that convert nitrite - just a fact you will...

Ugh-we are going to overwhelm you with information!

Sorry but I have read (a peer reviewed scientific research paper) on the proper ammonia level for cycling a filter and 1 ppm is considered ideal...

You provide a lot of words (and I will only read main sentences, sorry but I am rushed right now) but not water parameters! Like possible ammonia, and/or nitrite levels (filters crash, at times), and...

Bad news on my researching using Prime to neutralize nitrite - the people who make Prime (their owen site!) have no idea if it really does neutralize nitrites ... they think it does but have no real...

Nitrates that high are only possible only if your test kit is failing or the tank's water changes are far too small or done too rarely. Consider getting another kit and if that shows such a high...

This can happen if the filter isn't ready (enough bacteria) for the number of fish added. Stuff like this happens to many of us! Your not alone - happen with my discus tank when I added my fish (too...

The reason that stuff grows is because you have excessive nutrients of some type. While if this is only in your filter, it may start appearing in the tank if the nutrients levels climb any more....

Hello again; sorry, been busy and just now checking up on posts.

Having ammonia (or even nitrites or nitrates) is not uncommon in well water. For a while I had rather high nitrates from mine - I...

Glad you are up and cycling; and yes, your filter media is doing good. Don't even measure the nitrates for now - irrelavent. Watch the nitrites (a 5 ppm is high.) Just to be safe, check the tap water...

The ONLY correct manner to type the short symbol for the acidity or basicity of water (related to ionized hydrogen donation or acceptance ability of the water) is ONLY to type this name as

pH ...

I have kept gourami's but your tank appears a little on the small size for three (I had a 283 liter for two and with a lot of plants it worked). Normally, two females to a single male is the correct...

Water changes are the absoultly best way but if the tap water isn't the best (has some nitrates and/or other bad guys like ammonia or nitrite) an algae filter will remove these. Unlike regular...

To get the cycle to work as fast as possible - keep the temperature as high as safe for the plants; feed ammonia only once a day to keep the level NO more than 1.0 ppm. The reason this is important...

Sorry for the lost of fish; cycling takes time and we all have had issues with keeping fish but that one - cycling - can give anyone issues! I hope you try again (the tank is nearly cycled!) Just...

I assume the soil is under a layer of sand; otherwise, may be cloudy for a long time. Top soil is a pain since planting creates a terrible mess and plants can't be moved/added later without creating...