How do you all keep your water so CLEAN!?

Termato

I have a 10 gallon Fresh Water Tropical tank set up.

It is over stocked with fish.

2 Black Mollies (one male, one female)
2 Yellow Mollies (I think both males)
2 red/black Platys (I think both females)
2 Clear red/black Platys (don't know sex)
4 algae eaters.(1 is pregnant and laying eggs)
2 Mystery Snails (we used to have four but 2 died)

Our water gets cloudy every weekend, I vacuum the poop from the bottom to help clean the tank.

Right now one of our algae eaters laid eggs and a few hatched (i am guessing from a previously dropping).
The mollies have been matting like rabbits.

I have been using Ammonia Remover but I don't want to put too many chemicals.

Tha Bizness

That would be first guess. Because its over stocked the waste your fish are producing is to much for the system to handle. The fact that your adding Ammonia Remover kinda confirms this. Do you have a test kit to confirm that you have to much ammonia? Did this tank complete a cycle? How long has it been setup?

I'll let the experts chime in but be prepared to be told your way overstocked.

Termato

I know the tank is overstocked, although I don't want to get rid of any of the fish (what would i do with them...:( I could possibly give two of the platys to a friend of mine who has a tank, he has a 10 gallon tank with 2 tetras in it)

The tank has been set up for 3 weeks to a month I think so it has not completed the full cycle. We have already had to change the filter and clean the tank twice. I have a PH and Ammonia reader on the inside of the tank (it's a constant reader).

Would you recommend another water filter?

thekoimaiden

Another filter isn't going to do much except push the fish around more. You could try live plants, but being overstocked is your main reason for a dirty tank. Another option would be to get a second tank and put some fish in that one. Additional water changes could help, too. But really until your stocking levels come down you are always going to have trouble.

What type of "algae eater" do you have? Also if you aren't attached to the mystery snails you could easily take those out because they have a huge bioload and are probably major contributors to the waste problem.

Termato

Just out of curiosity, how would the live plants help?

I am highly considering donating 2 platys to a friend just to free some space up for now.

We have two Otocinclus. One big female and one male. I think the other two are Albino Cyprinids & Characins but I am not sure. My girlfriend thinks both pair are Otocinclus. (They said Golden Algae Eaters at the Super Pet where we got them) I know its not the chinese one because they don't get that big.

We are not too attached to the snails, we have already had two die....they don't seem to be doing very well in the tank.

thekoimaiden

Live plants (especially fast-growing ones) take up ammonia faster than bacteria. But they don't eliminate the need for water changes as there are hormones that fish produce that aren't used by the plants.

If you're going to give away any plays, give away all the females. If you just give away one or two and there is one remaining in the tank, all the males will harass her. Platys are livebearers and as long as you have males and females in the same tank, they will be making babies and increasing the bioload on your tank. If you don't want babies the best thing is to keep all males.

The snails are the first thing I would get rid of. They don't do much for algae cleanup (you can do a better job with an algae scrubber) and they produce a lot of waste. Unless you love the look of a snail, there is no reason to have a mystery snail in a tank.

If you are unsure of the algae eater species, you could post a picture, and someone could ID it.

redchigh

I will go out on a limb and say that the algae eaters that bred are not Ottos... since they've never bred in captivity.

Plants absorb ammonia and turn it into growth... So they might help.
Try giving away some fish on craigslist... or selling them even.

In a 10 gallon tank, 4 mollies, the ottos, and the snails would be a perfect stocking level.
Please post pictures of your 'algae eaters'.

Have you tried increasing water changes? vaccuuming the gravel isn't everything... replace at least half the water every week when you vacuum.

Termato

You all are really helpful!

I will post a picture of the tank and fish to ID and get more details.(I can take some pictures in about 2 hours when I make it home).

As for the snails they can absolutely go.

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I have changed about 1/3 to half the water when I vacuum. I am going to clean the tank again today because it's over the top.


It seems the most likely path of action is going to be getting rid of the two mystery snails, giving away two platys, changing the water out and eventually (hopefully later in the week) get some real plants in the tank.

Do I just put the plants in there or is there anything I need to do beforehand? (any plant recommendations?)

Termato

I just got home and the pregnant algae eater who we thought was the female Oto is dead.

I am using Seachem's AlertSeries Ammonia Alert and PH Alert.

I am taking pictures now. I will edit this post with the pictures on here.

Inga

Sorry to hear about your dead fish. My thoughts are when I have a dead fish I do a huge water change. I tend to go 70-75% and I use PRIME water conditioner. I have not lost many fish at all so... I think that the key to success is generally clean water and I would rather err on the side of caution and do a water change then to not. It isn't going to hurt.

I also recommend that you purchase (if you don't already have one) an API master test kit for the fresh water aquarium and test your tap water separately and then your tank water at least weekly if not 2 times a week to keep an eye on your water parameters. If it were me, I would get rid of the female fish especially the live bearers as they can over populate a tank in no time at all and you are already pushing the limits.

Can't wait to see pictures.