Too heavily stocked?

saradora · Post by **saradora** » 21 Mar 2004, 18:49

I have a 29 gallon tank with 3 neon platys, 2 dalmation platys, 2 blue gouramis (fully grown, about 4"), a 4" black ghost, a 3" L333, a tiny clown pleco, and a common pleco approaching 5". Is this too many fish for a 29 gallon? My LFS told me that it was a good number, but I change about 30% of the water every couple days and my nitrates are still very high, and recently my pH crashed (which I posted a question about in the pleco forum). I am aware that I will eventually need a larger tank for the black ghost and the common pleco, but I was under the impression that they would be fine for a while in this tank. Do they need a larger tank now?

jenkys baby · Post by **jenkys baby** » 21 Mar 2004, 21:17

if you dont get a bigger tank soon you better get a bigger filter the bigger the better!

saradora · Post by **saradora** » 21 Mar 2004, 23:56

Thank you! I was wondering if I just set something up wrong (filters or something), but it is probably just way too much bioload. Bigger filter is my best bet at the moment--what do you recommend? (I currently have an undergravel powered by an Aquaclear 301, and an Aquaclear 300 powerfilter.)

jenkys baby · Post by **jenkys baby** » 22 Mar 2004, 17:59

reading about your filter as far as i can tell it should be doing the job. dont mean to be funny but how are you cleaning your filter media and how often, also what amount of water do you change and how often. if you feed too much and too often this may affect it too.

jenkys baby · Post by **jenkys baby** » 22 Mar 2004, 18:09

also changing to much water to often will take away the valuable organisiums that live in it and the filter which break down the amonia,nitrate,nitrite which kill your fish. this is only advice as i am just a beginner but i try to learn as much as i can.

Post by **Barbie** » 22 Mar 2004, 20:01

There are no organisms that live in the water column that convert ammonia and nitrite. The bacteria lives on the surfaces of your tank and filter. They require oxygenated water passing over them to thrive and colonize. The water column just holds the food for those bacteria. If you're having trouble with your filter keeping up, reduce what you're feeding by 1/2, at least, and do twice as many 30% water changes on the tank. That will at least allow the system to balance itself out. Larger tanks are ALWAYS a good idea if you think you're pushing your stocking limits. The odds of your fish living through a power failure or even a temporary filter burp are reduced dramatically for fish that are already crowded. Hope that helps.

Barbie

jenkys baby · Post by **jenkys baby** » 22 Mar 2004, 20:18

sorry barbie my bag!