# New tank problem with dying fish brown algae



## bobalston9 (Aug 13, 2017)

Recently set up new 55 gallon with HOB Aquaclear 79 filter with carbon insert, eco-complete. Put in some anubias and some stem plants. Have Finnex planted+ 24/7. Initially set light on about 10 hours at low intensity. 
Only 3 guppies. two died. Male lasted 2 weeks.
Tried a couple of panda garra. They died.
3 corries lasted about 4 weeks then 2 died at same time. 
1/2 water change. 
Two platties. They died. 

Water chemistry is pH 7.2, no nitrate, very low ammonia from catfish sole occupant except for 10 small snails gathered from other tanks.
Changed light to about 6 hours at higher intensity.
Never had this kind of new tank syndrome.
My first tank with eco-complete.


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## DaTrueDave (Dec 28, 2003)

What did you do to cycle the tank?


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## bobalston9 (Aug 13, 2017)

Just initially put in three guppies and a couple anubias and several stem plants and a few other plants.


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## DaTrueDave (Dec 28, 2003)

Hmmm... I would try cycling the tank without fish first. You can do it by adding plain ammonia to the tank before adding any fish, or by simply feeding the empty tank with fish food as if you had fish in it.

I would give more information, but I don't want to assume anything about your experience level. If you're unfamiliar with the nitrogen cycle or fishless cycling, you can easily google for more information. I haven't cycled an aquarium with fish in a long, long time. We've learned that there are better ways to do it.


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## stmarshall (Jan 24, 2012)

i have 27 tanks with fish set up and loose very few fish. I still do things old school. I fill the tank up, put in Amquel and let the set up run for a couple of weeks with no filter medium, only moving water or air stones. Also, I keep new fish quarantined from the main tank for at least a week to make sure they are safe and don't have medical problems . Hope this helps.


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## CrownMan (Sep 12, 2005)

Hello Bob, 

Glad to see you are starting up a new tank. I would also check the tank for high Nitrites and if you can get several bunches of cheap fast growing stem plants, that would accelerate the removal of the excess ammonia, nitrites and nitrates in your new tank.

Mike


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## rs18alpha (Aug 13, 2017)

*Re: Cloudy water in established tank??*

I have a Fluval 70 hob on my 40 gal breeder tank.
After a few months the water starts to get cloudy. I clean my sponge once a month.
I clean it in aquarium water. But I have to say sometimes I clean in tap water, when I do this I can get the sponge a lot cleaner. It will then get a little cloudy until the bacteria recolonizes. But then it gets clear. 
People say to use a sponge until it starts to fall apart. I don't know if I should change the sponge on a regular basis?
Any suggestions will be appreciated!!!!


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

my guess is the tank is still cycling, and the ammonia killed the guppies. when setting up a tank you want to plant heavy. or wait 3-4 weeks to make sure the tank has fully cycled.


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## DaTrueDave (Dec 28, 2003)

*Re: Cloudy water in established tank??*



rs18alpha said:


> I have a Fluval 70 hob on my 40 gal breeder tank.
> After a few months the water starts to get cloudy. I clean my sponge once a month.
> I clean it in aquarium water. But I have to say sometimes I clean in tap water, when I do this I can get the sponge a lot cleaner. It will then get a little cloudy until the bacteria recolonizes. But then it gets clear.
> People say to use a sponge until it starts to fall apart. I don't know if I should change the sponge on a regular basis?
> Any suggestions will be appreciated!!!!


I'll share my favorite solution for this issue, although it may not help you with your current setup.

When initially setting up an aquarium, instead of using one big hob/canister filter that is the right size for your tank, buy two filters that are a bit smaller. Then, alternate cleaning them. With this system, you'll never wipe out more than half of the bacterial colony that helps keep your aquarium balanced.

The problem, of course, is the cost for the hardware is a bit more, and the amount of space needed is increased a bit, and there are more unsightly hoses dropping down into your tank. But it definitely increases the stability of the water quality.


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## rs18alpha (Aug 13, 2017)

Thanks DaTrueDave,
That sounds like a good idea.
I was planning on getting a Fluval U2 in the tank filter.
I'll be tearing down my tank in a few weeks. In the new set up I'll use 2 filters.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I suggest reading this: http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...35746-cycling-planted-aquarium-important.html The key is having a lot of plants from the beginning, and waiting until the plants are actually growing before adding any fish. Then add only about a quarter or less of the total fish you want, wait a week or two and add a few more, etc. Plants that are growing will use up the ammonia as fast as the few fish produce it. I suspect cycling is not your problem.

Did you use Prime or an equivalent chlorine/chloramine neutralizer when you first filled the tank with water?
Do you have anything in the tank which might be dissolving into the water?
Where did you get the fish, and how confident are you that they were healthy?

Most fish do best with 6 or more in the tank. Some will die when you only have a couple of them, because they are very uncomfortable without the company of their kind. I have found that even Platys and guppies, which are very hardy, do far better with 6 or more than with 2 or 3 in the tank.


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## Pam916 (May 22, 2008)

Placing a well seasoned sponge filter will speed up cycling.


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