I could benefit from an evaluation.

[J.Allen 9]

 

Hello,
 

Im looking to learn more about how to optimize my fish keeping, this is what I've got on my mind:

The Tank : a 75 Gallon with an overflow box and a U- tube attached to the overflow which is 1 inch plumbing into a 1 1/2 inch hose down into a 55 Gallon Tank. The 55 has glass baffles inside that divides it into 4 chambers. The first chamber currently is open with no filter media. I was using pinky floss in the past but currently just let the water freely flow into the second chamber, which I keep some plants and a bio brick in, as well as substrate, snails, and as of late 2020 4 goldfish fry. That space overflows into some rods of bio material pumice like stone then is pumped back up to the 75 gallon. In total I manage what I estimate to be 100 gallons of water. 

I change 50% a week. ( someone please give it to me straight - Am I good , bad , or Ugly? because I have read so many things online and I've done more harm for myself than good at this point) 

I have 7 Fancy Goldfish - one apple size Thai Oranda and 2 telescope each the size of a big lemon they spawned and 4 fry survived they are now about the size of a U.S Quarter each. ( I didn't see it happen at all and I was not paying attention to my sump tank for a 2 week period, till one day from the side view I saw something move and it was a fish! )

snails, Big ( can't or won't reproduce?) and small  - which reproduce but not totally out of control yet, their egg sacks seem to get eaten by fish.

plants, mostly amazon swords, some java fern , anubius coffeefolia, grass-  that I forgot the name of ! 

a single surviving ghost shrimp?  ( a horrible oversight on my part and a total massacre. Many shrimp lives were needlessly lost that day. By the time I saw what was happening all that could be done was watch in horror.)

a piece of driftwood

a substrate made of washed and rinsed pool filter sand mixed with seachem fluorite red and fluorite black.

 a few stones

a 400 Gallon per hour fountain pump with clear hose to return.

 

water chemistry:

Taylor Chlorine = 0ppm

Taylor Ph= 7.4

APi Ph = 7.4-7.5

Api Ammonia = 0 

Api Nitrite = 0

Api Nitrate =  40 - 60 ( For some reason I have had High nitrates from inception,  Even when I have done 50 % water changes with RO water, I suspect that that its due to my early fish keeping overfeeding , yet even so after correcting and still doing 50% water changes each week ( treated tap water that tests with no nitrates) still barely goes down after water changes. Please help me- help my fish-puppies.

Api Phosphate = 0 - 0.5ppm

Api Kh = 71.6 ppm

Api Gh = 107.4 ppm

Tds = 150 - 180 

4 months ago I tested for dissolved O2 and it was 9mg/L 

and CO2 which came in at 5 ppm 

 

 

SO... I know with water changes the blanket answer can be " The more the merrier" 

BUT..... right now I can only really do 1 per week. Am I  killing my fish slowly and stunting the fry growth if I only do 1 a week or will they be ok?

Should  I run a water polisher or something with carbon to help clean? 

How fast does the growth inhibiting hormone build up in water and is there a home accessible way to test hormone levels?

Will carbon remove growth inhibiting hormone from water? I believe I read somewhere it can sometimes remove the spawning hormone - is that even true?

What happens to the poop I didn't get to vacuum ? does it dissolve? do they eat it ? is that a  high nitrate factor? 

what do you do with your fish poop? is there any other or good use for it?

 

I'd like to know your thoughts.

- Jordan

 

 

 

 

[koko 14,357]

Well Dang with that filtration system you should be good.

I my self can only do a water change of 50% once a week too cause of money and the water is very cold now. 

The only thing I can think of that you might want to change and this is my person opinion. Take the log out. I have had so many problems with hollow logs in the tank. 

I dont know what kind you have or the shape of it. But every time I have had them or seem ppl with them in a goldfish tank, problems come.

 

[J.Allen 9]

On 2/8/2021 at 6:12 PM, koko said:

The only thing I can think of that you might want to change and this is my person opinion. Take the log out. I have had so many problems with hollow logs in the tank. 

The driftwood has been removed, I am now considering planting grass where it was?

[koko 14,357]

On 2/16/2021 at 5:03 PM, J.Allen said:

The driftwood has been removed, I am now considering planting grass where it was?

You can place some plants in there, sure! Some plants though will want special light and food, while others don't need much attention.

What kind do you have in mind?