Re: tropical fishtank help
charlie- i've been running a 75 gallon tank successfully for about 6 years now. first, the larger the tank, the easier it is to keep. lots of reason, but just accept the logic. not that it helps your dad. it usually takes 2-3 months for the tank to develop the right ecosystem, but your dad may not be there just yet. but once there, it's pretty easy to keep it clean. in fact, i rarely clean my tank and the water is always clear. some suggestions...
1. make sure he has a simple water kit and uses it. you need to have the proper ph levels and depending on the water you add, that could be a bit difficult. he may need to add ph up or down to get it right.
2. water changes- should be done every 2-3 weeks until things get right. he simply removes 20-30% of the water in the tank and replenishes. experts suggestion you keep that up, but from experience, once you get the tank running well, you can let it slide a bit.
3. light- too much, too little, both can hurt. usually done by trial and error. algae fish are nice to look at, but they actually don't do much to clean the water, except for the sides. i currently have my light come on at approx 4 and turns off at 12, giving them 8 hours of light. but your dad's tank could need a little more or little less. if he's having algae problems, i'd cut the amount of light down a bit.
4. filter- you mention he runs it 24/7 and there is no alternative- all tanks must have constant filtration. some kits come with crap filters, so he may want to look at upgrading. at the minimum, it needs a particulate filter (sponge) and charcoal filter.
5. plants- i have had good success with live plants and my tank looks great with all the vegatation. i don't know if it's true, but i've found that the plants seem to help complete the ecosystem and keep the water clean and fresh.
good luck and any questions, let me know.
