DRock914

The top of my tank is covered in bubbles. I set my 20 gallon tank up on 9/22 and added fish on 9/25. The bubbles didn't start until about a week later and they are still there. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the bubbles?

Attached Images

6.jpg (42.7 KB, 54 views)

Amanda

Wow....I have never seen anything like that before. How are the fish doing?
It almost looks like an additive that may have been in your water that's causing it to bubble. Is it foam-like?

peacemaker92

Wow! I've never seen that many bubbles in a tank. Do you have an air stone in the tank?I agree with Amanda, it could be some soap residue that was left in the tank if you did use soap to clean the tank.

eiginh

That is a lot of bubbles, Filters usually make bubbles on the surface but that is way too much! When your filter spits out water is it splashing the water? That might cause the bubbles but still I think it's way too much!

DRock914

I haven't added anything unusual. I added stress zyme and ammo lock. I added neutral regulator, stress coat, baking soda, little aquarium salt, and a dechlorinizer when I first set up the tank. There is a low reading of ammonia in the water. Could the bubbles be a result of a little bit of ammonia? The fish are doing good except I had a cory die in there couple days ago but he wasn't eating so I think that was his problem.

Beth1965

I see this to a much less degree in my 55, it happens above a large amazon sword and semi-close to the heater.
Don't know if that helps.
Beth

Amanda

So your tank isn't cycled? Are you doing large water changes everyday?
You added baking soda to your tank?

DRock914

There is an air stone in there. I never used soap in this tank, only damp paper towels to clean it when I first bought it. The water is not splashing from the filter.

A very little amount of Baking soda is a buffering for the water hardness.

I am not doing large water changes everyday. If you do large water changes everyday how does that allow bacteria to develop?

Amanda

The bacteria are in your filter & gravel - not the water.
The large WC's remove the ammonia which is toxic to your fish. During a cycle, a 50% WC should be done everyday.

eiginh

You shouldn't be having any ammonia by now if you started your tank on 9/22. You should see some high levels of nitrate and a small level of nitrites. What's your dosage with the baking soda? Here's a thread from a diff. site I found on google talking about baking soda and doses.
http://www.3reef.com/forums/water-ch...-ph-45018.html

DRock914

I added 1/4 of a teaspoon when I set up the tank. I have done one water change since then and didn't add anymore.

Amanda

I'm amazed your fish have survived this long - as I said before, a cycling tank needs frequent WC's. It may also help remove whatever is causing the bubbles.

eiginh

Hmm...What's your water parameters. For some reason you are getting a lot of oxygen in your tank or some sort of residue is lurking in there.

DRock914

pH = 7.0-7.2
Nitrate = 0
nitrite = 0
Ammonia = 4 (added ammo lock which kills the ammonia but doesn't change the test results)

About to do a water change. Do those results show that the tank has cycled besides the ammonia?

DRock914

Amanda I am taking your advice and doing a water change but I have a story for you. My dad has a 29 gallon tank that was abandoned for 3 years and got completely covered in algae. He put a little pleco in there and it cleared the whole tank up and didn't do a water change until 2 yrs after adding him. He is still alive and is about a 12" now.

Butterfly

Stress coat will sometimes cause surface bubbles. It doesn't evaporate when the water does. When continuing to add water with stress coat the stress coat builds up. It's not harmful to the fish but can be unsightly. The aloe in the stress coat is what does it.

We hear stories like the one about the Pleco once in awhile. Glad the Pleco survived many don't. Survive is the key word- surviving doesn't mean thrive. If that is a common pleco as I suspect in two years he should be approx 18 inches. Plecos being the poo makers they are I bet that tank was a mess
Carol

breese31

The fish may have survived, doesn't make it humane or right though...

eiginh

Plecos are also one of the hardiest fish. From the looks of your parameters your tank tank is uncycled.