New fish owner, am i doing it right, water a little off

Hello, I recently decided to get a 10 gallon glofish aquarium for my kitchen for the looks. Totally addicted and see why people love fish keeping, they are like dogs and you want the best for you fish. The tank has been running now for 12 days, and like most new fish owners didn't do a proper cycle first (after hours of research I understand the nitrogen cycle perfectly). Now I am just trying to take care of my fish to make sure they survive while the nitrogen cycle is complete.

Products: I have 10 Gallon, 5 Glofish Tetras, Tetra Whisper PF10 filter, 18 inch air stone in background.

Water Type: Well Water in California and registers 8.2 PH, Carbonate Hardness 240 ppm, General Hardness 180 ppm. (Shocked at my high ph and water hardness)

API Master Tank Tests: Started tank on 1/14.

1/22 Test Results: PH 8.2, Ammonia 0.5 ppm, Nitrite 0.0 ppm, Nitrate 5.0 ppm.

1/26 Test Results: PH 8.2, Ammonia 0.5 ppm-0.75 ppm, Nitrite 0.0 ppm, Nitrate 5.0 ppm.

Water Changes: I did a 30 % water change on 1/22, 30 % on 1/24, 30% 1/26.

Fish Behavior: The tetras really don't swim much, they all hide in different corners and don't swim much. No schooling at all, always hiding near glass.

Questions and thoughts: I wish there were more professional reviews of filters out there, however I have seen several reviews of my fish tank kit that the Tetra Whisper PF10 is a weak filter and should be upgraded. In fact on day 1 one of my tetras got stuck on the intake tube and I think it broke its back because it no longer moved but was still alive. The current on the top is also very strong, I put some gravel in the intake tube to lower the flow rate because it was so strong. I am now gonna get the Aquaclear 20 power filter because I read so many good reviews for it. To help with the high PH and water hardness I have a large piece of MopanI Drift wood that has been boiled and soaking for past day to get some of the tannins out, to help possibly with the ph and hardness. I also have peat arriving from amazon to additionally add to a filter to help lower ph and hardness a little. I read that Tetras are resilient, but I think it would be helpful to possibley get the ph at least down to 7.8 naturally. I also have two Anubis plants in the gravel. With the aquaclear I see they sell special medias that have both carbon and ammonia reduction stuff so was gonna get that too to help keep the ammonia spikes to a minimum while the tank cycles.

Hopes: I am hoping to somehow get these fish to stop hiding all day by themselves, thinking its the powerful filter flow and maybe water parimeters causing that. Any advise and tips are appreaciated. Gonna wait about 6 months and move up to a 20 gallon, love this hobby now.

 

Also when I get home with the aquaclear filter, I will be placing the tetra whisper mesh filter and carbon filter inside the aquaclear for a good week or two to help maintain the bb.

 

Seems like another has caught the fish bug...

That's great you did research and learned about the nitrogen cycle as many do not and its a vital process.

You won't be disappointed with aquaclear. I have at least 1 on all my tanks and they run quietly and smoothly without issue.

As far as fish hiding the best thing I can suggest is more hiding places. Easy live plants are great and fish love them.

Plants like Anubias, Java moss, Java Fern, and water Sprite are all very easy plants and should grow under even basic lighting.

 

I would advise you too not be to troubled by your water parameters. Your water is really not very hard, medium, perhaps, and is likely softer than the water that they were in at your LFS-pls check that, they are perhaps not on well water, and might have been quite harder water than you have, given the drought and all.
BTW, why would you think a filter too weak if it is Hoovering up fish? A bit of foam over the intake might help.
If the only issue is shyness, I would provide more hides, such as floating plants which tetras seem to like.
But do get the water values at the place were you bought them, and compare them to your well water. all the best of luck to you, rick

 

Congrats and welcome to the club! I would not mess with the PH too much for now. In most cases unless done perfectly it ends up worse. If you do decide to change the PH it has to be done very slowly. As for your water, I would be doing daily 50% water changes to help with the Ammonia. You will see a spike in trites next, also very toxic to fish. Good Luck and keep us posted!

 

Thanks for all the comments. I now have the AquaClear 20 up and running. I took out some of the stupid glofish plastic stuff and now added a nice large piece of MopagI drift wood, x2 Anubis live plants, x1 Amazon Sword plant, using Biomax now for BB instead of the Tetra Whisper small foam pad, and Have half a teaspoon of Fubal Peat to very very slowly keep calcium deposits down.

I will wait and see if I see any difference in there behaviors. I really want to purchase a larger tank now but my wife will kill me with all the money I am spending so I better wait 2-3 months. My tank is on my kitchen counter and its really the only place for them. I know I can fit a 15 gallon tank there, not sure about a 20 gallon. I know tetras prefer schools of 5+ and 20 gallon tank so I want to do as much as I can to give them that.