[cwilson]

hey all,

I am getting back into planted tanks and am having quite a rough ride.

I have a few crypts, a sword and java fern in a 20H. I am using flourish excel, iron and potassium. the filter is a Fluval 404.

after 4 or 5 days, my fish are all gasping for air at the surface. plugging in a spare air pump cures the issue, but I have never had a need for an added air pump....

there is little surface agitation because of the output for the Fluval, which is still relatively new. It replaced a Rena XP that finally took a dump; the XP had a spray-bar across the back of the tank. is this something I should be using in the new setup?



any advice/ideas/help/suggestions are appreciated. thanks!

 

[OverStocked]

What is the temp?

Is this a new tank, uncycled?

 

[cwilson]

the temp is most likely near 80.... I can verify later when I am home

the tank is relatively new, but at least two months old. I did some major replanting/substrate disturbing, which kicked up a bunch of dirt/scum. some quick google research told me that high waste levels could factor in low oxygen... after the replanting I cleaned out the filter and replaced the carbon with new

 

[Kathyy]

How about pointing the nozzle up a bit so there is a ripple on the water's surface? That is the whole purpose of an airstone, the bubbles create a ripple.