howematt

Please help. I have had goldfish most of my life with little to no problems. Boy was I lucky….  7 years ago I moved out to the middle of Wisconsin farm country.  I had a few near tragedies over first few years.  Then out of nowhere in 2016 my largest comet’s veins in his tail turn bright red and he curls up.  I tried many water changes, staying up late at night etc.  I eventually put him out of his misery much to my own misery.  I brought water from the tank to be tested at the pet shop when I first noticed the sickness.  They said it was high nitrates.  I eventually tested my water from the tap and the aquarium specimen side by side.  I was unable to discern one from the other!  My tap water has high nitrates. After I lost that goldfish I sent a water sample from the faucet into the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Here are the results of that test: This is the most recent data I have for the quality of my tap water. I reached out via the contact link on this page. Here is a rundown of my operation.  I have lost my way and need some help.  Starting with the basics. I have 1 sarassa comet (approx. 16”) 1 Common goldfish (approx. 12”) along with a black moor I also have a brushy nose Plecostomus and a regular one too. 5 fish total.  This is them on any given day https://youtu.be/Y9nssIWrJ-E All these guys live in an 210 gallon All Glass brand aquarium with dual over flows. I have approximately 2-3 inches of small rock substrate (similar size to coarse rock salt) a few decorative rocks, an old stump, and a single strand of a broad leafy plant (alive) but unknown type at the time of this writing.  I have used salt in the past (as directed on the API brand container) but got away from its use, and am now back using it. I have 2 Fluval FX5 canister filters doing my hard work. In each of those canisters has all of the original foam filters.  Each of the 3 baskets in each filter has a decent sized mesh bag of Seachem Matrix bio media stones.  Due to the high nitrates in the water I have used a total of 4 pouches of Seachem Purigen (2 in each filter).  I rely on the agitation across the surface from the pump output for oxygenation.  That is it for filtration. I have a LED light bar that I set on a timer for evening light for a handful of hours. The tank is in the basement and stay nice and warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I maintain great natural temperature year round. Cleaning- I have got behind before in this department. The tank has never appeared green, cloudy, or gross at all.  Please do not judge….but when our 3rd child was born I went [...]