Jelimafish
CCA Members
I currently have a 20 gallon long aquarium with a homemade divider splitting the tank into two sections. Each side has an Aquaclear/Fluval 30. The current water parameters (78 degrees, PH 8.2, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, Ammonia 0 or .25 I can't really tell, GH 180, and KH 240). On one side I have a male and female Brevis Shell Dweller and on the other I have 4 juvenile (.75") Similis Shell Dwellers. About a week and a half ago I tested my water and the Nitrites and Nitrates were extremely high. I bought some Prime and dosed the water and started doing daily water changes. My aquarium is only 2 and a half months old so I don't think the cycle was complete when I added fish and luckily I was testing the water daily and saw no signs of stress and all the fish lived. After 3 or 4 days everything balanced out and has stayed great however I had a Anubias that started to get Brown spots. I thought that it was just the hard water so I took it out and put it in my daughter's Betta tank and now it is fully green. When I moved the plant I also added some Texas holey rock and ordered crushed coral to help maintain the PH so I can stop using API Proper 8.2. A day later the walls of the aquarium had dark brown rusty spots. I cleaned the glass and did a water change. The day after that there was more. I removed as much from the aquarium as I could and cleaned it however the once white Texas Holey Rock is now Brown as well as some spots on the glass, the shells, and the heater - even the sand is collecting some. I really don't want to add chemicals but I also don't want to spend an hour a day cleaning and changing water. I am almost certain my Brevis are breeding so I do not want to add anything that would eat any fry or eggs. I am debating on getting a nerite snail for each side because a I am not sure how a bristlenose pleco would do with the water parameters and an extremely defensive brevis which despite being a little over 2" readily attacks my hand. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!