# How do I get oxygen in my tank?



## Jordankayla93 (Nov 7, 2014)

I have a 60 gallon African cichlid tank. Previously o was using two 40 gallon hang on filters and two power heads. 3 days ago I bought a 125 gallon canister filter with a UV sterilizer in it. This is the first time I've used a canister filter. I took of the two hang on filters and the two power heads. Today I noticed the fish like gasping for air at the top and breathing heavy so I put one of the power heads back in the tank. Is there any way to not have to have the power heads while still providing enough oxygen?


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

The fish gasping at the surface, may not be low oxygen. How many fishes do you have in the tank? How big?

I would do a WC right away, maybe something got into the water.


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## Jordankayla93 (Nov 7, 2014)

How could it not be oxygen? I have a uv sterilizer. My tank has never been clearer. This all started when I took out the power heads and stopped when I put them in. Common sense says its the oxygen. I have 10 African Cichlids ranging from 3 inches to about 4.5. 2 syndodontis catfish, 2 pictus catfish, and 2 Chinese algea eaters.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

A little testy are we now. Was just trying to help and cover all bases.


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## Jordankayla93 (Nov 7, 2014)

Sorry, its just that every time I ask a question on here I get answers to what I didn't ask. But, yeah, sorry about that.


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

It could be that the water conditions are not the best. But with the powerbeads creating much more water movement and the bubbles helping gases escape the fish are not affected by any problems with poor water and or poor filter. Also you should not have removed the 2 hang on filters for another 2 to 4 weeks to give the canister a chance to see beneficial bacteria which will keep your nitrates and ammonia in check. So they are probably choking with out the powerbeads. You need to put them back on. The HOB and the powerbeads.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

I use Eheim air diffusers which attach to the outflow of your canisters. It is a cheap solution for $7.

http://www.amazon.com/Eheim-Diffusor-0- ... m+diffuser


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

It is not clear in you post if you put seeded media in the new filter, or if you ran it in parallel with the exiting HOB in order to build up a colony of bacteria.

Many times in keeping fish, the symptoms don't have a clear root cause, and jumping to conclusions tends to waste time, kill fish, and spend money needlessly.

There are a lot of variables in a tank, especially around water chemistry and conditions, making wholesale changes based on false conclusions makes it really tough to get a tank back in balance.

It is generally pretty easy to aim a canister filter's outlet so that the surface is agitated.

There is not NEED for a powerhead in most tanks, but sometimes they can be beneficial to supplement water movement.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

I agree, most tanks do not need a PH. Your tank does not seem over-populated that you would need one. Is there s surface film? This can slow/stop oxygen exchange. Warmer water also holds less oxygen, what is the temp? A UV unit does not use oxygen, unless it is killing LOTS of algae spores and causing a drop in O2. You said you changed over to a canister? Which one?


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## Jordankayla93 (Nov 7, 2014)

The temp was 82 but a few weeks ago I realized that was too high so I lowered it to 78. After that they weren't moving around much I realize now was the oxygen but at the time I thought it was the lower temperature so I raised it back up to 80, which is where it is now. Aquatop cf-400 uv is the filter. I put media in from my old filter into the new one temporarily to have that bacteria. There's no survive film. Now I did have green tinted water which is why I upgraded my filter so many it was the killing of the algea? It wasnt a very dark green, just enough that I could tell. I'll try those air diffusers, thank you.


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## Jordankayla93 (Nov 7, 2014)

And I also don't have any plants if that makes a difference.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

PM me if you have any trouble setting up the air diffusor. The instructions are non-existent but it is pretty easy. Just make sure that the end of the hose is out of the water so that it can suck in air. Some people mistakenly think that you hook up an air pump to it.


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

Seem like you are getting an understanding of what you need o do to straighten things out. Glad you did not lose any fish.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

FWIW I have also had fish gasping at the surface due to nitrite in the water...it was my first clue.


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