Water Chemistry Gone Badly Wrong

[BigbruiserAl]

What filter are you using in the 23L tank?

No one seemed to have mentioned on these giant water changes of 80%+ you need to match the temp of the water before it going in more then likely the fish will die of shock.

 

[fishyyboy20]

thank guys is there anything i can buy to speed up the process or am i just gonna have to go in for the long run?

 

[Louiseness]

What filter are you using in the 23L tank?

No one seemed to have mentioned on these giant water changes of 80%+ you need to match the temp of the water before it going in more then likely the fish will die of shock.

Good point well made!

thank guys is there anything i can buy to speed up the process or am i just gonna have to go in for the long run?

The only real thing I can think of is if you know anyone else with an established fish tank you can see if they will give you some of their filter media. Pop that in your filter and it should really help things along.

 

[fishyyboy20]

its a 100 gallon per hour 3-stage filer using foam, biomax and carbon

and yeah i already know about gettin the water temp right to stop the fish from getting a shock

The only real thing I can think of is if you know anyone else with an established fish tank you can see if they will give you some of their filter media. Pop that in your filter and it should really help things along.

am not sure of any body that has one my uncle was the one who give me the tank after his fish died and he moved house he did not have any where to keep it and none of my friends keep fish

 

[Tizer]

Go get a 10 litre watering can from a local garden center.

Empty out 90% of the water in the tank using a hose, straight out the window (or however you can do it)

Make sure you turn off the filter and heater , dont really want them "running dry" (out of the water)

Fill up the watering can with both hot and cold water from the tap, but attempt to get it the same temp as the tank water (its not rocket science, just do your best) add dechlorinator.

Pour into the tank and repeat until full.

Your fish should then be in "safe water". But they are going to pollute it again within 24 hours. So at the same time tomorrow, carry out the same process. This time you might be able change just 50% of the water, do an ammonia and nitrite test to check the levels. Attempt to keep both under 0.25ppm.

You could be doing this for 4 weeks or more. Dont add anything else to the water. welcome to a fish in cycle.

Also, talk to your local fish shop, see if you can get come mature media for your filter, be it a sponge or ceramics.

Have a read of my fish in cycle linked in my sig, explains what you need to do a little if you dont mind some of my "waffle".

 

[fishyyboy20]

a will use my gravel cleaner and a bucket as the tank is in my bedroom

thanks for your help everybody

 

[XeroTolerance]

No problem glad that we could help!

 

[fishyyboy20]

right done everything that yous lot have told is to do i ran the filter for 10-15 mins befor doing the test again heres the results

 

[Tizer]

How much did you drain off? Ammonia looks good (close to zero) but nitrIte is still too high. You need to get it down more, another 75% water change needed.

You really gotta hit that light blue colour.

Dont worry about the PH and nitrAte tests for now, not really needed, with fish in cycle, since its going to be very closely matched to your tap water with the ammount of water changes you are going to be doing.

 

[fishyyboy20]

How much did you drain off? Ammonia looks good (close to zero) but nitrIte is still too high. You need to get it down more, another 75% water change needed.

You really gotta hit that light blue colour.

Dont worry about the PH and nitrAte tests for now, not really needed, with fish in cycle, since its going to be very closely matched to your tap water with the ammount of water changes you are going to be doing.

I emptied about 80-90% of the water

And the test results are a hell of a lot better than what they where earlyer hopefully it will get better in the weeks to come

which one is worse Nitrate or Nitrite a keep getting the two mixed up

 

[Jinty McGinty]

How much did you drain off? Ammonia looks good (close to zero) but nitrIte is still too high. You need to get it down more, another 75% water change needed.

You really gotta hit that light blue colour.

Dont worry about the PH and nitrAte tests for now, not really needed, with fish in cycle, since its going to be very closely matched to your tap water with the ammount of water changes you are going to be doing.

I emptied about 80-90% of the water

And the test results are a hell of a lot better than what they where earlyer hopefully it will get better in the weeks to come

Doesn't matter, you need to do it again for the sake of your fish. Then everyday thereafter until your Ammonia and Nitrite readings are stable at 0.

 

[Tizer]

#33###, im amazed the fish are still alive then if the readings were that high They could still die though, some of the damage ammonia and nitrite do cant be undone.

Get a second water change done and you are set

Nitrite is a killer, nitrate will rarely get high enough to do any damage, especially when the tank is cycled and you are doing a weekly water change instead of daily.

 

[coldcazzie]

And the test results are a hell of a lot better than what they where earlyer hopefully it will get better in the weeks to come

which one is worse Nitrate or Nitrite a keep getting the two mixed up

Youre right, they are much better, but they're not 0 yet and that's where they need to be, so do another large water change (as big as the last one) and then you should be good until tomorrow.

Nitrite (the blue/purple one) is bad, it acts like carbon monoxide to fish. Nitrate (the orange/red) is ok.

 

[fishyyboy20]

#33###, im amazed the fish are still alive then if the readings were that high They could still die though, some of the damage ammonia and nitrite do cant be undone.

Get a second water change done and you are set

Nitrite is a killer, nitrate will rarely get high enough to do any damage, especially when the tank is cycled and you are doing a weekly water change instead of daily.

yeah i understand that i really hope they dont die lovely little fish aswell

a will have to do another water change later today because i have to nip out will this cause a problem making it wait a few hours or will i have time to get it done later?

 

[coldcazzie]

Now would be better, but if it has to be later then fair enough - just make sure it is later, and not tomorrow!