Ammonia, Cloudy Water, And Now Nitrites: Help Needed

[Scrappaman]

Hi all,

About 5 weeks ago I purchased a new fish; a ranchu lionhead crossbreed. The fish was of weak stock and developed ulcers soon after arrival in my aquarium (where water parameters were optimal), which soon lead on to finrot. I treated the fish with melafix as this was all I had available to me at the time. Regrettably I lost the fish.
The melafix treatment required that I do no water changes for 7 days. Having lost the fish after a full 7 day treatment of melafix, I made a 40% water change. All water parameters were fine with the exception of ammonia, which my test kit (API Mini Master Test Kit) indicated was at a level of 0.25ppm. I carried out 20% water changes every two days in the hope of eradicating the ammonia problem before it could get any worse, whilst supplementing this with Ammo-Lock in an attempt to stop the other fish in the tank, a small (1.5") Blackmoor from coming to harm.

However, over the past 3 weeks I have seen the ammonia levels rising and rising with water changes having no apparent effect. The readings and progress are below.

Week 1: 0.25-0.50ppm
Week 2: 0.50-1.0ppm
Week 3: 4.0-8.0ppm

In the 3rd week the water has become progressively cloudy, with visibility now being at such a low level that it is impossible to see the fish except when she comes right up to the front of the tank. I have tried to treat this with API Accu-Clear. The first dose made no effect, and thus I tried the recommended second dose 24 hours later. This has been of no use either.

Aquarium stats:
Tank Size: 112 Litres
Filtration: Fluval 305 External filter (In which is 3 x 'BioMax', 2 x Carbon, 2 x 'Clearmax' (Nitrite/Nitrate Removal))
Additives: Each water change is complimented by API Aquarium salt, API Stress-Coat, API Stress-Zyme in appropriate measures.
Substrate: Medium size natural colored gravel.
Fish: One 1.5 Inch Blackmoor

Current Water Parameters:
Ammonia: 4.0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
pH: 8.2
Nitrite: 0.25 (Occurred only today)

I'm going to try and get hold of the Fluval Ammonia Remover filter media tomorrow in the hope that this will make a difference.
If anyone could shed any light on where I am going wrong (doing 20% water changes every 48 hours, reducing feeding to once every 3 days) I would be hugely appreciative as I am getting quite worried now.
I'm sorry if I've missed any important info out, there's so much to write.

Worried,

Matt

 

[bubblesburst80]

i wish i could add some insight to your problem, just wishing you luck in sorting it out.
Someone will drop by soon enough who can help tho

xXx

 

[Ilya]

If you don't have any fish left, try doing a 90-100% water change. Or clean your gravel (please tell me your vacuum your gravel). I don't know why your ammonia would be so high, if all else fails, there are ammonia eliminating products out there. The only loss would be your filter media.

 

[rdd1952]

It sounds as if you lost your bacteria colony for some reason and the tank has started to cycle again. I would continue water changes and step up the amount and quantity, doing as many as 3 or 4 a day starting with a 50 to 75 percent change until you get the ammonia back under .25ppm. I would definitely not put in any type ammonia removal media and would also remove the nitrite/nitrate removal media. If you remove ammonia by means of a media that absorbs it, your tank will never cycle and when the media is fully saturated, suddenly the ammonia will begin to rise again.

Also, keep in mind that if you use the Ammo-Lock that prescribed dose will neutralize up to 3ppm of ammonia and change it to ammonium. If you have more than 3 ppm you have to double (6ppm) or triple (9ppm) dose. And it only works on what it present at that time. Any ammonia that is produced after you add it will still be toxic. That is per API in an email they sent answering a few questions I had asked them.

Edit: I would also replace the carbon with some other type media. Depending on how long it's been since you changed it, that could possibly be part of the problem. The carbon could have been absorbing the ammonia before and is no saturated thus the ammonia starting to rise. Also, if the carbon was in while you were using Melafix, the treatment wouldn't have done any good as the carbon would have taken it ight back out of the water.

 

[Darren_co]

Hi,

One of my friends had a problem more or less the same as this about 6 months ago. He stopped using the Amolock (which gives incorrect readings with your test kit).

He had a total of 10 fish in his tank at the time.

He checked his filter and found it was clogged and then cleaned it with water from the tank.

He then did a 50% water change each day for a few days and then on the 4th day he did a 75% water change.

Nothing else was added to the tank and the carbon filter was replaced with a polyester filter.

He also reduced feeding to once a day.

After about a week his tank was once again fine, it did do a mini cycle, now it it fine again and has a lot more fish.

Not sure if this would work for you but it did for him.

Good luck.

Darren

 

[-germ-]

I'm going to try and get hold of the Fluval Ammonia Remover filter media tomorrow in the hope that this will make a difference.
If anyone could shed any light on where I am going wrong (doing 20% water changes every 48 hours, reducing feeding to once every 3 days) I would be hugely appreciative as I am getting quite worried now.
I'm sorry if I've missed any important info out, there's so much to write.

Theres been problems or worries relating to use of Fluval ammonia remover i've heard of, try Seachem either Prime (probably your best bet) to detoxify, or with the cloudy water add a Seachem purigen pad to your filter.
DO NOT use purigen if you have used any amine based products, please do double check on SeaChems site on the Purigen FAQ, i have a feeling ammo lock maycontain it, the use of amine based products shouldn't have a bearing on the use of Prime.
Amine based products+Purigen=Serious troubles for your fish and/or death.
Adding either of the filter pads may cause problems as they will allow your filter bacteria to pretty much die off, you won't get this with prime.
Obviously keep up the water changes and let us know here what you have decided to use.

Good luck