Ammonia Skyrocket In 1 Tank, Nitrates Plummet In Other...

[Inchyally]

I cycled my 55 and I moved some fish in. I had no ammonia/nitrite for a week with 3 Zebra Danios, and none with the Serpae Tetras and Bleeding Hearts. I did something stupid, I moved my 4 Bleeding Hearts in 2 days ago (0 ammonia) and my Severum looked stressed from boredom in the 20 (being the only mid-level swimmer) so I decided it was safe to move him in. I tested ammonia today, and it was .5! I took some gravel and a decoration from my established tank and moved it into the newer tank in hopes that that may lower the ammonia over a few hours. I also have Stress-Zyme, I will use.

In the other tank, which just has a few Cories and a Pleco, the Nitrates dropped from 20 to below 5. Will my fish be okay?

 

[divegirl]

Have you done a water change? If not do one now!!!! And a pretty big one at that!

Lisa x

 

[Inchyally]

Have you done a water change? If not do one now!!!! And a pretty big one at that!

Lisa x

I have only done a small water change so far (10%) my dad won't let me do bigger, he says that will rid of too much bacteria. :\ I will add more water to replace it once the temperature is equal to my tank.

 

[divegirl]

There is very little 'good' bacteria in your water....it's all in the filter media. I would do a 50% water change....just make sure you use de-chlor in the water and try to keep the temperature the same as what is in your tank [so as not to shock your fish]. Your water is poisoning the fish if it is reading 5ppm.

Lisa x

 

[Inchyally]

There is very little 'good' bacteria in your water....it's all in the filter media. I would do a 50% water change....just make sure you use de-chlor in the water and try to keep the temperature the same as what is in your tank [so as not to shock your fish]. Your water is poisoning the fish if it is reading 5ppm.

Lisa x

I meant .5ppm.... still not good. No Nitrites, just tested that. My water has no chlorine in it, thankfully. Just poured the water in, fish seem to be okay.

Do you know anything about the other tank, will the few fish I have in my 20gal be okay from a sudden drop in nitrate? (they are like.... 3 right now)

 

[divegirl]

I wouldn't worry too much about the nitrates for now....water changes will wipe out your nitrates, as will lots of plants, it will soon come back!

Your problem really is the ammonia, even trace ammonia will poison your fish......so just concentrate on lowering that. Big water changes are the only way!!!!!

Lisa x

 

[Inchyally]

I wouldn't worry too much about the nitrates for now....water changes will wipe out your nitrates, as will lots of plants, it will soon come back!

Your problem really is the ammonia, even trace ammonia will poison your fish......so just concentrate on lowering that. Big water changes are the only way!!!!!

Lisa x

Thank you, though I said nitrites. I did another ammonia test after moving a LOT of gravel, a fake plant ( but I'll remove it after a few days because it's ugly) and adding Stress Zyme. Oddly enough, the ammonia is 0. I don't know what is going on.

EDIT: Oh, you were talking about the nitrates I mentioned in the other tank.... sorry.

 

[divegirl]

Opps....my bad....I thought you said nitrates

Well, it's good that your ammonia has dropped....keep an eye on it incase it spikes again, it could be that you're going through a mini-cycle because of adding the new fish. Just be ready to water change if it goes up again.

Good luck

Lisa x

 

[Inchyally]

Opps....my bad....I thought you said nitrates

Well, it's good that your ammonia has dropped....keep an eye on it incase it spikes again, it could be that you're going through a mini-cycle because of adding the new fish. Just be ready to water change if it goes up again.

Good luck

Lisa x

Thank you so much. I'll be monitoring the ammonia every half hour while I'm at home. I have a lot of mature media from my little tank in case of a spike, and I could probably do another water change if needer.

 

[Inchyally]

I'll just add an update.

Tested the ammonia a few more times, a steady 0. Guess this worked!

 

[jmkgreen]

I have only done a small water change so far (10%) my dad won't let me do bigger, he says that will rid of too much bacteria. :\ I will add more water to replace it once the temperature is equal to my tank.

Heh, in which book did he read that one? Seriously divegirl's right - hardly any 'good' bacteria there it it's mostly in the filter and a little bit in the gravel.

If you've got the ammonia under control have you checked the nitrites? Don't want to fix one thing only to ignore the next...

 

[Inchyally]

I have only done a small water change so far (10%) my dad won't let me do bigger, he says that will rid of too much bacteria. :\ I will add more water to replace it once the temperature is equal to my tank.

Heh, in which book did he read that one? Seriously divegirl's right - hardly any 'good' bacteria there it it's mostly in the filter and a little bit in the gravel.

If you've got the ammonia under control have you checked the nitrites? Don't want to fix one thing only to ignore the next...

Okay, I'll do a nitrite test...
0ppm