Automatic Feeder Malfunction/ammonia Problem

[monroegaine]

I went away last thursday to visit my girlfriend. Set the automatic fish feeder (Eheim) with flakes and came back on Sunday, July 1st. When I got home I noticed the feeder was malfunctioning and was spinning around and dropping flakes in non stop. Flakes were all over the bottom of the tank. I immediately did a water change trying to suck up as much of the flakes as I could. I then later, approximately 4 hours later, checked my water parameters. PH was normal, KH was 10, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 10 ppm, Salinity 1.023. However, my ammonia was between .2 and .4 ppm. I have never had an ammonia spike and am worried and need advice on how to correct this problem. Doesn't an ammonia spike eventually lead to Nitrite spike and then Nitrate spike. My clown fish is acting goofy, Blenny seems ok, but I have yet to see my orchid dottyback (fear he is already dead). Invertebrates (snail, shrimp and crabs are fine). Readers beware I am not an expert so please help me like im a school kid. Any help is greatly appreciated.

10 years FW, 3 years SW. 30 gallon FOWLR, 30 lbs live rock (fiji), 2 powerheads, aqua c remora HOT skimmer with rio 800 pump, aquaclear 300 hang on external filter, and a single bulb 50/50 actinic.

 

[Spooky76]

Hiya, it will give you a high Nitrite level soon, but I wouldnt worry about that yet, main thing is to get your ammonia down, it needs to be 0.

I would suggest you keep doing 25/30% water changes until your ammonia is 0. Then just monitor your stats and keep an eye on your nitrite level, which will mean you need to do water changes again.

I would do daily 30% changes until that level is 0, just keep checking your ammonia Nitrite and Nitrate levels.

Shame about the auto feeder, you would think Eheim would make a decent one, sounds like youve been very unlucky - sorry

 

[monroegaine]

I came home this morning from work and checked ammonia again and it was still around .2 to .4 I did another water change so maybe that will help. Tank cleared up. I noticed that all my fish are still alive whereas yesterday I couldnt find the dottyback. Am thinking now that the damage has been done and will lose my fish any time now. Stupid feeder-should have just not fed them (they would have lasted 4 days without food but feel guilty not feeding them). Is there any sort of chemical additive I can add to the tank to remove the ammonia besides just doing water changes to speed up the process? Thanks for the help so far any more is appreciated.

10 years FW, 4 years SW. 30 gallon FOWLR, 30 lbs live rock (fiji), 2 powerheads, aqua c remora HOT skimmer with rio 800 pump, aquaclear 300 hang on external filter, and a single bulb 50/50 actinic.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

just keep going with the biggest water changes it's possible to do. give the tank a very good gravel vac, if you have lots of LR i'd consider moving it all around and making sure you've vacced underneath and around it.

you may well see a nitrite and then nitrate spike, nothing you can do but sit them out and keep up water changes.

 

[rdd1952]

Most people seeing this will not have a lot of knowledge of SW tanks. I'm sure water chnges to lower the ammonia are what you need but I don't know what that does to your salinity. You may want to post in the SW section where people are more knowledgeable. I will say thatleaving fish for a week without food at all is fine. I have done it twice without any problems at all. Much beter than those auto feeders which from all I have heard, malfuction way more than they work properly.