Filters - Please Help
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Now you have a bigger tank than you thought, you can have more fish
Sorry i got the measurements wrong lol. The size is 3ft x 1.5ft by 1ft.
I have done another water change and the nitrite is still 5. Is there anything else i can do to help bring it down. The fish are looking happier today which is strange as readings are the same. The only difference is i added 20mls of api stress coat. Is this stuff ok. What is a better dechlorinator sera aquatan or the api stress coat.
Last question, sorry guys. will adding RO water help bring the nitrite down. My local lfs sells is for £3 for 25 litres. If so how much will i need. I have tried looking for some help on fish in cycling but can only find fishless cycling. Can anyone point me in the right direction. I dont have long to sort this problem out as i go on holiday on friday
petertr
Fish Addict
Don't waste your money on any chemicals or RO water.
Daily 50% water changes are the minimum you need.
It seems your filter has started to cycle, as the ammonia is being converted to Nitrite - so keep up with it - but you need to get that nitrite to zero ASAP with water changes - make sure you dechlor the water.
Adding the 2nd filter will help.
Please read these two threads:
What is cycling: http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355
Fish-IN cycling (the version you are doing): http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306
Daily 50% water changes are the minimum you need.
It seems your filter has started to cycle, as the ammonia is being converted to Nitrite - so keep up with it - but you need to get that nitrite to zero ASAP with water changes - make sure you dechlor the water.
Adding the 2nd filter will help.
Please read these two threads:
What is cycling: http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=175355Fish-IN cycling (the version you are doing): http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=224306Chris w
New Member
cycle is a waste of money to be honest with you.
i would add either of these if you can get them my first choice will always be
SOL BACTONETTES
this product is amazing 1 dose is enough for 100 liters so buy as many as you need these are tiny little beeds of live bacteria.i have used this product and have never lost a fish i have stocked fish 24 hours after a start up.
i would not normally go down this route of cycling a tank as i prefir to cycle a tank properley but was intrigued to see if the manufacturers claims were correct and i have to say they were.
the other you can use is
jbl filter atart again a bacteria colony this you need to wait 7 days before adding fish.
however with both products as you all ready have a filter part way through the process all you are doing is boosting the bacteria in the filter which can only be of benefit.
i would add either of these if you can get them my first choice will always be
SOL BACTONETTES
this product is amazing 1 dose is enough for 100 liters so buy as many as you need these are tiny little beeds of live bacteria.i have used this product and have never lost a fish i have stocked fish 24 hours after a start up.
i would not normally go down this route of cycling a tank as i prefir to cycle a tank properley but was intrigued to see if the manufacturers claims were correct and i have to say they were.
the other you can use is
jbl filter atart again a bacteria colony this you need to wait 7 days before adding fish.
however with both products as you all ready have a filter part way through the process all you are doing is boosting the bacteria in the filter which can only be of benefit.
Look on the scientific side of things pal.. The good bacteria multiply, and more than double over 24 hours. But doing 50% water changes, is definately lowering tin chances, not only that, running two filters is making it twice as hard to multiply.
Also, with your old filter media, its not mature because of the situation your in, as when the sponge has dried up, all bacteria would have been killed off, and basically you are cycling your tank again. Try adding nutrafin cycle which is a biological supplement which quickly repairs filters, and rapidly matures tanks, filters, and media. Also try filter aid if nutri cycle is unavailable. Hope things go well mate =] Dean
Also, with your old filter media, its not mature because of the situation your in, as when the sponge has dried up, all bacteria would have been killed off, and basically you are cycling your tank again. Try adding nutrafin cycle which is a biological supplement which quickly repairs filters, and rapidly matures tanks, filters, and media. Also try filter aid if nutri cycle is unavailable. Hope things go well mate =] Dean
Don't waste your money on any chemicals or RO water.
Daily 50% water changes are the minimum you need.
It seems your filter has started to cycle, as the ammonia is being converted to Nitrite - so keep up with it - but you need to get that nitrite to zero ASAP with water changes - make sure you dechlor the water.
Adding the 2nd filter will help.
Please read these two threads:
What is cycling: [URL="http
Fish-IN cycling (the version you are doing): [URL="http
Thankyou so much for your help, the problem i have is that i go on holiday for 2 weeks on friday so am not going to be able to do water changes. Someone is coming in to feed them but wouldnt know how to do a water change. The nitrite is still the same, would it be worth seeing if someone on here would donate mature media or should the nitrite start dropping soon
Chris w
New Member
Don't waste your money on any chemicals or RO water.
Daily 50% water changes are the minimum you need.
It seems your filter has started to cycle, as the ammonia is being converted to Nitrite - so keep up with it - but you need to get that nitrite to zero ASAP with water changes - make sure you dechlor the water.
Adding the 2nd filter will help.
Please read these two threads:
What is cycling: <a href="http
Fish-IN cycling (the version you are doing): <a href="http
Thankyou so much for your help, the problem i have is that i go on holiday for 2 weeks on friday so am not going to be able to do water changes. Someone is coming in to feed them but wouldnt know how to do a water change. The nitrite is still the same, would it be worth seeing if someone on here would donate mature media or should the nitrite start dropping soon
i have given you the name of 2 perfectly good products that will help your situation should you choose to use them.
what i did not tell you was the fish i added after a 24 hour period were discus the worst possible fish you could choose
to experiment with.
they are still alive and this has been 2 years since stocking.
the bacteria will eventually sort itself out but adding more wont harm the tank.
the problem you have with adding maturelconlinised filter media is you have to be 100% sure of who is giving you this
as if they have disease in there tank the filter media is a sure fire way of introducing it to your own aquarium.
as for feeding when your on holiday show them how much to feed and only feed every other day.
the fish will be fine on this and they will produce less waste.
Hi, my lfs didnt have the two items suggested so they gave me a product that does a similar thing. I have also cut down to feeding every other day as previously i was feeding them every day. The lfs said i was killing them with kindness. Its hard to cut down there food though they look so hungry. Do i carry on feeding them every other day even after the tank is cycled or can i eventually go back to feeding them everyday. Would it be better to feed them frozen bloodworms or flakes whilst the tank is cycling - which one will produce more amonia. Following on from your advice i have done a 10% partial water change instead of 50%. Thanks again for your help
petertr
Fish Addict
Don't waste your money on any chemicals or RO water.
Daily 50% water changes are the minimum you need.
It seems your filter has started to cycle, as the ammonia is being converted to Nitrite - so keep up with it - but you need to get that nitrite to zero ASAP with water changes - make sure you dechlor the water.
Adding the 2nd filter will help.
Please read these two threads:
What is cycling: <a href="http
Fish-IN cycling (the version you are doing): <a href="http
Thankyou so much for your help, the problem i have is that i go on holiday for 2 weeks on friday so am not going to be able to do water changes. Someone is coming in to feed them but wouldnt know how to do a water change. The nitrite is still the same, would it be worth seeing if someone on here would donate mature media or should the nitrite start dropping soon
You're going to struggle if your away for 2 weeks and the levels of nitrite are still high.
Ignore the advise about not changing the water - follow the Fish-In cycle advise in the link I posted - this was written by someone who REALLY knows what they are talking about (i.e. not me, and not the other poster).
And defintately cut down on feeding. I suspect there is information on the Fish-In cycle page, but off the top of my head, you could easily feed once every OTHER day.
When you're on holiday, I would suggest no more than 1 small feed every 4 days. Most healthy fish can easily go 2 full weeks without food. Sadly, yours are unlikely to be healthy do to ammonia and nitrite poisoning.
Chris w
New Member
at no stage have i offered advice on not doing a 50% water change.
the reason why your nitrite levels are so high is probably down to the anount of food that is rotting on the tank bottom.
i would continue with the water changes and would definatly cut down on the amount of food you are feeding.
every other day will be fine.
you could possible change more than 50% providing that you tempreture match and add enough Tap safe water conditioner or similer product. i have changed as much as 80% in a given dayon some setups where people have over feed or over stocked there tanks too quickly after set up.
Oh ok, sorry i misread your post, i will carry on with the water changes, i am doing every other feeds now. I have decided that if the levels are still high on friday then i will move the fish into our other tank. They were getting picked on it there but it has to be better than being poisoned for two weeks while i am away.Thankyou all for your help
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