Fish Problem

[jmorty]

hey, i have recently bought some new fish but 3 of them have died which was 2 rummy nose- the rummy nose were breathing fast and a ram which had pop eye, my local fish shop tested my water and my nitrate is red, i have been doing daily water changes but i think my tank filter is blocked, should i clean the filter or will it mess with my nitrate

 

[jmorty]

?

 

[Colin_T]

how long has the tank been running for and how long have the fish been in the tank?
In a new tank (less than 2 months old) I would leave the filter alone and only clean it when things settle down.
To lower the nitrite do gravel cleans & 50% water changes each day until the problem clears up.
Cut back on feeding to once every couple of days.

 

[jmorty]

how long has the tank been running for and how long have the fish been in the tank?
In a new tank (less than 2 months old) I would leave the filter alone and only clean it when things settle down.
To lower the nitrite do gravel cleans & 50% water changes each day until the problem clears up.
Cut back on feeding to once every couple of days.

but the pump isnt cleaning the tank does red nitrate mean the nitrate is too high or low or what

 

[Colin_T]

liquid nitrite and nitrate test kits usually show yellow when the levels are low and go red as they increase. Dark red normally means it is very high and you should do some water changes to make it lower.
if you are getting a nitrate reading then the filter is working because nitrate is the end result of the filtration cycle.

 

[jmorty]

liquid nitrite and nitrate test kits usually show yellow when the levels are low and go red as they increase. Dark red normally means it is very high and you should do some water changes to make it lower.
if you are getting a nitrate reading then the filter is working because nitrate is the end result of the filtration cycle.

my filter is not pumping much water out, and nitrate colour is red does that mean the nitrate is high, so that means there is a bit of muck in the fish tank

 

[Colin_T]

Nitrates build up over time and are caused by fish food and waste breaking down in the water and getting eaten and converted by the filter bacteria. It occurs in every tank and is normal. The easiest way to reduce nitrates is with regular partial water changes.

If the filter is only running slowly compared to normal, then clean it. If it is a power filter then make sure you wash the filter materials in a bucket of tank water.
The filter case and motor can be washed under tap water.

 

[drobbyb]

Nitrate is the end byproduct of the nitrogen cycle. We add nitrogen to the tank in the form of fish food. Less feeding = lower nitrate production. More waterchanges = less nitrate in the tank. Waterchanges are the best means in which to remove nitrate.

If your filter's flow is low, take the media out of the filter and rinse it in tank water (patrially fill up the bucket with water from the tank and rinse that gunk out of there.) Once rinsed put all the media back into the filter and do a waterchange like normal.

Waterchanges are important!

Edit: Colin beat me to the posting button I see!

 

[minxfishy]

More info on this poster problems, might shed some light: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=274939&hl=

and: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=275061&hl=

 

[jmorty]

More info on this poster problems, might shed some light: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=274939&hl="]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=274939&hl=[/URL]

and: [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=275061&hl="]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=275061&hl=[/URL]

wow, i no my fish tank is overstocked but im getting a new and bigger tank, so stop being pathetic lol

 

[Colin_T]

Edit: Colin beat me to the posting button I see!

lol, yeah but only by a minute

for jmorty, just do partial water changes and gravel cleans each day. The water will clear up eventually. If it doesn't then you will have to reduce the number of fish in the tank.

 

[jmorty]

Edit: Colin beat me to the posting button I see!

lol, yeah but only by a minute

for jmorty, just do partial water changes and gravel cleans each day. The water will clear up eventually. If it doesn't then you will have to reduce the number of fish in the tank.

i have sand i n my fish tank, just cleaned my fish tank filter and is cleaning water now, i have been taking two jugs of water out of the tank replacing with tap water

 

[Colin_T]

make sure you add a dechlorinator to the tap water before you pour it in the tank.

 

[jmorty]

make sure you add a dechlorinator to the tap water before you pour it in the tank.

i have already put the water in the tank, whats dechlorinator does it get rid of chlorine

 

[Truck]

make sure you add a dechlorinator to the tap water before you pour it in the tank.

i have already put the water in the tank, whats dechlorinator does it get rid of chlorine

yes it gets rid of chlorine, add it now!!! do a double dose it wont, hurt, do it as quickly as possible or the fish will be poisoned by the chlorine