Help Needed Please

[rabbut]

right when we tested the water the leves are as shown

PH = 6.4

Carbonate = 3

General hardness = 16

Nitrite = 10

Nitrate = 100

Any ideason what these readings should be and how to recitfy them would be helpful

thanks

Ohhh dear!!

Not good news I am afraid . pH is fine for your fish, as is hardness. Ammonia and nitrIte are harmful long-tearm to fish in any measurable concerntration (I consider more then 2 weeks long-tearm), and is toxic short-tearm above 0.25ppm, I would say nitrite contributed to the death of your neon. Next problem, NitrAte. Above 50ppm, long-tearm, nitrate will caures problems. It is fatal short-tearm above 100ppm. You need large waterchanges to get these readings back in check. You need 6+ 50% changes within an hour of each other to start, or two75% changes and a 50%. After that, you need to test your water twice dayly, to see where these leavles are. Any time you see leavles above 0.25 (ammonia or nitrite) or say 25 (nitrate), waterchange, untill ammonia and nitrite are constantly 0.
Are you using liquid drop tests, or test strips? I ask as the test strips have a reputation for beeing inaccurate. Liquid drops are almost always accurate. I will agree with past coments that heavy stocking is likley to be adding to the problem, as is the lack a numbers for sholing fish. Please do not add any more fish however, as your tank is currently struggeling to meet the demands of it's current occupants.
HTH
rabbut

 

[Maxta]

Her pH is okay, but the pH of the tap water in our area is 7.4/7.6 which may cause stress to the fish when doing water changes.

DO A WATER CHANGE IMMEDIATELY OR MORE FISH WILL DIE.

Nitrite should be 0 at all times, it is bad if fish are exposed to the slightest bit of nitrite, never mind 10, eeek.

Nitrate is a little too high.

Definately do a water change and get that new tank set up asap. With your current condition, id say stuff cycling the bigger tank and get in touch with Smurfy and see if he will donate you some filter media - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showuser=18103 - Or go to the local fish stores and ask if theyd kindly give you some filter media to put in your filter, otherwise you could very well end up with more dead fish.

Also as the previous reply states, are you using the API liquid kit, or the test strips? Alot of people will tell you that theyre not reliable, and will recommend you to use the API master kit.

 

[AJGray]

used the test strips the big tank is almost there actually which i found strange although the plants that are in have stuff out of the other tank on so maybe that has helped???

changed the water last night and goin to do it again tonight when blaine gets in

im scared to incase i do something wrong

 

[Maxta]

Takes a while, months before bacteria attachs to other things such as plants or rocks in the aquarium i believe.

Deffo get some media filter though

 

[-germ-]

TBH even if the big tank isn't cycled your fish would be much better off in a large cycling tank than a small cycling tank....
Greater water volume = Lower concentration of ammonia/nitrite.

You could do with testing your tap water, to measure the nitrate.

You should be performing at least 75% worth of water changes daily, if not more.
I'd be doing Loads in your situation, probably about 3 x 50%ers daily.

Imo purchasing some SeaChem Prime would be advisable.

Any luck on the mature media front? Have you tried contacting anyone?

 

[AJGray]

if i could do 3 a day i would but i work as does my lad nd its late when he gets in

it come down a little over night im gona take some more out now im just scared to because blaine has being doing it