Help Please

[vicstar078]

My tank must have just been very high ammonia, it was darker than the 8.0 on the chart.

It has gone down but its still at about 4.

I am hoping today I will get it down.

How long should it take to get down to 0 ammonia?

 

[vicstar078]

Done another 60ish% water change results:

ammonia: approx 0.50 - 1.0 ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm

Nitrate - 0ppm

Is this good, I know ammonia should be lower but will do another water change tmorrow.

What do you think?

Also my clown seems like he is getting better, with some help from the other clown

Thanks

Vicky

 

[mattlee]

wait an hour after doing the water change and do another even at that level its harming the fish. get it to 0 and retest in 12 hours or so if poss as it may need another.

 

[vicstar078]

One of my angelfish is now swimming erratically??

 

[BethK]

One of my angelfish is now swimming erratically??

Right, I think it's time you list everything you have in your tank, substrate, ornaments, plants, lets see if anything is effecting the water.

Is there a way you can remove your current fish to another place until something is sorted?

 

[mattlee]

i think with 2 x feeding a day and water changes every 2 weeks in a new set up that sounds like it wasnt cycled is the problem here....

all you can do is keep changing the water until the bacteria in the filter can cope with the bioload. also having clown loaches and angelfish in a 60L tank isnt a good thing.....

 

[vicstar078]

i think with 2 x feeding a day and water changes every 2 weeks in a new set up that sounds like it wasnt cycled is the problem here....

all you can do is keep changing the water until the bacteria in the filter can cope with the bioload. also having clown loaches and angelfish in a 60L tank isnt a good thing.....

They are only small and I am getting a bigger tank soon I have started looking at them already. They get along together fine as well no problem.

Fish are all still ok, I am going to do another water change tomorrow and hopefully it will be 0 ammonia.

Once it is 0 everything is it cycled or because I am doing this water changes is it back to the start again!?

Do I need to continue doing daily water changes or cut it down to once a week?

I know it was overfeeding I was giving them loads. I gave them a whole pack of blood worms or brine shrimp everyday as well as the dropping food and the wafer food I have learnt now.

Vicky

 

[Ashley1991]

if you manage to get ammonia to 0 and if you are cycling then you need to test the water everyday and when you see ammonia (.25 or above) in the water do a water change but not a huuuge one like 60% just a smallish one

for example im doing a fish in cycle and nearly at the end and when it gets to .25 ammonia i only change a bucket full (16 litres ish) but my tank is 190 litres so im guessing you would change less let people double check my post before you listen to me im not the most knowledgable person (and crap at spelling as you can see )

Ash

 

[vicstar078]

if you manage to get ammonia to 0 and if you are cycling then you need to test the water everyday and when you see ammonia (.25 or above) in the water do a water change but not a huuuge one like 60% just a smallish one

for example im doing a fish in cycle and nearly at the end and when it gets to .25 ammonia i only change a bucket full (16 litres ish) but my tank is 190 litres so im guessing you would change less let people double check my post before you listen to me im not the most knowledgable person (and crap at spelling as you can see )

Ash

haha,ok cool thanks for your post. I am going to leave it tonight as I don't want to stress them and do one tomorrow. Just hope they will be ok I have become attached to all of them lol

 

[mattlee]

if you still have ammonia recordings then you really need to do a water change now. these fish have been subject to ammonia poisoning for too long and it will be harming them........

just because you get o readings for ammonia doesnt mean the tanks cycled. have you checked for nitrites? if you get ammonia and nitrite 0's constantly then the tank is cycled. nitrate is the end product of the cycle so check for that too although tap water sometimes contains nitrate so check to see what you have....

 

[vicstar078]

if you still have ammonia recordings then you really need to do a water change now. these fish have been subject to ammonia poisoning for too long and it will be harming them........

just because you get o readings for ammonia doesnt mean the tanks cycled. have you checked for nitrites? if you get ammonia and nitrite 0's constantly then the tank is cycled. nitrate is the end product of the cycle so check for that too although tap water sometimes contains nitrate so check to see what you have....

My ammonia is on about 2.0 and my nitrite and nitrate is 0 what does this mean then?

 

[Jenste]

you are not cycled - - when your ammonia AND nitrite stay 0 after more than 12 hours since your last water change for i think a week straight....THEN you are cycled.

not need to keep up on water changes. A pain in the behind for you, but life saving for the fish.

A lot of us have been in your situation - - jumped in before researching, and taking poor advice from the fish store - - now you just have to take the time to make sure all mistakes are fixed. Because in the end, you won't end up paying for it...the fish will.

 

[vicstar078]

you are not cycled - - when your ammonia AND nitrite stay 0 after more than 12 hours since your last water change for i think a week straight....THEN you are cycled.

not need to keep up on water changes. A pain in the behind for you, but life saving for the fish.

A lot of us have been in your situation - - jumped in before researching, and taking poor advice from the fish store - - now you just have to take the time to make sure all mistakes are fixed. Because in the end, you won't end up paying for it...the fish will.

Shall I do one now, I have already done a 60% tonight, I know I need to get the ammonia down but will changing water twice in one night kill them?

 

[Jenste]

no - - fresh clean water will not kill your fish. water with even traces of ammonia can make them sick

do as much as you can , then wait a bit and test your water again. if you see ammonia, test some more....then repeat!

 

[vicstar078]

I am getting my water ready now. You know they say you can't put fish into fresh water, wouldn't that be what I am doing?

By changing the water lots isn't this putting me back to the same position as I started when I first got the tank and I was told not to put fish in there for 2 - 3 days??

Thanks