Molly Tank Crashing? Help!
- Thread starter FallynLeigh
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FallynLeigh
Mostly New Member
Okay, back. So gramps couldn't bring me to the LFS but I have a good bit of ammo lock left so I think I'll be okay. Just tested the water and the stats are:
Nitrates: 160ppm
Nitrites: 10ppm
pH: 6.5
KH: 80ppm
GH: 180ppm
So the nitrates have gone down a little bit according to the test strips. I gave the mollies a bit of food before I left and they all ate. I was slightly concerned about my dalmatian molly but now she's out and swimming around. The tank water is also a lot clearer than it was. So that means its improving, right?
Nitrates: 160ppm
Nitrites: 10ppm
pH: 6.5
KH: 80ppm
GH: 180ppm
So the nitrates have gone down a little bit according to the test strips. I gave the mollies a bit of food before I left and they all ate. I was slightly concerned about my dalmatian molly but now she's out and swimming around. The tank water is also a lot clearer than it was. So that means its improving, right?
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nitrite at 10ppm is lethal - did you add the salt?
Nitrite at 10ppm is lethal - did you add the salt?
FallynLeigh
Mostly New Member
TLM- Of course! That was the first thing I did!
I added 1/4 of a tablespoon because that is roughly equal to 4 grams (according to google
)
I added 1/4 of a tablespoon because that is roughly equal to 4 grams (according to google
OK, blood pressure going down slightly.......
You need to start doing those water changes that Fluttermoth talked about, the salt will be helping massively, but it isn't a silver bullet that means that nothing else matters. Some nitrite will still be getting into the blood stream.
You need to start doing those water changes that Fluttermoth talked about, the salt will be helping massively, but it isn't a silver bullet that means that nothing else matters. Some nitrite will still be getting into the blood stream.
FallynLeigh
Mostly New Member
Okay, I'll do the first one tonight when my mom gets home because I have no clue where the bucket is or if its clean or how to clean it or what to do with the old water. Should I add more salt in the meantime?
Wow... quite a bit going on here.
Just to jump in the middle... you are getting some great advice. Take your time completing the water changes, the speed that you do them isn't as important as the fact that you are completing them. If it takes two hours to refill the tank, that's fine.
One note about the water changes and the salt... when you are replacing the water, you need to replace the salt as well.
So, if you added 4 grams of salt for the full tank here's some quick math for you:
A 20% water change means you've removed 0.8 grams of salt with that water and need to replace the 0.8 grams. Add the salt to the water before adding it back to the tank, and make sure the salt is completely dissolved before adding it.
A 30% change means 1.2 grams of salt.
40% change means 1.6 grams of salt.
50% change means 2 grams of salt.
60% change means 2.4 grams
70% change means 2.8 grams
80% change means 3.2 grams.
Just to jump in the middle... you are getting some great advice. Take your time completing the water changes, the speed that you do them isn't as important as the fact that you are completing them. If it takes two hours to refill the tank, that's fine.
One note about the water changes and the salt... when you are replacing the water, you need to replace the salt as well.
So, if you added 4 grams of salt for the full tank here's some quick math for you:
A 20% water change means you've removed 0.8 grams of salt with that water and need to replace the 0.8 grams. Add the salt to the water before adding it back to the tank, and make sure the salt is completely dissolved before adding it.
A 30% change means 1.2 grams of salt.
40% change means 1.6 grams of salt.
50% change means 2 grams of salt.
60% change means 2.4 grams
70% change means 2.8 grams
80% change means 3.2 grams.
FallynLeigh
Mostly New Member
Thank you so much for that! It'll definitely be helpful!eaglesaquarium said:
Remember the Nitrate isn't the important one. As I said previously - the Nitrate will not decrease unless the tank is heavily planted or you do water changes. It shows how inaccurate the strips are by the differing results. You need to test for ammonia and nitrite. Must! Forget nitrate for now, trust us 
FallynLeigh
Mostly New Member
Sophie- I don't really have a way to test for ammonia. I only have the strips.
I doubt my mom will spend the money to buy the liquid test kit. She's pretty fed up with all of this and just wants to dump the mollies in the lake and get gouramis.
I doubt my mom will spend the money to buy the liquid test kit. She's pretty fed up with all of this and just wants to dump the mollies in the lake and get gouramis.
FallynLeigh
Mostly New Member
I'll suggest that to my mom. I don't know when she'll want to go to LFS though because it is a little bit away. Maybe I can get my grandpa to take me on thursday.
I also have to bring the dead fish back anyways, so I'll be going in the next 2-10 days no matter what.
I also have to bring the dead fish back anyways, so I'll be going in the next 2-10 days no matter what.
Meeresstille
Fish Addict
It is not an environmentally sound thing to do, to dump aquarium fish in a lake. It's not very nice for the aquarium fish either. If your mom does not want to keep the mollies anymore than try to return them to the shop or try to find someone with an aquarium willing to take them! Sometimes schools, or rather teachers, like to take on donations like that for their class.
FallynLeigh
Mostly New Member
Meeresstille- I know that, but she just gets really fed up sometimes. Thats what she did with my guppies a long time ago.
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