My Poor Fishes

[dawnyb]

ok just been and tested

ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0.25
nitrate 60

these were all i got

was told not to do another water change till next week?? is this right?

 

[WILDER]

Wow I can see why you lost fish.
How long has the tank been set up.
How often do you maintain the tank.
Don't listen to the lfs obviously they havent a clue what they are talking about.
Daily water changes and increase aeration.

 

[dawnyb]

i have a big air stone running all the time
tanks been set up over a year bough tsome fish few weeks ago and since then down hill
once a week i do water changes

just wondering if i should relplace filter sponges now in filter??

i have an interia one that came with jewul tank

 

[WILDER]

Are you doing a gravel vac with the water changes as plecs are big waste producers.
I would do a gravel vac and water change.
When did you last rinse a filter sponge in old tank water.
Check your filter now to see if there really mucked up the sponges.
You only rinse one sponge then you do the other one in a couple of weeks in a mature tank.

 

[dawnyb]

yeah i have one of them gravel thingys dosent like going through sand thou lol or its me heheh

i rise sponges with nearly every change. is this wrong???

 

[WILDER]

Yes you shouldn't be touching the sponges every week you only need to touch them every so often, you go by your water stats.
You only touch one when there really mucked up with fish waste.
The only thing you rinse is the filter floss which get rid of fine particles in the water.
Leave the sponges then.
Ask in tropical discussion about how to use a gravel vac with sand as there a method to doing it.
Don't touch the filter you need to hoover your sand if it hasn't been done in a while.
Also remove all ornaments so you can do a good hoover.
You can get bad bacteria pockets in tanks when there not being hoovered.
What does your tank water smell like.

 

[dawnyb]

water hasnt got a smell, i dont think.... i have had a tank before (only oldwater) and it stank sometimes

i shall give sand good clean out when kids in bed then

i was only rising them in tank water cos i was told to do so had no idea it would stip them of the stuff i need

god i feel so bad now lol

 

[WILDER]

You are losing to much benefical bacteria from the sponges rinsing them once a week.
The only thing you touch every weeks is filter matting or floss which removes fine particles from the water.
I think your sand needs a good hoover if you never touched it.
Tanks that smell of rotten eggs or sulphur are signs of a bad bacteria in your tank.

 

[dawnyb]

thanks wilder i do use the vac everytime i change but prob not enough
i shall have a good clean in there 2nite

 

[WILDER]

Its the plecs they are massive waste producers.
I had plecs and the water was fiflty every water change when I kept them, and it stunk lol.

 

[dawnyb]

oooo forgot to ask do i still only do 20% water change?? or more

 

[WILDER]

Make it 30% with the plecs once a week.
You might go over that if you do a good hoover.
I would carry on with water changes till your stats are healthy.

 

[dawnyb]

thanks

i'm always worried i am gonna take too much

 

[WILDER]

Its best to gradually alter water stats as it stresses the fish out.
So if you are worried just gravel vac half the tank then do the other half in the next few days.
I would carry on with daily water changes till the ammonia and nitrite are 0.
Nitrate reading aim for it being under 50.

 

[dawnyb]

Its best to gradually alter water stats as it stresses the fish out.
So if you are worried just gravel vac half the tank then do the other half in the next few days.
I would carry on with daily water changes till the ammonia and nitrite are 0.
Nitrate reading aim for it being under 50.

me again am i doing weekly or daily?? just done another today took nearly everyhthing out tank and have it a v.good hoover did a 30% as suggested plecs werent happy abot me movin thier bog wood haha