Need Advice Should I Do A 3/4-4/5 Water Change

[erk628]

Not at the surface they just appear to be doing it and I did a 30-50% water change a couple of days ago tested the water about 2 hours later same results...I just tested the water ammonia 8 ppm Nitrite 8 ppm Ph 6 Nitrate 60-80....are there any chemicals in water that can throw all readings off...I wonder

What chemicals have you added recently, also when was the last time your readings were in the safe zone. Also the test kit you are using it it the new one, if so do you still have the old one. It just seems weird that you test one tank and then test the other and you get different readings, makes me think there is nothing wrong with the test kit. I hope there is though becuase if not you may lose then all. Is there any ohter tanks you can put them in for a bit until you get this back in control. One other thing that I can think of if your readings are right is do a do a complete water change drain it all and fill it back up. This could take care of it, not sure there just throwing out suggestions.

 

[QuotheRaven]

this is a new test kit the box is still glossy I got it christmas day which was ordered off a online aquarium...I believe I tested the water a while ago sometime in November and there was I think a TINY bit of nitrite and thats it...and to give an example of the extent to how the fish look (there are stocking issues im in that period where Im now experienced enough to know the mistakes and now when I get the chance I can fix them I have gotten over that "hump") My angelfishes have 0 clamping of fins, same goes for my golden severum and my 1 inch kribensis fry...I cannot really do a "full" water change but a 3/4 May be possible if I really need to do it...but it will be alot of buckets of warm water going into the tank as the hose would be to cold...

 

[erk628]

this is a new test kit the box is still glossy I got it christmas day which was ordered off a online aquarium...I believe I tested the water a while ago sometime in November and there was I think a TINY bit of nitrite and thats it...and to give an example of the extent to how the fish look (there are stocking issues im in that period where Im now experienced enough to know the mistakes and now when I get the chance I can fix them I have gotten over that "hump") My angelfishes have 0 clamping of fins, same goes for my golden severum and my 1 inch kribensis fry...I cannot really do a "full" water change but a 3/4 May be possible if I really need to do it...but it will be alot of buckets of warm water going into the tank as the hose would be to cold...

Just becuase the test kit looks new doesn't mean that it is, it could have been sitting on the shelves for years, unlikely but possible. If your readings are correct it looks like your only option is a monster water change. I have to completly drain mine tommorrow and that includes taking out all my sand do to a debris probelm, thats a long story but needless to say I have a 55 gallon and I've got several hours tommorrow working on this how fun. This time I'm going with white sand that two of my buddies have used, they both put in the same amount of pounds as there tanks were gallons to get two inchs, the sand I have now is so fine it took me 110 pounds to get two inches, should of took me a little over 55, anyways thats way off topic. Have you added any chemicals lately? Also how often do you do water changes and how much when you do them.

 

[QuotheRaven]

I do about 25% -30% every week to week and a half...No new chemicals I believe anyway...

 

[erk628]

Hmmm, if the tests are right then there is obviously something terribly wrong and its probaly been like this for awhile, because I don't see how things could be good one day and then almost read off the charts the next. Did you do the tests a few times I know I have added to many drops before and it gives you a off reading. Usually the # 2 bottles like the ammonia one comes out really fast. I do water tests everyday on both my tanks and just the other day I added to many drops for the PH test and got a very high reading decided to do it again and it was normal then.

 

[QuotheRaven]

yeah I have done probably a test each day for about 4 days running same result on that tank 32 gallon tank first test got a 0 ppm on ammonia

 

[erk628]

Well if you have been doing tests now for four days, how many water changes have you done to the tank with the high readings.

 

[QuotheRaven]

Just the one currently as there have been zero signs of negative water from my fish

 

[erk628]

First off I wouldn't wait until you see signs from your fish before you take action, If the readings are right them you have a serious problem and the first signs from your fish could be them floating upside down in your tank. If the readings are right the only way to fix them is to do big water changes and lots of them. For example one a day until you get you reading back to the safe zone.

 

[QuotheRaven]

hmm I would like to know if any others would advise me to perhaps perform a 3/4 water change or full water change the worst part is my rendahls catfish is to big for me to net with my nets I think...so if People think I should perform this water change how should I go about it in refilling and emptying the tank

 

[erk628]

I'd start off with a 50 % water change. With the net issue they sell bigger ones at the pet store. The way I'm going to do it tommorrow is use a gravel vac siphon all the water out and then get my two milk jugs out and start a chain from the tank to the sink. What size tank do you have?

 

[QuotheRaven]

75 gallons thats the big issue...I wish to move the tank aswell as I cannot access the back or left side of the tank where it's situated so Im hoping to move it...I have access to a hose straight to the tank...I cannot get a aquarium at all as new years eve and day holidays are happening at alot of aquariums in my area

 

[Tolak]

It could be when the power came back on the filter spewed out some debris, power surges will do this to filters some times, I've seen it happen to mine. This debris added to the tank could be causing a temporary ammo & nitrite spike. That short of a power outage shouldn't have affected the bio filtration to that large an extent. If it were out long enough to give you those sort of readings you would have seen a spike in the other tank as well.

Doing a couple of 3/4 water changes will give you an 87.5% water change. This would be easier than 100% and having to catch large fish.

 

[InaneCathode]

Just an idea, but if his ammonia and nitrite levels are actually that high wouldnt all his fish be dead by now? Or at least gasping just a tiny bit? I'd wager your test kit is way out of date, they dont really have that long of a shelf life anyway. Might concider getting just an ammonia test kit (fresh) at the lfs and seeing if your readings are different.

Seriously though, 8ppm of ammonia would effectively sterilize your tank in less than a day, i can't see a logical reason why all your fish arent dead if that reading is actually right. Occams razor, the simplest answer is most often the correct one. Instead of your fish being super fish, and all your readings skyrocketing for no apparent reason, and for the seemingly random levels measured, wouldnt it make sense that its just the test kit? Fish are the best test kits of all, if they're acting normal the water quality is probably normal as well.

 

[QuotheRaven]

Update... I had the decision of doing a big water change or leaving I did about a 80-90% water change and moved my tank which was needing to be done as I couldn't access the left side of the tank at all which is where Iwish to place a new filter... I tested the water after the large water change (moved the tank without any problems) I got a reading of ammonia 2.0ppm a bit higher than that but my fish continue to not gasp at the water surface...I believe I will attempt a trip to my local aquarium get the water tested...also the other tank has a internal filter while the filter in question is a cannister external filter & a hang on filter

The filtration is the hangon filter does 300 litres per hour and the eheim 2213 does I think over 75 gallons per hour