Newbie, Fish Dying And Need Advice

[WILDER]

Good guide to go by is your tap nitrate reading.
I would do it now.

 

[angel child]

Just tested the tap water which hascome up at 50 or 110 even boyfirned has said it's difficult to match up, lol.

On the booklet of Nitrat it goes in levels of 5, 10, 20, 50, 110 so I guess it is bit high.

the nitrit level goes up 0.1, 0.3, 0.8, 1.6, 3.3 this level when tested earlier today was at 0.1

the amonia book shows levels at 0, 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, 4.9, 7.3 so is 0.6 quite dangerous??

sorry for all the questions.

Noticed tonight that the gills (inside) on my two sharks look a little on the red side and their tails look slight pink however just changed lights today so it could be that. Should I be worrying???

 

[WILDER]

What test kit is the nitrate, as api test kits are not that accurate in nitrate.

 

[angel child]

Nutrafin test kit, small bottles and you just add the amount of drops required to water, is this a very reliable testing kit, thought it would be better than strips

 

[WILDER]

When did you last touch your sponges in the filter.

 

[angel child]

Last touched them last weekend when I took all the filter apart, but as I said I haven't rinsed them out as was told not too.

 

[WILDER]

Ok so not touched or rinsed the sponges in six months.
One of the sponges now could do with a rinse in some old tank water, not much don't want to lose to much of the beneifcal bacteria.

 

[GuppyGirl<3]

maybe your female mollies are pregnant and trying to hide to have there babies

 

[angel child]

Thanks for that Wilder, will do it when I do partial water change.

How often should I be wrinsing the sponges?

Just want to add also that the mollies are much happier now and swimming all around the tank. Tank lights are off and the fins, tails on sharks no longer look pink but the gills whan lights are on do look red. Sharks are swimming and eating normal, should I be worrying about gills looking a bit red?

maybe your female mollies are pregnant and trying to hide to have there babies

Did think that originally but am pretty sure they aren't, although with two males in their who are sniffing around alot, guess it wont be too long, hehe

 

[WILDER]

The red gills are due to poor water quality.
I just follow by water stats when to touch the sponges.
Also a good sign is when the sponges really look mucky and clogged.

 

[angel child]

mucky and clogged they do look, thank god i've found this site,

thanks for all the advice too