Water Change Needed Now

[elee49]

I have posted on another thread about my pregnant platy. No fry yet. She is on one side of the 55g. Now the whole tank needs a WC really. I've been putting it off for to birth. My choices are this. Leave her sectioned off and do the WC which will stress her. Put her in A totally new to her 10g tank I have for the fry. Which will stress her as well. Any ideas? I need to make a decision and don't want to make the wrong one!! Please help!!!!!!!

 

[fluttermoth]

I think I would mover her to the ten gallon now (don't forget you'll need some mature media in the filter!) and leave her there until she's given birth, then move her back into the big tank.

You could do a water change with her in there, it's not a problem, but as you have the ten gallon anyway, you might as well use it

 

[elee49]

That's what I ended up doing. I put in 5g of old tank water with 5g of treated tap. I put in the plants and some gravel from the old. A- .25. Nitrite-0. Nitrate- 0-5 pH- 7.5 would like the A to come down, maybe after a little while. Should I put some Prime in the tank?I'm am so very thankful for the advice! You could never put a price on all the collective knowledge here.

 

[snazy]

0.25 Ammonia? Do you have a filter in the tank? If so, move some of the sponges from a cycled tank into this one. Even if you put prime, it only works for so many hours, and then she will be slowly poisoned by the ammonia, so will the babies.

 

[elee49]

0.25 Ammonia? Do you have a filter in the tank? If so, move some of the sponges from a cycled tank into this one. Even if you put prime, it only works for so many hours, and then she will be slowly poisoned by the ammonia, so will the babies.

I have the filter that came with the 10g set up an Aqueon 10. The filters from the cycled tank are too big! I put a dash of prime to buy me some time. Do you think I can just place a filter from the cycled in the tank loose? Should I add some of the cycled tank water to the 10g?
On another note I'm waiting and waiting on fry and maybe it's me probably is anyway I look at her and she sometimes doesn't look as big as she did, then later on in the day she is huge? Is this right or is it me it's ok I can take it

 

[mossonthemoon]

I would cut out a piece of sponge from the established tank and put it into the other. Last time I did this, I cut a sponge in half (because that was 1/4 of the media, which is about the most that should be spared from a cycled tank), then cut the same amount from the other filter, and swapped them. This is because the bigger filter was the one that needed to be seeded. In your case, I would just cut a chunk that will fit into your smaller filter and stuff it in there. That will help seed the sponge in the uncycled filter too.

I really hope I explained that well... I am tired!

 

[elee49]

I would cut out a piece of sponge from the established tank and put it into the other. Last time I did this, I cut a sponge in half (because that was 1/4 of the media, which is about the most that should be spared from a cycled tank), then cut the same amount from the other filter, and swapped them. This is because the bigger filter was the one that needed to be seeded. In your case, I would just cut a chunk that will fit into your smaller filter and stuff it in there. That will help seed the sponge in the uncycled filter too.

I really hope I explained that well... I am tired!

Ok cut from old filter place in one side of new filter, ok now do I place new filter back in old filters place? What happens if charcoal comes out into the tank? I'm so sorry to be a bother!

 

[mossonthemoon]

Are the filters filled with sponges or carbon (or both)?

 

[elee49]

Are the filters filled with sponges or carbon (or both)?

I think it's charcoal little black pieces, maybe it's carbon?

 

[elee49]

Hi can I put purified water in the tank 10g for 50% water change to lower the ammonia? My tap water is higher than the fishes water so that's not going to work. I am also going to cut the front half off of the cycled media filter and put it in the 10g filter. I will replace the cycled filter with a new filter. So I will have one new and one established. Is this ok? I'm going out of my mind with worry

 

[mossonthemoon]

I was talking about what to do if it is sponge. I don't really know what you should do with carbon (if it is that), sorry. If there are ammonia readings in the water, then yes, do a large water change using treated tap water until you lower it to zero.

Oh, I see. What do you mean by purified water? What exactly is it, and have you been using it all along?

 

[elee49]

I was talking about what to do if it is sponge. I don't really know what you should do with carbon (if it is that), sorry. If there are ammonia readings in the water, then yes, do a large water change using treated tap water until you lower it to zero.

Oh, I see. What do you mean by purified water? What exactly is it, and have you been using it all along?

 

[elee49]

It's gallons of purified water which is reverse osmosis. No I never used this I just thought for the ammonia removal. My tap water has more ammonia than what's in the tank. I did a 50% WC and treated it with Amquel. It tested 0 before I put it in. I know that's only temp.

How could I have nitrates at 5 with .25 ammonia and 0 nitrate? Something is giving me nitrates right?

 

[mossonthemoon]

I am not sure where you are so I can't give you a brand to use, but you should get a tap water treatment that you will use every time you change the water. The best conditioners bind ammonia as well as chlorine, so you won't have the problem with your tap water, and will save some money on using RO water plus the mineral supplements you would need to add to that.

ETA: I just looked up your brand and it binds chloramine. Have you tested your tap water after using the AmQuel? It shouldn't have ammonia if the conditioner is doing its jon.

 

[elee49]

I'm sorry for being a bother but these babies once they come out cant handle that ammonia so I'm doing all I can please forgive my eagerness. I added amquel to a 50% WC it read 0 for ammonia great. I put in in her tank. Now this morning it's back to ammonia .25 so I will keep doing that I guess right?
Also just found out what caused this whole mess. My loving husband saw how stressed I was over this pregnant platy and at the same time I needed a WC for my cycled tank he decided to help, problem 1. He washed the nasty filters as he put it. Oh dear lord no! It is ultimately my fault for not being specific So result is now my cycled tank has ammonia of .50 I can't catch a break. I'm sorry for dumping on you guys like this