Water Test Readings Too High

[Jue]

Hi

We have a 40litre tank with 5 guppies, 2 red robin gourami and 3 corys. We did a 10% water change on Friday night with dose of Stess Coat and clearned filters in removed tank water as normal. Had water tested on Sunday in lfs but didn't tell me readings - all I know is that the nitrite and nitrate were dark red in the test tubes. Carried out a gravel vac on Sunday night (about 6ltrs (15%) water changed with 5ml of Amquel added).

Got home, an hour ago to find one cory lying upside down on bottom of tank - it has since turned itself back up the right way and started burrowing around in the gravel again. So have just done some more tests - amonia 1.2, nitrate 10 and nitrite (ddn't change colour - although all instructions were followed properly). LFS said that could be because the amonia is about to spike and to add another 5ml of Amquel. Does all this sound correct to you? I'm so worried that we are about to start losing our fish that I'm desperate for any help to stop this from happening. Prior to Sunday had been feeding flake food twice a day and plec pellet for cory's once a day. Since Sunday have only fed flake food last night and no more plec pellets as yet. LFS advised us to feed every couple of days with flake and only twice a week with pellets.

Thanks in advance
Jue

 

[WILDER]

That tank is overstocked and with the high ammonia reading the corys is trying to bury himself, as it bad for them at the bottom of the tank when the tank is cycling, do another water change, do you have an airstone for aeration.
All you should have in that tank is the guppys, i would see if the lfs can take the rest back, plus they are all sensitive fish to water quality.
Plus stop feeding for now.

 

[Jue]

Hi

We have a 40litre tank with 5 guppies, 2 red robin gourami and 3 corys. We did a 10% water change on Friday night with dose of Stess Coat and clearned filters in removed tank water as normal. Had water tested on Sunday in lfs but didn't tell me readings - all I know is that the nitrite and nitrate were dark red in the test tubes. Carried out a gravel vac on Sunday night (about 6ltrs (15%) water changed with 5ml of Amquel added).

Got home, an hour ago to find one cory lying upside down on bottom of tank - it has since turned itself back up the right way and started burrowing around in the gravel again. So have just done some more tests - amonia 1.2, nitrate 10 and nitrite (ddn't change colour - although all instructions were followed properly). LFS said that could be because the amonia is about to spike and to add another 5ml of Amquel. Does all this sound correct to you? I'm so worried that we are about to start losing our fish that I'm desperate for any help to stop this from happening. Prior to Sunday had been feeding flake food twice a day and plec pellet for cory's once a day. Since Sunday have only fed flake food last night and no more plec pellets as yet. LFS advised us to feed every couple of days with flake and only twice a week with pellets.

Thanks in advance
Jue

Thanks very much for your help. How often can I do water changes? I'm a bit unsure just in case I end up doing too many.

Please don't think I'm disputing what you are saying about the tank being overstocked as I'm sure you know a great deal more than I do, but when I came on here a couple of months ago, people were saying that it would be ok to add the cory's and a couple of others.

The tank is 24 inches longx 15 inches wide x (about) 20 nches high. I''d always been led to believe the 1 inch of fish per inch of the length of the tank eg. 5 guppies (at adult size 2inch) + 3 cory's (at adult size 2inch) + 2 red robin gourami (at adult size 2 inch). This would still be 4 inches under the limit. I know it's not always going to be the case but I thought that this was the general rule of thumb. All the fish that are in there at the moment are a maximum of 1inch in length.

Jue

edited to say: I haven't got an air stone at the moment, do you think that this would make a big difference to them? I've turned the filter on full to try and get as much oxygen in there as possible. Also my lfs said that the water I should be removing is on the bottom (eg the need to gravel vac) and not at the top- Is this correct?

 

[WILDER]

Do another smaller water change you are going to have to get that ammonia reading down as the cory is already suffering, guppys and gouramis are active fish, and they need at least a 10gal, ive have a 12gal, and all i have in is 3 panda corys, and now only two red honey gouramis.
It's up to you, maybe a push could keep the corys, plus the gouramis might fin nip the guppys tails, as they are territoral.
Yes do a gravel vac as the corys won't be able to breath down there, plus have to keep the gravel clean of rotting foods as they soon can come down with bacterial infections.

 

[Jue]

Do another smaller water change you are going to have to get that ammonia reading down as the cory is already suffering, guppys and gouramis are active fish, and they need at least a 10gal, ive have a 12gal, and all i have in is 3 panda corys, and now only two red honey gouramis.
It's up to you, maybe a push could keep the corys, plus the gouramis might fin nip the guppys tails, as they are territoral.

Thanks. I've got 4 litres in a bucket waiting to come up to temperature as I write, so hopefully it will be ok to use later tonight. I've put some more Amquel in as the lfs said that this should lower the ammonia, nitrite and nitrates.

Is it possible to do too many gravel vacs as I'm concerned about taking out beneficial bacteria.

 

[WILDER]

Yes don't over do it, do a little gravel vac stir water up and remove the excess food with a net that what i do.

 

[Jue]

Yes don't over do it, do a little gravel vac stir water up and remove the excess food with a net that what i do.

Do you think that 4 litres is too much to do after doing it on Friday and Sunday as well or should it be ok? I'm just trying not to make things any worse for them

 

[WILDER]

Should be fine need to get that ammonia reading down.

 

[Jue]

I'll let you know how I get on. Ok, hopefully! I've got to say that I never thought fish keeping would be so stressful. It's worrying me sick.

Thanks for all your help.
Jue

 

[WILDER]

I know most of us have been where you are, it does become easier once you know what you are doing, just takes a while. Good luck and keep an eye on the cory.

 

[Jue]

I know most of us have been where you are, it does become easier once you know what you are doing, just takes a while. Good luck and keep an eye on the cory.

This is probably gong to be the most stupid question you've ever been asked but please bear with me:

I've got another tank (180Litres) with just water, gravel and rocks in it. No plants or fish at moment. It has been full of water with just the heater and the filter running for about 6 weeks. It has not been cycled at all since the water was added, however, given the situation with the guppies, corys and gouramis in the other tank would it be safer to move them into this tank while the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are brought down on the 40 litre?

Sorry if it is a really stupid question, but I just wondered whether it would be possible so that they are in a less toxic environment, even if just for a few days.

Jue

 

[WILDER]

You will need to do a water change on the other tank, and put the filter from this tank in over there, and match the temp, or climatise them, also check ph as you might have to climatise them anyway.

 

[Jue]

You will need to do a water change on the other tank, and put the filter from this tank in over there, and match the temp, or climatise them, also check ph as you might have to climatise them anyway.

Crikey it's getting more complicated. What percentage water change should I do on the larger tank? Do I need to take both pads out of the small filter and put them into the filter in the other tank? Will the pads from a fluval filter fit in a jewel? I've got new pads to go in the smaller tank along with a carbon sponge as well, if I put these new ones in the tank with the problems will it make things worse in there as I would be taking out the good bacteria?

I can do the ph test in a min and see what it comes out at., although I would imagine it should be pretty much the same in both of them. The only difference is the rocks. Can you tell me if I move all the fish into the big tank and carry on with the water changes etc in the small tank will it eventually be sorted by doing that or will it start cycling the tank again? I''m worried that if it starts cycling the small tank again, I'm going to end up with 2 tanks that are both cycling and nowhere safe to put the fish.

Sorry if I'm rambling
Jue

 

[WILDER]

Move the filter pads to the juwel should be fine as i do it with fluval filter sponges, do a 30% water change on the other tank, yes the other tank will die off, you will be putting new sponges in there so it will all start again, you could do a fishless cycle on that tank.
Do the water change before you add the sponges over there.

 

[Jue]

Move the filter pads to the juwel should be fine as i do it with fluval filter sponges, do a 30% water change on the other tank, yes the other tank will die off, you will be putting new sponges in there so it will all start again, you could do a fishless cycle on that tank.
Do the water change before you add the sponges over there.

The juwel filter is alot bigger than the fluval one so I shall take a couple of the sponges out of the jewel and get the others to fit in with them (hopefully that will be ok). I'll go and do the water change on it now. Hopefully it will be at the right temperature for me to move the fish over by tomorrow morning. At least this way its got to be better for them than to leave them where they are.

I would have done a fishless cycle on the small tank but hadn't heard about it or found this site when we got the tank plus very bad advice from the LFS, hence why the big tank hasn't been touched. I was waiting until the small one was up and running perfectly first.

Thank you so much for all your help. It really is appreciated
Jue