Discusmadboy Posted August 20, 2005 Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 hi all i am new here.....I have got a Well established 5 Ft Tank complete with the following fish: 3 Large Discus 4 Cory's 1 ghost knife 6 Rummy noses 4 Mini eels dont know wot they are called... Tank has been established for some time now, last week saturday, i vacuumed the stones at the bottom and did a 20% water change, added some Shist stone to the tank bottom floor. Since then my tank has now gone into recyling mode and readings for Ammonia and nitrite all over the place.... i did a emergency 50% water change as i was not happy with the ammonia level gettign to high, added activated carbon to the filter, have used the following: Stress coat on water changes Stress Zyme Ammo lock... ammo levels are slowely comming down, but i am obviously gettin false readings due to the use of the ammolock, fish last night all of a sudden started going to the top for air and gulping....so with my trusty lifesaving test kit , tested the water for everything.....everythign past with flying colours, ammonia was lower(false readings) EXCEPT for the nitrite level...which came up a green colour which indicated to me that the nitrite level was far too low, i understand that if the levels are too low of nitrite then this can turn into some sort of acid which poisens the fish and Inhibites the blood from carrying vital oxygen throughout the fishes body and they sufficate and Die from lack of oxygen. so i did another emergency 50 % water change.......tested the water again for nitrite levels are they were in the safe range. I am just abit concerned at the moment, i dont have an emergency tank to put my fish in, anyone got any suggestions as to what i shoudl be Doing: I was wondering if i should Continue to do a 10% every second day water change that i have been doing last week due to the issues that i am having. I dont like using all this stress zyme, ammo lock, stress coat that i am using as i would prefer the natural process to kick in and sort itself out, but i am nervious about loosing my discus, i dont care about the other fish as much its more the discus that i am concerned about. any ideas guys ? anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted August 20, 2005 Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 Get rid of your ammo lok Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 yeah the ammolock was a suspect in the lineup, i am just concerned about ammo levels...should i give the ammolock the flick watch the levels and continue to do water changes....say 10% every second day or what do you recommend ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted August 21, 2005 Report Share Posted August 21, 2005 Hi there, how many ltrs of water in your tank. Am I reading something wrong about your nitrite being too low? You want to get the nitrite level to 0 reading. What are your ammonia and Ph reading and what filtration are you using in your tank? I would do a 20% waterchange everyday until all readings come to Zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2005 Approx 200 L Tank, the PH Level is 6.2 the ammonia level is just below 2 as well the nitrite level is now stabilized at 0...faint purple colour the nitrite level yesterday was light blue which did not show up on my colour chart , so indicated that it was below 0 if it can be...i did some research on the web on nitrite levels and the research i did suggested that the nitrite level was far to low, thus creatign some sort of acid that infects the fish and slows down the oxygen in the bloodstream and eventurally the fish die from suffication, because of the lack of oxygen in there bodies coz the discus were comin to the top for air and gulping, its not the ammonia because i am getting false readings due to ammo lock usage, the tank is well filtered with a Ehiem External Canister filter and i am not overfeeding the fish. the water for soem reason went into cycle mode, it is established tank...well was uptil that point in time... ...i recycled 50% last night due to the fish comin up for air so to speak....the fish are now comfortable........like i said getting false readings on ammonia.....but want to know....if i should keep doign a 10% recyle every 2nd day.... ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted August 21, 2005 Report Share Posted August 21, 2005 Your Ph level is fine. Ammonia should be 0 and so should nitrite. If you can't detect nitrite on the chart means good. there is no such thing as too low in nitrite causing lack of oxygen and poisoning. High nitrite in acidic water causing it to become toxic. When you change water do you add any water ager to take out clorine? Reason why your fish is gasping for air at the surface could be lack of oxygen. Are you using co2? Is there any water movement on the surface of the water (ripple). Try adding an air stone in. I would do a daily 20% waterchange till the ammonia level goes down to Zero. And stop wasting your money on Ammolock. Ammonia reading of 2 in Acidic water is not toxic and will not harm your fish.HTH Cheers, Ronnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2005 thanks discus guru, Thanx guys for all your help.... I have the following in the Tank: Airstone nice large one but i left it off...turned it on now, and eheim external filter with spraybar at the top of the tank which breaks the surface of the water.................which runs 24/7 20% water change last night Test as of 6:51pm 22 AUGUST PH LEVEL = 6.0 NITRATE LEVEL = 0ppm AMMONIA LEVEL = 2.0 ppm NITRITE LEVEL = 0ppm I am still concerned about ammonia level .....though.......fish seem to be more happy since the water changes on saturday and sunday... I will do a Further 20% change tonight........ any thoughts guys....and thank you for all your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted August 22, 2005 Report Share Posted August 22, 2005 It almost sounds like your tank is completely uncycled. Wouldn't surprise me with the ammo-lock in there, nothing for the bacteria to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2005 i have stopped adding ammolock.....to the tank, yes the tank seemed about a week ago to go into an uncycled state....at that point iwas changing water once a week....10% changes....only adding stress coat each time i did a water change....vacuumed the bottom....and added 4 -5 Shist stone rocks to the tank... before that the tank was well established for almost 13 months any ideas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2005 since last week sunday...i have been doing 20% waterchanges every second day....ammo levels still high at night...tested in the morning before work....ammo levels high.,..so added ammolock......at night did further water 20% changes and then in the morning....added some ammo lock......this was all last week every second day.....in hind site....i should have jsut thown the ammolock away and did a 50% water change... on this saturday that has just past.......fish were all gulping for air yet ammo levels where falling to 2.0 and they ;looked very uncomfortable...so it thought stuff that i will do a 50% water change.... and now doing 20% water changes every day.... fish are comfortable... at the moment levels are fine except for ammo....which also could be false readings due to the use of the ammolock..... i dunno ...i have chucked the ammolock to one side...and now jsut trying to get my tank back into a healthy state.... I got over zealious with the ammolock....coz i did not want my fishes to die whilst i am at work.........never mind...im learnin heaps out of this exercise and hopefully...,me fishes will survive .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted August 22, 2005 Report Share Posted August 22, 2005 Hi, if your tank is 13mths old only reason I could think of that cause the ammonia spike would be a power cut at some stage and the bacteria in the canister filter die off??? Just carry on doing the waterchange daily and don't worry about the ammonia level because Ammonia -2 in Ph-6 is alright. Make sure that the water the use is of the same temp. and PH. Cheers, ronnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 AMMONIA LEVEL = 4.0 NITRITE LEVEL = 0.25 NITRATE LEVEL = 0 ph level = 6.0 Hi guys, seems like the ammonia level is begining to go up... im doing daily 20% water changes at the moment.....and not using any ammonialock at all ? let me know wot else i should be doing, i have also got activated carbon in the filter and after every water change adding stress zyme and stress coat to the tank... i am howeva still concerrned about ammonia levels....what shall i do now ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 also the water seems to be quite cloudy as well...... thanks guys for all your help this far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 The nitrites rising is a good thing right now (normally you would want 0), however it shows that bacteria are breaking down the ammonia. Keep up the 20% waterchanges to keep the fish happy and the ammonia low, stay away from the gravel though, and keep monitoring, you should see ammonia drop, nitrites climb a bit more, then start to drop off, leaving you with 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites, and only nitrates. Once you get to there, it's the weekly waterchanges that keep the nitrates down, the other two should sit solidly on zero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 24, 2005 Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 I agree with Misnoma...keep up the daily water changes. Correct me if I'm wrong Misnoma...but when you stay away from the gravel...you mean just do the water changes (water out/water in) no vacuuming, am I right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusmadboy Posted August 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2005 ok thats fine, onlt thing is the tank is getting very cloudy white....... should this be happening and the ammonia level is at 4 with ph level at 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 I agree with Misnoma...keep up the daily water changes. Correct me if I'm wrong Misnoma...but when you stay away from the gravel...you mean just do the water changes (water out/water in) no vacuuming, am I right? Yup, all you're trying to do is dilute the ammonia enough to keep the fish comfy whilst the filter catches up. ok thats fine, onlt thing is the tank is getting very cloudy white....... should this be happening and the ammonia level is at 4 with ph level at 6 The water going cloudy could well be a bacteria bloom, keep up the waterchanges (i.e. don't let ammonia get any higher, it would be better lower than that) till things all balance out again. They will settle, just not overnight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new zealand discus man Posted August 25, 2005 Report Share Posted August 25, 2005 from new zealand discus man Hi sounds like you are not using cultured bactrica like cycle or stresszyme.. as guideline...in New 275 Litre tank i put a crc cap 3/4 full of Stresszyme in on day two when tank is up to temp, same day in go Discus.. It must be remembered that in lower than 7Ph it is Nitrite thats dangerous..nothing else... so on after 3 days i do 30% water change and unless i have put more than say.. 6 adults , thats all manual changes need doing..i have now set up 112 tanks like this ,,and yes its more expencive but try waiting till own bactrica get going would mean few tanks installed.. I do not more sand from another tank ..to dangerous.. :evil: There are enough worrys with out inventing them..!! Hope helps.. Cheers Phill Collis.. Ps..any one with spare time is welcome to set up the next 10 tanks waiting.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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