URGENT HELP NEEDED

[Craig09]

hi guys as you no ive been having a lot of problems with getting my water perfect since moving my tank to my new home, had 4 fish die the other day now over the course of this morning had another 3 die and 1 was me little 102 plec this morning, i no it sounds horrible it was loaches on thursday now albino shark and red fin shark and a plec 2day but them fish are replaceable my plecs aint i worked hard getting these and spent alot of money getting them 2, there all ok at the min but i just dont no what to do my ammonia has been high due to what i can only think was a new cycle in my tank with moving but ive got it down now been doing daily water changes to keep the levels down as well and also using prime to detoxify it out but what else can i do, i was think just draining the water and starting fresh but is that a great idea or will it just make things worse please help guys :cry:

 

[macvsog23]

Sadly its a case of stick with it can you get some one to bed and breakfast your fish?

 

[Irene0100]

so sorry, it just takes time and sensitive fish cant cope with anything but best water. dont take all the water out just 20-30% a day, for a while, then do not overstock the tank when you buy any more
If you can afford a bigger tank it would be better for plecs. the bigger the tank the less the water parameters swing about.

 

[Irene0100]

do you have any friends or neighbours you can get a jug of mature water from to help seed with microscopic organisms?

 

[Craig09]

found me juvie l260 dead this morning il just have to grim and bear it

 

[Craig09]

so sorry, it just takes time and sensitive fish cant cope with anything but best water. dont take all the water out just 20-30% a day, for a while, then do not overstock the tank when you buy any more
If you can afford a bigger tank it would be better for plecs. the bigger the tank the less the water parameters swing about.

will this make a difference irene i did stick a bucket in out me mates tank the other day

 

[Steve C]

will this make a difference irene i did stick a bucket in out me mates tank the other day

Would be better if you can get either some mature filter media, or failing that get a bag of gunk squeezed from some mature media to help seed your filter.

 

[Craig09]

ive just tested me water from the water change i did this morning and the ammonia right high again so ive tested my water supply and there ok so any ideas why its shot up again

 

[Lornek8]

Are you missing any other fish?
Are you taking ammonia readings before doing water changes? Might not think of it at the time but its useful to determine exactly how mush the water changes are doing for you. Prime doesn't actually take the ammonia away (just detoxs it) & I believe it still will be detectable by the test kits. Mature media would be your best option if you can't get someone to sit your fish for a time &/or borrow a mature filter. Aquarium water has very little bacteria as the nitrifying bacteria are primarily found on hard surfaces.
Are you feeding at the same rate? it be a good idea to cut back on feeding until you can get the ammonia under control. It'll slow the rate at which the fish produce ammonia.

 

[Craig09]

not missing any other fish that i no of but i do check the water before i do a water change hopefully getting some more water off my friends tank i do have a tank at me mams house but its only 2 foot tank so i mite just shot me plecos in there for time been untill this tank sets itself up

 

[Lornek8]

not missing any other fish that i no of but i do check the water before i do a water change

And the results are?

hopefully getting some more water off my friends tank

Not worth the trouble in my opinion.

i do have a tank at me mams house but its only 2 foot tank so i mite just shot me plecos in there for time been untill this tank sets itself up

Need fish in your tanks as well and/or do a fishless cycle still. Bacteria need a food source (ammonia) to becomre establsihed. Remove the ammonia and the bacteria will eventually die.

 

[scatz]

the ideal thing would be to get some matured media from your friend or mums tank to run in your filter along with the new media

 

[Craig09]

me ammonia all week has been 0.50 this morning it was 2.0 ive taken 3 buckets out my 125 tank and its still 2.0 now

 

[Irene0100]

sounds like a dead fish still inthetank?

 

[Craig09]

sounds like a dead fish still inthetank?

no dead fish in the tank just pulled every thing out to make sure getting some mature water out me mams tank 2nite but if i drained half my water out my tank and refilled it with half of me of mams tank would that harm them in any way or would it be ok

 

[Steve C]

no dead fish in the tank just pulled every thing out to make sure getting some mature water out me mams tank 2nite but if i drained half my water out my tank and refilled it with half of me of mams tank would that harm them in any way or would it be ok

Hi, think it has already been mentioned but water from another tank will do next to nothing, also you will need to ensure its similar to yours ie pH etc or its going to stress your fish. You need to get some mature media into your filter or at least some squeezings from some mature media to seed your filter as at the moment its not coping with the waste produced. Mature media plus frequent water changes to keep ammonia down is the only way forward.

 

[Craig09]

ok do u mean by media used filter padds

 

[Craig09]

ok wot do you mean by mature media and how would i do it

 

[Craig09]

ok wot do you mean by mature media and how would i do it .

 

[scatz]

if someone has a "dirty" filter sponge that would fit into your filter, that would be ideal
by mature, we just mean media that is already seeded