Help please!!!! All of my fish are dying!!

[ff.rice]

I need help, I lost 2 cichlids yesterday. And 2 more aren't looking good today.... My chems are

Ammonia .50
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 80
Ph 7.4

I'm raising my ph..... I didn't know my water was that low..... And Idk what to do about the rest of the chems?!?! Is there a fast way to fix them before its too late?!?!

 

[roydesilva]

You shouldn't have any ammonia, have you cycled your tank? And if so how old is your tank?

 

[mikem691]

water changes.

 

[CalebZachary]

Do a 75% W/C ASAP. Get seachem prime conditioner and dose for full size of tank. Wait two days do a 50% W/C. Keep dosing for full size of aquarium.

 

[jwh0818]

You need to do a water change them trates are too high when was your last water change?

 

[slayer72]

What size is your tank?

 

[ff.rice]

It's a 55..... And I just did a water change and this started!!! I just went and bought RODI water and did a 10 gallon change just because its all the jugs I had...... And I don't want to use house water any more because its what started this I think

 

[ff.rice]

I use a HOB and a canister filter..... And I normally alternate which ones I clean when I do water changes..... This time I cleaned the HOB..... Should I clean the canister now?!?! Couldn't that be the source of the nitrates?!?! I also changed foods right about the same time..... Uuuggghhhh!!!!! So frustrating!

 

[CalebZachary]

Also, don't add any PH altering chemicals That will make it worse. Are you using prime? Don't clean both the HOB and canister at the same time. You'll develop Nitrites and ammonia then.

 

[jwh0818]

I use a HOB and a canister filter..... And I normally alternate which ones I clean when I do water changes..... This time I cleaned the HOB..... Should I clean the canister now?!?! Couldn't that be the source of the nitrates?!?! I also changed foods right about the same time..... Uuuggghhhh!!!!! So frustrating!

When you say cleaned please explain that? If you cleaned it completely you shouldn't. Did you use soap or what?

 

[ff.rice]

When you say cleaned please explain that? If you cleaned it completely you shouldn't. Did you use soap or what?

No soap.... I use the water I've removed to rinse the waste out of the filters...... It was about a week and a half ago.... Do you think I should clean the canister filter now?

 

[jwh0818]

No soap.... I use the water I've removed to rinse the waste out of the filters...... It was about a week and a half ago.... Do you think I should clean the canister filter now?

No I dont. What water conditioner do you use?

 

[reefdiver]

Are you missing any fish? I do 50 - 70 % WC clean my filters biweekly.

 

[ff.rice]

It's "Nutrifin Aqua +Plus".... I did have a Pleco missing, and by the time I found it it was minced meat! I think my cichlids had a field with it, idk how long it was dead though.... You all are bringing up all the things I've over looked that could be the problems.... You all are awesome!

 

[jwh0818]

It's "Nutrifin Aqua +Plus".... I did have a Pleco missing, and by the time I found it it was minced meat! I think my cichlids had a field with it, idk how long it was dead though.... You all are bringing up all the things I've over looked that could be the problems.... You all are awesome!

Do a gravel vac with your water change. Then dose with water conditioner ad needed. Retest in 2 hours

 

[ff.rice]

Do a gravel vac with your water change. Then dose with water conditioner ad needed. Retest in 2 hours

I don't have gravel, and I vac all of the waste off of the sand when I do water changes.

 

[jwh0818]

I don't have gravel, and I vac all of the waste off of the sand when I do water changes.

Okay then check your canister filter for dead fish parts

 

[ff.rice]

Okay then check your canister filter for dead fish parts

Thanks for all of the input and fast response..... I'm going to check my canister and hope for the best..... Sounds like there isn't anything else I can do tonight

 

[jwh0818]

Thanks for all of the input and fast response..... I'm going to check my canister and hope for the best..... Sounds like there isn't anything else I can do tonight

Well just do a water change. Thats the key to most problems