Bad water help!!

[stevenht]

I just tested my water and this was the result.

NO3 - 80 mg/l
NO2 - 3 mg/l
pH - 7
KH - 120 mg/l
GH - 180 mg/l

I have a 20H with live plants.
Currently in the tank -
1 - Dwarf Gourami
4 - Blood Fin Tetras
1 - Sword tail
1 - kuhli loach
and a lot of Amazon Swords.

I think the problem is my HOB filter. It was nasty so I was soaking it in the water that I did a water change with and it's still filthy. I haven't replaced the thing since I started my aquarium about 8 weeks ago. I have a sponge filter going in there right now and turned off the HOB.

I just did a water change yesterday.
I haven't added any plants (I was about to) in a while or fish in a while. Fish don't seem stressed at all. Dwarf Gourami is still doing his thing bossing everybody around like he has been for awhile. Tetras are still extremely active. Sword tail is eating algae off plants. Everybody seems normal. I haven't had water problems up til this point.

 

[Fresh2o]

Sounds like the cycle has not completed it has been interrupted.
How long has the HOB filter been off? Chances are the beneficial bacteria that has been growing in there may be on the decline since it is off. That's fine...the sponge filter should pickup the slack eventually. At this point, performing regular water changes will keep the nitrite and nitrate in check.
As for the HOB filter, what type is it? I like the Fluval/AquaClear HOBs. The vertical flow allows you to customize the media (not bound to proprietary cartridges). Currently I used loose filter floss and ceramic media (in a mesh bag). Periodically I change the filter floss, remove the ceramic media, shake it out in water I've removed, and put it back. I don't use the sponge or carbon media that came with it.


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[stevenht]

It's just some Tetra Whisper. This HOB has a really strong flow and doesn't allow my fish to swim through it so I replaced it with a homemade $10 sponge filter. I've been letting it run in that tank for a while with my HOB filter on. I just turned it off today after my water results were bad. Should I allow it to run while my sponge filter catches up?

 

[HookedOnFishh]

You probably haven't changed the filiter in awhile which has caused this high levels of bad water rinse out your sponge and do a water change it should be better.

Remember rinse and clean your filter every 1-1 1/2 months


"Been a fish owner since I was born."

 

[stevenht]

I just got my sponge filter up and running about a week ago. I wanted to replace the HOB filter with the sponge filter so I guess this is a good time to do it?

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[stevenht]

Will me replacing filters cause me to restart my cycle?

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[Fresh2o]

What is the ammonia reading? The presence of nitrite sounds like the cycle did not quite come to completion. How long has this tank been running? The dirty filter cartridge might mean the fish are overfed (one nice thing about doing a fishless cycle...no physical, filter clogging waste). Switching filters while cycling the tank will most likely set things back a bit. Might be too late to turn the HOB filter back on with the existing filter cartridge (BB died off?). I would replace the cartridge and continue run it to reduce the amount of physical waste.


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[stevenht]

Thanks for the replay fresh. I was worried it was the filter. The tank has been up and running over a month now at least.

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[stevenht]

I don't have a ammonia test kit on me. Do the ammonia lock products or anything that supposedly gets rid of the ammonia work?

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[stevenht]

I did a water test about a week ago and the numbers were all normal. So something threw it out of wack

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[Fresh2o]

API's FW Master kit has an ammonia test kit. When I was doing my last fishless cycle I was testing at least once per day. I would record the parameters in a log along with temperature, date/time, and any changes to equipment or live stock. I'm lazy now and test maybe every few months. Tank is stable and I rarely by any new fish. That fishless cycle only took 15 days (9 days of running the new filter in an established tank with a portion of established media in it plus 6 days of running it in the new tank. By day 5-6 it was reducing 4 ppm ammonia to zero with zero nitrites). A more humane approach IMO.
During the early stages of cycling fluctuations in stocking or feeding can set back the completion date. That's why it's recommended to stock low initially, monitor parameters carefully, and be stringent about performing water changes. As the filter(s) mature, then you can think about adding more stock.


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[Fresh2o]

I don't have a ammonia test kit on me. Do the ammonia lock products or anything that supposedly gets rid of the ammonia work?

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Those products simply neutralize it (change it temporarily to a less harmful state) but do not remove it. Water changes, an established biofilter, and plants will remove it. Zeolite will absorb ammonia as well.


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[stevenht]

I have about 3-4 mature Argentine Swords and 3-4 more Amazon Swords. I have a newly planted dwarf carpet and crypto on the other side around my driftwood. I also have about 7-10 ghost shrimp. It fluctuates based on if I can see them or not.

I also had to temporarily move a black neon tetra from my 10g into my 20 (almost got nipped to death). He has managed to lose his color. The only visible color is the neon strip running the length of his body. The Black stripe is completely gone. I'm about to do 2 30% water changes today. Once now and once before I go to bed. Hopefully this combats the problem and puts me back on the right track.

I may risk the tetras and throw them in my 5.5g quarantine tank just until I can get this under control. I'm more worried about losing Fred (my DG) and he has a past with those Blood Fin Tetras (they do close and low fly-by's on him and pisses him off). If that black neon Tetra is stressed enough to lose color, then I can't imagine what Fred is going through. I know DG aren't as hardy as Tetras and I honestly would rather lose a Tetra or two than Fred. My 5.5g is established and cycled. As is my 10g that has plenty of room (only 2 female bettas and they don't fight! They came from the same tank at a LFS. They said they were sisters) and I have 2 corys in there to clean up after their terrible swimming habits.

I may just get all those super hardy fish out of there and leave Fred in there. and my loach cause I can't catch him lol. I really don't have a choice because 10 is a small tank for him and 4 other fish and a 5.5g is out of the question.

 

[stevenht]

Would it help if I take the cartridge out and just let the HOB filter run with the black biofilter or sponge or whatever it is?

 

[stevenht]

Update

Just did a 30% water change and my black neon tetra has regained his stripe along the side. He hasn't doesn't have a opaque appearance to his body.

Tested water and NO2 is still hovering around the 3 mg/l mark!

 

[Fresh2o]

Would it help if I take the cartridge out and just let the HOB filter run with the black biofilter or sponge or whatever it is?

Is the cartridge separate from the biofilter/sponge? If so, then definitely change the cartridge and continue to use the biofilter. If you run it without the cartridge, then most likely you will foul the biofilter (clog it with debris and severely reduce its effectiveness).


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[stevenht]

Yes it is. I'm just gonna leave it off at this point. It's been 2 days and my sponge filter is way better anyways and my sword tail and shrimp love picking at it

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