New to the site and need help ...

[Goldfish_noob]

Ok I banged and shook the ammonia bottle and then retested and it didn't change again

Update: did no2 again and still came up 0ppm.

Also just found out the misses added API stress zyme+ one capful
And microbe-lift aquatic stress relief 1 teaspoon both on Sunday

I also added the aquarium salt and melafix and popcorn seems to be swimming again just won't go to high in tank. Question guy at petco told me to shut off filter while using melafix should I do that?

 

[Lainey183]

I don't think you are testing properly. Both #1 and #2 should be in the same vile.

Are you sure you actually read the instructions?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It shouldn't be clear. Ammonia 0 is bright yellow, nitrite is sky blue and nitrate is yellow. Ammonia has two solutions in the same vile, nitrite 1 and nitrate has 2. The number 2 nitrate bottle is the one your need to shake vigorously.
Can you test your tap water and see if your getting readings?
Most definitely don't turn off the filter. That is the only thing keeping your fish alive.

 

[Hobgob]

You said you just cleaned your tank completely right? Did you empty your filter and put new inserts into it? And you ammo should be changing colours. Make sure you are following the instructions step by step. If you don't the readings will be way off.

 

[Goldfish_noob]

Sorry didn't get replies as I fell asleep I will test again once I get home from work after the melafix and salt added they seem to be all more active so I'm kinda happy

Ok the misses tested ammonia sorry for not paying attention it's .50 I'm still waiting on no2 & 3

 

[Goldfish_noob]

You said you just cleaned your tank completely right? Did you empty your filter and put new inserts into it? And you ammo should be changing colours. Make sure you are following the instructions step by step. If you don't the readings will be way off.

Yea I did clean tank completely the ammo reading is posted above now which is .50 and the filter is on.

 

[Hholly]

You need to not change your filter cartridge until it's falling apart. And when you do, add a new one for a few weeks first. So it can grow the beneficial bacteria. When the cartridge gets too gummed up, rinse it in some used tank water, not chlorinated sink water. The good bacteria that eat ammonia and nitrites live in the filter. Anytime your ammonia or nitrites reach .25 you need to change 50 % of the water. When Nitrates get over 20, you should also do a water change. Good luck!

 

[Goldfish_noob]

You need to not change your filter cartridge until it's falling apart. And when you do, add a new one for a few weeks first. So it can grow the beneficial bacteria. When the cartridge gets too gummed up, rinse it in some used tank water, not chlorinated sink water. The good bacteria that eat ammonia and nitrites live in the filter. Anytime your ammonia or nitrites reach .25 you need to change 50 % of the water. When Nitrates get over 20, you should also do a water change. Good luck!

Ok didn't know about the filter needing to be changed only when it's breaking we were just inserting a new one once a month but will start what u said. I will do the water change today when I get home after testing again.

Question if the ammo is testing .50 what water change % should I do if .25 is 50%?

 

[jlk]

You may need to do more than one 50% water change to get your ammonia levels down. Antime amm/nitrite is .25 (or higher), its time for a water change. Dont be afraid to do back to back 50% water changes. Let us know how things look when you test later on!

 

[Goldfish_noob]

You may need to do more than one 50% water change to get your ammonia levels down. Antime amm/nitrite is .25 (or higher), its time for a water change. Dont be afraid to do back to back 50% water changes. Let us know how things look when you test later on!

I will report back once I get home and do the water change. I was talking with the misses cuz she doesn't want to part with any of the fish so we gonna get a second tank when we can but get the 55 gallon for the other 5 and keep the 4 younger in the the tank we have now.

 

[Sisserydoo]

. Question guy at petco told me to shut off filter while using melafix should I do that?

What the guy should have told you is to take the carbon out of the filter, because especially if it is a brand new cartridge, it's just going to immediately remove any medicine you put in.

Either cut the filter open and dump out the carbon, or remove the cartridge altogether, but either way leave the filter running.

Then when it is time to remove the medication, you can use carbon or water changes or both.

I hope your fishies get better

 

[T11Wright33]

Bettas!

 

[Goldfish_noob]

What the guy should have told you is to take the carbon out of the filter, because especially if it is a brand new cartridge, it's just going to immediately remove any medicine you put in.

Either cut the filter open and dump out the carbon, or remove the cartridge altogether, but either way leave the filter running.

Then when it is time to remove the medication, you can use carbon or water changes or both.

I hope your fishies get better

Ok so leave filter on but remove cartridge and the black sponge thing in the filter too?

Thanks I hope they get 100% soon too. Like in a previous post they all seemed more active this morning while I was gettin ready for work. Even popcorn who's been not eating or swimming much today she was swimming fast away from us everytime someone walked by the tank lol and the red spot she had on her chin seem to fade a little overnight but still didn't want to eat the pellets floating up top. I'm gonna pick up some sinking pellets today hopefully to see if she will eat those at least

 

[Goldfish_noob]

Thing I don't understand for 6 years we've had them never had to do all this and after the kids added 4 smaller commons 6 months ago now we are dealing with all this.

 

[Hobgob]

You should only remove the carbon out of the filter. If you take all your inserts out. It won't filter.
A fish tank has biological filtration in it which builds up bacteria over time. You only get enough bacteria for the waste in the tank. When you add new fish sometimes the waste is greater then what the bacteria can handle which could cause a build up of ammonia and nitrites. This would cause your fish to go under stress. Also when you added your new fish they became note crowded causing more stress.
When a fish gets stressed, the immune system gets weaker and makes it harder for fish to fight of illnesses

 

[Sisserydoo]

Leave the black sponge thing in all the time! It's confusing, I know!

 

[Goldfish_noob]

Ok I understand that's why she had originally 8 then 3 died in 2 years then for 4 years it's just been 5 in there ad they were fine added the 4 new ones and everything went to wack it just took awhile for everything to start affecting them I guess. Well I'm trying to work out a way splitting them into two tanks just might take some time hopefully we don't suffer casualties while we are trying to get the second tank then cycle it and all the stuff I've been learning the past days.

My brain feels like its on fire from reading and intaking so much new information so quickly lol

 

[Sisserydoo]

Thing I don't understand for 6 years we've had them never had to do all this and after the kids added 4 smaller commons 6 months ago now we are dealing with all this.

Ditto what hobgob said. There's a balance between # of fish and the amount of bacteria. Then all of a sudden, there's twice as many fish, and the bacteria can't keep up. Most of the bacteria lives on the filter media, when that's changed out, there's even less bacteria.

The sad thing is most of us learn all this after we start having problems, just like you are now!

 

[Goldfish_noob]

Ditto what hobgob said. There's a balance between # of fish and the amount of bacteria. Then all of a sudden, there's twice as many fish, and the bacteria can't keep up. Most of the bacteria lives on the filter media, when that's changed out, there's even less bacteria.

The sad thing is most of us learn all this after we start having problems, just like you are now!

I wish I would've known this prior but u live and u learn. I just hope no more casualties anymore if my tank wipes then I will just cycle it properly fish less before I add any fish and this time I will do it right but I hope I can keep these healthy and alive

 

[Sisserydoo]

it might also be from having so many fish crammed up in small quarters. upgrading would spread out the aggression, along with adding some decor to help give them something to explore.

This is a good idea too. Although most of the bacteria lives in the filter, some will live on plants and decor too. And if the fish can't see each other all the time, they won't bug each other all the time.