Problems with QT/Clownfish

[blackhorse]

I have two clownfish in my 10 gallon qt tank. I am using a marineland biowheel 100 for filtration. My one clownfish is gasping for air and laying on its side. It appears to have some damage to at least one of his fins. The other fish looks fine swimming around energetically. I tested the water last night and found some ammonia (maybe .25 ppm). Then I noticed in my replacement water, which I use a 15 gallon rubbermaid container, the ammonia level was considerably higher ( maybe .50 ppm) and then after 14 hours with the sample in the test tube it went to something like 1 ppm. Last night I emptied and cleaned my replacement water container and then refilled it with "fresh" water. My many questions:

Why did I get ammonia levels in the replacement water? Should I have used a water conditioner? (I did not) . Should I do now a huge water change and how much? How do I know that all of the chemicals are out of the replacement water container after rinsing many times? ( I used dishwashing detergent to clean it).

Hobby Experience: 1 month

 

[roka64]

It sounds like you haven't cycled your QT. Also, you shouldn't have ammonia in your source water. I would look into a RO/DI unit. I also wouldn't wash out your mixing container with detergent. Just rinse it out with water when you are done. At this point I would look into getting RO/DI water from a store and start doing PWCs ASAP.

 

[Sadielynn]

Trash your mixing bucket and never use any thing like soap to clean it ...If it needs cleaned use white vinegar and rinse well... As for the clown fish it is possible that there is a domancy issue between the 2 clowns , as for the cycling of the tank how long was it up? Did you test prior to addign the 2 clowns ? IME I have found that when I added animals to our tanks that we did get a micro cycle ... What are you using for H20 source this should be 0 ... If you cant get an RO/DI unit look into using distilled water ... You may wish to do some smallish 1/2 - 1 gallon water changes daily till your perameters are at 0 again

 

[melosu58]

Hopefully you know now that you should never use soap or dishwashing soap on anything that will be used for your aquarium. Was that tap water you are adding to the tank? If so that is where your ammonia is coming from.

 

[cmor1701d]

It sounds like you are using tap water, and your tap water contains chloramine. Chloramine is a compound containing both chlorine and ammonia. It is used because it is much more stable than chlorine. It will break down over time causing the higher ammonia readings you are seeing.

Amquel (by Kordon) will neutralize both the ammonia and chlorine portions of the chloramine molecules.

The best solution as has been stated is to get a RODI unit and use that for all water changes and make up water.

 

[melosu58]

The best solution as has been stated is to get a RODI unit and use that for all water changes and make up water.

 

[fvalbr2l]

just wondering how the biowheel is working for you. i have one and heard to trash the bio wheel due to high nitrate that come with this. do you have any skimmers with your tank.

 

[cmor1701d]

A biowheel is fine for a QT/hospital tank. Fish will not be harmed by low-moderate nitrate levels.