Getting grief from tank!

[BobthePlec]

Well, i know it there are other threads out there that are almost the same, but none seem to quite have a sol'n for my problem! Or at least I don't understand them if they do. Our little 5 gal tank has been running for almost 3 weeks now and the nitrites are still testing higher than they should be. There has been no noticeable drop on the NO2- levels, they stay @ 5.0 ppm. the other levels are: NO3- 20ppm (i mean 10 ppm) NH3/NH4+ 0 pH 7.8 (and holding steady) we have 2 zebra danios in there and they seem to be doing alright, but my bf put a golden apple snail in and he died after a few days. ( i told him not to put it in there!) We also have 1 java fern in the tank.

I realize i should probably just be patient, but there have been no changes in the tank parameters for about 2 weeks. :x It's frustrating!

20 gal is doin alright, except for an outbreak of ick (see dif thread)

Thanks for help! sorry this is long

Cori

 

[Menagerie]

Do a 50% PWC--the nitrite level may be too high and may be hindering the growth of the bacteria needed.

 

[BobthePlec]

We have done daily 10-25% changes plus i believe he has tried a 50% change as well. He's adds conditioner with every change and he's used some bio stuff(not sure what it's called) to the water in ha few changes as well.

I guess i'll just have to be patient, although i have LFS stumped as to why it's sticking on my nitrites!

 

[An t-iasg]

I can sympathize. I'm cycling a 5 gallon tank right now and I thought it was stuck on .25 ammonia. I took some water to the hatchery that I go to and they said ammonia was 0 and I was beginning to show some nitrite.

Is the lfs double-checking the water parameters for you? What conditioners are you adding at each change? Can you check what the "bio-stuff" is?

I guess we'll have to be patient! Keep doing your water changes, but don't vaccuum the gravel too much, if at all. You may be disturbing the good bacteria by vaccing. Later on, when the tank cycles, vac about half the tank at each water change. But for now, wait on the vac -- just use it to pull out water for changes.

 

[BobthePlec]

the bio stuff is big al's multi-purpose bio support water conditioner is proquatics. BF hasn'tused the bio support in a bit and has vacced the tank a couple of times over the last week or so. Should we add more of the biosupport?? He doesn't listen to me much...figures he knows more than me...but he's the one who put a snail in there when i said it would die (mean guy poor snail)

I'm doing a 10-15% PWC in the morning on my 20 gal, so i'll do one on his too i guess.

Also, i find my lfs isn't always very withit. Sometimes they are all right, but not usually. When they test, they only use the 5 in 1 type strips, which i find aren't as accurate cause we used those at first. Now we have a nice little Aquarium Pharmaceuticals master kit, works better than those generic strips. (being a science student helps, i like playing with chemicals!)

Anyway, sry this is so long...thanksfor all the advice! night

 

[malkore]

FYI, the snail may not have died. It's not uncommon for a snail to pull into its shell for 4-5 days. Best way to tell if a snail is actually dead is to pull him outta the tank, and sniff it. If it smells like rotting meat, it's dead. If it smells like the tank, it's likely still alive.
Apple snails eat plants too...so your java fern would've just been a salad.

 

[BobthePlec]

Nah, snail was dead, poor bugger. Didn't move for a couple of days, his shell was cracked with a small hole when we got him, and his shell was losing colour and looking thin when BF took him out of the tank. (was almost transparent in places)

thanks for the fyi though, we'll remember that if we happen to get another snail

Cori

 

[Menagerie]

the bio stuff is big al's multi-purpose bio support water conditioner is proquatics

This isn't doing much for you, if anything thing at all. I would stop using this and allow nature to take its course. The danios are giving off ammonia and the bacteria should be building up. What kind of filter are you using?

 

[BobthePlec]

Which one?? LOL

BF has 3 filters! Two internals, a fluval 1 plus with added media in it, and an elite 5 stingray. he also has a top fin 10 with bio3 filters in it. I told him he was crazy!


I think our website has more specs on our tanks (20 gal, 5 gal, 2 gal) check out my sig!

Thanks for all your help too btw

 

[Menagerie]

Hagen 5 US Gallon Tank (Bought as a kit)
Elite 5 internal filter (Came with kit)
Top Fin 10 side mounted filter
Fluval 1 internal filter
50W heater
25W dual spectrum flourescent bulb

For a 5 gal, that's too much filtration. The fish must feel like they are in a washing machine!!
This may be why the tank isn't cycling. The bacteria may be too spread out. I would immediately cut back to one filter and see if the tank cycles. The internal fluval is just fine for that tank.

 

[BobthePlec]

thanks Menagerie!

I'll let him know