This irish girl needs help :-)

[donna541]

Hi I am totally new to fish keeping and really need some help if u could share ur knowledge I have a 90l tank and I was told by my local pet store to set up the tank and leave it to run so I did this and left it 2 weeks before I added any fish . I then added 6 neon tetras and had them in 2 weeks b4 I added any other fish I then discovered this website and have now been frightened at all my fish are going to die. I purchased an Api master kit today and my results are ph over 7.6, *high ph 8.2, ammonia .25 ppm, nitrite over 5ppm, nitrate 10 ppm.. Wat do I do ?? The tank has been running total for just over 5 weeks ! Please help*

 

[Rscomia]

Was it running five weeks before you put the fish in> What did you use to cycle the tank?

 

[roydooms]

Hi I am totally new to fish keeping and really need some help if u could share ur knowledge I have a 90l tank and I was told by my local pet store to set up the tank and leave it to run so I did this and left it 2 weeks before I added any fish . I then added 6 neon tetras and had them in 2 weeks b4 I added any other fish I then discovered this website and have now been frightened at all my fish are going to die. I purchased an Api master kit today and my results are ph over 7.6, *high ph 8.2, ammonia .25 ppm, nitrite over 5ppm, nitrate 10 ppm.. Wat do I do ?? The tank has been running total for just over 5 weeks ! Please help*

You need to lower your ammonia and nitrites below .25ppm. I would do a 75% PWC now. Then a 50% tomorrow morning and night. Your goal is to keep your ammonia and nitrite below .25ppm until your tank cycles.

 

[roydooms]

The first 2 weeks that you ran your tank doesn't count in cycling your tank because there is no ammonia present.

 

[roydooms]

Here is a great article about nitrogen cycle...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/fishless-cycling-for-dummies-103339.html

 

[donna541]

I feel so bad as I didn't know any of this b4 reading ur forums :-( the fish have been in for 3 weeks.

 

[roydooms]

Here is great article by HN1...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

 

[roydooms]

I feel so bad as I didn't know any of this b4 reading ur forums :-( the fish have been in for 3 weeks.

You should be in a panic mode with your nitrites at 5ppm. You would want to lower that ASAP. Are you able to do a PWC now?

 

[mommytron]

welcome to AA!

don't panic, this is fixable.

do a PWC as soon as you possibly can. take out 75% or more of the water. you want to keep your ammonia and nitrites below .25ppm to keep it safe for the fish. however with those readings, it sounds like you're close to the end of your cycle. just plant to do daily 50% or more PWC's until your ammonia and nitrite drop and stay at 0ppm (for 24+ hours). then you can whittle it down to weekly 50% PWCs.

there are a lot of great threads and stickies about cycling tanks with and without fish. definitely look around the forums and do some reading on the nitrogen cycle.

 

[donna541]

I will definitely do a water change is it going to be enough ?? My fish arnt doomed are they :-(

 

[mommytron]

no, they are not doomed. it will take a little bit of work, but you can definitely manage this. just test your water every single day, and do a water change anytime ammonia or nitrite are above .25ppm or if nitrate is above 40ppm. just keep in mind, if you take out half the water, it will cut your readings in half, so do PWC's accordingly (ex. if your ammonia reads 4ppm and you do a 50% PWC your ammonia would then be at 2ppm, which is still too high, so you'd want to do a larger or a second water change)

 

[roydooms]

I will definitely do a water change is it going to be enough ?? My fish arnt doomed are they :-(

Your fish will be fine. If you do a 75% PWC now it will lower your nitrite to 1.25ppm. Still toxic for the fish though. If you'll do another 75% PWC tonight or tomorrow morning the latest, nitrite will be around .30ppm. I would do another 50PWC later that day to lower it below .25ppm.

 

[donna541]

This is a fantastic thread I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! I will just get stuck in .. Any good tips on doing large pwc's ??

 

[roydooms]

Do you have a python or regular gravel vac? I would recommend just cleaning part of your substrate each time you do a PWC for some of the beneficial bacteria lives in the substrate. If you're going to be doing a few PWCs a day, I would not clean the gravel all the time you do a PWC and just replace the water. IMO, twice a week of cleaning your gravel is more than enough.

 

[donna541]

I have a python.. Sorry wat does IMO mean ?? How do u store and condition ur water b4 a pwc sorry I really am a newbe :-( but u's r being great and all ur knowledge is greatly appreciated x

 

[roydooms]

I have a python.. Sorry wat does IMO mean ?? How do u store and condition ur water b4 a pwc sorry I really am a newbe :-( but u's r being great and all ur knowledge is greatly appreciated x

"in my opinion"

Anyway, you would want your tap water temp to be the same temp as your aquarium water to reduce stress on your fish. Sudden change of water temp is not good for the fish. Do you have a water conditioner? You can add the water straight to the tank from the faucet using the python. Add the water conditioner first in your tank right before adding water. Dose for the whole tank and not just for the new water to be added. You can also put the water in a big container , add water conditioner first of halfway then put it in your tank.

 

[jcolon]

I have a python.. Sorry wat does IMO mean ?? How do u store and condition ur water b4 a pwc sorry I really am a newbe :-( but u's r being great and all ur knowledge is greatly appreciated x

Welcome to AA

As you found out ... the member here are very knowledgable and want your fish to thrive.

I assume you are going to use your tap water for your water changes ..? If so, then I assume it has chlorine in it? If so, then you FIRST either have to put some dechlorinator which you can get at your LFS (local fish store). You do NOT EVER want to put chlorinated tap water in your tank. It will kill whatever beneficial bacteria you have. Any cleaning of ornaments or filter material should always be done during a PWC using the tank water you removed.

IMO (in my opinion) you can still help out your fish ... just stay on top of the PWC's.

 

[donna541]

Thanks I will let u's know how I'm getting on many thanks x

 

[roydooms]

You're welcome

 

[mollymama]

Just wanted to let you know I just went through what you're going through now, and after 2 weeks of daily water changes (50%) I finally got a low reading on nitrites! 2 weeks ago I would have bet money I was going to lose one of my two fish, she was so bad off. But thanks to the folks here offering much of the same advice you have received already, I believe our cycle is ending and am pretty sure both fish are going to live! Good luck!!