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Do a 50% water change immediately. Continue to change water every other day (or every day if you deem it neccessary) until these go down. (ammonia must be at 0.0, same for nitrite)

When did you buy it? Is it cycled?

Last edited by smantzer at 11-Feb-2005 23:20

Agreed - a new thread has been started in this forum (Water Quality).

Otherwise, good luck BBB in treating your problem :-)

Okay I agree you have to find the underlaying cause of the mini-cycle or spike, good point

Those products do contain beneficial bacteria. These bacterial will colonise providing if they do have a suitable environment and a food source. Environment being a aquarium that is with in their tempature range, water that is suitable and they a surface or media to colonize. They have a food source from fish waste, respiration, urine, rotting and decaying organic material and whatever else. There is science and data to back this up and it varies depend on manufractures, books and/or websties.

Lets not rob this topic anymore. Set up another topic if you like to discuss this further. Future input from other members would be beneficial.

Good luck with your tank blueeyes and keep us posted>>>>>>>>>>>>>>openwater

yes i use a dechrolinater for both types of cholrine... i will look for that type of filter i hope i fix this major problem..

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 14-Feb-2005 22:46

OpenWater - that's what I said - I'm just stressing the fact that its not a good long term solution (which is what those products are often marketed as). It may mask the problem for a while, but if the source isn't identified, it won't help in the long run.

I do not believe, though, that these bacteria are exactly the same species as found in nature. The physico-chemical conditions in the bottle are going to be very different to the conditions in a tank, or in a natural stream/river/whatever - they may well be related species, but I find it difficult to believe that they'd be the same. Its a common theme in microbial biological control the world over - the bacteria are added to an environment similar, but not identical to their standard conditions, to a do particular job, which they will do for a time before dieing off.

Last edited by geesloper at 14-Feb-2005 22:46

My only concern that using that bottle water is doesn't have the same parameters as the tap water which I believe you using for your water in the tank normally. It's good that it has some minerials still, as pure water should only be used for topping up the tank between water changes. I would switch back to the tap water or your normal source.

Did you test your tap water?

I would personnally use the tap water.
-It matches the water you use normally
-less money
providing it tested okay.

Are you using a water conditioner for both cholrine and chlorimane



Your filter I believe is made by marineland labs. Like their bio-wheels, but without the biowheels. and I think it is good for 15 gal max. If i'm wrong please someone correct me.

If you want a cheaper alternative to the bio-wheel filter I would recommend an aquaclear 200, they changed the packaging and I think they are calling it aquaclear 40 so just ask the lfs worker for the right one.

-They are really good for that tank size
-cheap
-easly to maintain
-lots of media choices
-reliable

The bio-max ceramic rings work really well as a addition bio-filter with the aquaclears


The nitrite will not probably come down to safer levels for several days to over a week. So be patience and do water changes to try keep the nitrite to half of what you have now( 5 PPM).

Last edited by openwater at 14-Feb-2005 22:43

sowwy folks im just shocked and sad about this whole thing i cant stop paniking!

i tested my tap water for Ammonia and my results came to 0ppm

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 14-Feb-2005 21:51

ive also noticed while doing the water change that my water smells a little bit different than before and there is a blurry slim coat on the inside of the tank i scrubbed a little bit to see if i would be able to remove it and it did come off

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 14-Feb-2005 21:53

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 14-Feb-2005 21:54

im running on a aqua-tech 5-15 power filter and the filter uses EZ-Change #1 filter cartridges... i dont think that filter has enough power to take care of a 20gal.... once i get things settled im going to get a better filter with a bio-wheel.. now i am doing another water change as we speak i am adding the same tempature as the tank water but as i was slowly poring the bottled water i noticed it said minarels added for extra taste.... so i checked it out and found out that it contains calcium chloride, magnesiume chrolide, and sodium chloride.. will this harm my water, fish, and filter? plz help im such a stupid idiot!

this type of thing has never happend to me before and its all hapinning at the same time!

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 14-Feb-2005 21:40

In terms of products like Cycle and Stress Zyme - Neither of those two are good long term solutions - the bacteria they introduce are unlikely to survive long term (although they may well have a highly positive effect in the short term). Unless the natural nitrifying bacteria are able to re-establish themselves, the problem will likely recur when you stop using the culture product.

Gleesoper this product are a helper to start bacteria colonies and not a every dayer, week additive. The reason for reccomended this product is to help boost or to provide a ton more of benefical bacteria. The addition of this product to an established aquarium with an heathly bio-filter is completely not needed. It just waste money and product, well mostly money. BUT in time of need such as minicycles and cycle these product are almost a must in my opinion. Especially a must if you experience a spike or mini-cycle with fish that are extremely sensitive to ammonia or nitrite. Also the bacteria they introduce are the same bacteria found in nature.

Last edited by openwater at 14-Feb-2005 20:16

What filter are u running???

I want to know and this is like four times asking.

geesloper what do you suggest me doing? i mean if my water results are so bad then why dont i have dead fish floating around? i counted my fish and all are there and seem very healthy...

Good idea getting the water tested at a LFS.

In terms of products like Cycle and Stress Zyme - Neither of those two are good long term solutions - the bacteria they introduce are unlikely to survive long term (although they may well have a highly positive effect in the short term). Unless the natural nitrifying bacteria are able to re-establish themselves, the problem will likely recur when you stop using the culture product.

Last edited by geesloper at 14-Feb-2005 19:39

they are about 2 months old... i dont know if my test kit has gone bad.. im going to take a little sample to my lfs and get an accurate result i hope the results turn up good.. while im there i will buy some salt and that cycle thingi and do some water changes..

You might want to wait a few hours after a water change before testing your water again - if you test immediately after a change, you can get some pretty dodgy readings.

Also, how old are your test kits? I had some kits that were reading some fairly odd levels - levels that were not detectable when I replaced the kits with new ones.

0.25ppm ammonia will still kill fish in the long run.

OMG! i just tested my water for the heck of it and WOW did something change or go wrong! my ammonia is at 0.50 and my Nitrite was tested to be at 0.50!! HELP! what can i do to make my water back to normal???!? i dont want my beautiful fishes to die! right now i have 7 live plants 7 platies 2 cories(getting more) 4 red-eyed tetras and 2 apple snails! i have a 20gal with a heater, lighter, and filter!

so here are my tests
PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0.50
Nitrite: 0.50
Nitrate: 5.0

PLZ help!]:|:#(

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 11-Feb-2005 22:10

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 13-Feb-2005 21:28

how long has this tank been set up.. did u recently change the filter or gravel vac?.. ur plants should be helpin out with the ammonia level. did u retest to make sure that you didnt get an odd test somehow?

this tank has been up for 6 months i think what caused this was because i added a new cartridge to my filter....but im not sure i will do a 50% water change as wwe speak and keep testing the tank and post the results! thanks so much

Last edited by BabyBlueEyes at 12-Feb-2005 00:13

OMG!! this is so bad im going to faint im like shaking i dont know what to do!! i did a 50% water change and things got WORSE!! my fish are doing great but my water quality is going bazerk!

PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 5.0!!
Nitrate: 160!!


PLZ help me i dont know whats wrong! should i keep doing water changes should i not do anymore water changes? should i clean my filter? HELP!

Dont clean the filter.. check the whole tank for dead fish decaying plant matter anything at all.. dont gravel vac when u do water changes. even if u have some fish mulm.. this is an aerobic area that nitrifing bacteria will use.. do a 50% water change as often as u can.. if it where me.. i would add the water slowly. syphon it in with a airtube.. that way u dont get a dramatic change, give the fish a lil time to adjust to the water conditions.. since u have some plants already i would add some floating plants if u can find some (duckweed, waterhyacinth, water lettice).. since these plants arent limited to the co2 they can pull from the water (they also pull co2 from the air) they will be using ammonium from the water faster then plants that are completely submerged.. also if there is a lfs near i would add some New improved Cycle.. this is basicly bottled nitrifing bacteria. Act quick witht the water change's but try not to disturb any surface area(glass, plant leaves, gravel, filter, decor).. as frequent as u can.. and the Cycle WILL help.. make sure u refridgerate after opening. Also if it is at all possible to move a fish or two to another cycled tank i would do this ASAP.. if you can move i would move the apple snails or/and the platties first... i would think those to be the hardier and best at taking a lil shock (shock of moving is probly worse shorterm than the bad water quality)

just wondering.. did u gravel vac and change filter in the same day? ive always thought that might cause a minicycle but have never done it.. if u find out what caused it, let us know so hopefully others can aviod it in the future

Good luck man,
CJ

when i was told to do a 50% water change i did a gravel vac to suck up the water.... was that a bad thing?