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Anyone able to offer advice would be greatly appreciated. I had a forum for my Parrot fish in "Diseases" but I've moved here to hardware coz my fish are dying and I'm battling a NH3 of 8.0 - don't know why. I have just detected it and have been treating it with API Ammo Lock - 33 ml (250L tank) each two days.

* Tank set up is 5 weeks old.
* Filter is 6 months old and used before on my first 4' tank but tank sprung a leak and I had to change over to new tank.

Could it be the filter above isn't working in the new tank? The biological matter I'm using came with the filter, I haven't bought extra. There are little black plastic balls and round grey circular noddle type things about an inch long. Are they sufficient? Which of the two are the 'carbon'?

I don't have all that many fish in a 250L tank.
They are all small (youngish):
1 x T.Bar Cichlid
1 x Adult Krib (ill)
1 x Parrot Cichlid (ill)
1 x Horseface (?unsure)
4 x Peppered catfish (about 1.5" long)
plus a few plants.

HELP PLEASE
Marc

Hi,
An ammonia reading of 8 is not exceptional in a newly
cycling tank. While it normally will surge to 6, it
is not unknown for it to hit 8.

Before we all panic, I suggest you publish
the test results for Nitrite and Nitrate as well. Also,
I would confirm that ammonia reading by taking it somewhere
such as your LFS and have them test the water.
An additional caviat... Many of these chemicals we add to
our tanks to speed up cycling, or to control ammonia in a
cycling tank simply change the molecule slightly thus
making the "ammonia" a "harmless" version. Unfortunately,
the test kits don't recognize the difference and simply
add the two together. So, you could have an actual ammonia
reading of much less than the kit is revealing.

Also, I assume that this is a brand new test kit, and
that you are NOT using test strips for testing?

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

"Also, I assume that this is a brand new test kit, and
that you are NOT using test strips for testing?

Sounds as though they are a bad thing, but I can assure you that I'm not. I'm using the API test kits.

Nitrite reading as of today is 0.1

I have been to my LFS and am following his advice. Have done a PH reading = 6.0, then water change 50%. Done PH reading on raw tap water = 7.0. Then did PH and NO2 reading. PH still 6.0 and NO2 is 0.1

Have added biological matter to the tank and have to continue to do this for seven days. He asked me if I had washed the filter lately and I said "Yes" and I had rinsed it out with 'raw' tap water. OH MI GOD!!! BIG BIG mistake apparently. This has caused more harm than good.

After the 50% water change the NH3 reading has dropped to 4.0. So i have to continue to add the biological liquid for 7 days. Cannot feed fish for seven days and continue to monitor the NO2 - which 50% water changes will cure eventually.

How does all this sound to you?

Regards, Marc

Hi Marc,
I'd say you are getting good advice and that the tank
is cycling.

From your filter cleaning comments, I gather that you
were told "Don't do that!" The chlorine and chloramine
in the tap water is designed to kill bacteria, the very
"stuff" you are trying to grow in the filter! The best
thing to do is to clean the filter during the water
change by taking it apart and rinsing it off in a bucket
of the drained water. Then replace the filter material
in the order it was removed. In most cases you don't have
to tear the filter completely apart and instead only rinse
off/out, the media (stuff) in the primary section. That is
the section that is first exposed to the "raw water" from
the tank. The succeeding sections are going to be cleaner
than that first section and may not need the cleaning
that the first sections do.

The test strips are notorious for giving poor readings.
There are several variables with them that don't exist
in test kits like the API one and others. They depend
upon ones vision (color blindness, trying to read in
poor light, and folks "guessing" when the results are
not an exact match) They are also subject to moisture
and light. Either of them will affect the chemicals
in the paper and give false readings. This is why the
strips must be stored in a cool, dry container, and in
a dark location.

With the API and others, you add drops of a reagent into
a vial of test water, and when the water changes color
you have your reading. They (API) have improved over the
years and now the change that they call for as you add
the reagent, drop by drop, is even more ounced making
the results even more apparent. Still, with these test
kits, you need to be sure that the kits are not out of date.
Kits that are out of date can also give errors in readings.
Many LFS's don't through away, or return out of date kits
and instead move them to the front of the stock to get rid
of them first. Its just too expensive for them to do that,
and unlike foodstuff and medications, there are no laws
that forbid it.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks for your help Frank. I will let you know how it all goes in a few days. Fingers crossed - NH3 and NO2 will be 0.0 very soon.
I've lost the last of my Nics and my Krib is looking ill. But these aren't expensive fish, just upsetting when you see they are weakening and falling ill and I know now that I caused it.
Still, re-stocking is always fun.
Marc