Desperate in need of help before I throw in the towel - Amonia issues!

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David Y

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Feb 24, 2015
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All,

I am hoping someone can help me - I am desperate for help.

About 5 weeks ago I set up a new tank for my kids and I to start with Guppies and a few Catfish.

70 LT tank - planted nicely, rock and nice piece of drift wood - all boiled and cleaned. Filter - outside tank. Nice light.

Tank water in, salts, declorinator, - left for 8 days - tests down with API test kit - Amonia 0, Nitities 0, PH normal, Nitrates good. KH and GH good....Temp 26.5 C

Ok - 6 guppies and 2 small Catfish go in - all good - light feeds. One of the females has babies - all still survive now around 10.

Then - 1 female gets rough cauliflower growth on back. And one other female the same.

From there tests go all over the place - I was doing 50% water changes, each day for 4-5 days, still no change to Amonia, PH then drops dramictally and Nitrites start to blow out.

Vacumed the gravel daily to get all the poo & food - lots of debris in the water - even now. Lost 5 of the 6 guppies - all fry still alive one Guppy still looks fine, Catfish ok

Last week I go to Aquarium in Coburg - tell me to STOP everything - no water changes, no vac, stop feeding, gave me Stability to put in as they say I haven't cycled - not enough bactaria.

Start to put in each night.

Now PH is a touch high but ok around 7.6-7.7, Nitrites were 0 now over last day have started to go up slightly, Nitrates ok, Amonina still OFF THE CHART at 4.

Haven't feed for 3 days - did a very small 15% water change last night. Tested this morning - the same results - M STRESSED and I need someone anyone to help!

Hope someone can right back.

david
 

jpappy789

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Feb 18, 2007
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API liquid or strip test kit?

You definitely need to do water changes if that ammonia reading is correct. Water changes wont hurt the bacteria you need, and that's definitely not good for the fish.

What type of catfish are they?
 

David Y

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Feb 24, 2015
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I have an AQUA 1000 external filter - (the extraction sits very close to the gravel in the back left of the tank next to the heater. I use a liquid test kit. I also have an airstone. If I wave the plants or gravel a large amount of debris goes into the water. (I think its large anyway. HELP!
 

David Y

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Feb 24, 2015
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Sorry - how much water should I take out and how often based on above? Your help is greatly appreciated!
 

deetles

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Feb 10, 2015
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I found some info on a website regarding your filter...it states that every week you need to check that the intake strainer isn't clogged with debris.....it does not sound right that u have debris on your plants...I've never heard of that...it sounds to me like u need to check your maintenance guide for that filter and go through it really well( the filter)...I would think all the water changes in the world wouldn't help if its not filtering the junk out or maybe its spitting it back out into the tank....if u need help with it call the store you bought it from or the manufacturer...keep us posted!
 

SnakeIce

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May 4, 2002
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What kind of substrate did you plant your plants in?

The tests seem to show that the additive they gave you or perhaps the normal process has started since you are getting nitrite readings. Now both ammonia and nitrite are harmful to fish in any concentration, so waterchanges are much needed. You do need to make sure you have something to deal with chlorine in your water if that is in the source you have since that would be harmful to the bacteria that make up the "cycle". These bacteria live on the surfaces where you have water flow, so water changes themselves don't hurt your progress.

How much were you feeding? A fish's waste production is small, unless they are getting fed, and the waste amount can be greatly increased if there is wasted food that decomposes. It is true that small fish like that can go a day or two without food just fine, and if you keep your feeding amount really small that would help as well.

So I recommend daily water changes as you were doing before and every other day feeding of at most a medium sized flake for each fish, less for very small fish. Over feeding is one cause of high ammonia readings, and that will only hurt your fish. Once you start seeing low or no ammonia or nitrite readings you could slowly start adding in feeding times but not increasing the amount per fish at each feeding. With your stock you could later feed twice a day.
 

SnakeIce

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May 4, 2002
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A related but sepparate issue: how are your plants doing? Are they growing? What kinds of plants did you put in? What light did you get? Plants can help your fish if they are growing, but if they are just dropping leaves they add to the problem.
 
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