Help my fish are dying!

[Kasakato]

How high? Like a number?

 

[mishi8]

I have gone through so many fish that I thought my tank was cycled. I changed 1/3 of main tank and 1/2 of hospital tank. I just added salt and upped the circulation in my main tank thinking there might not be enough oxygen as my fish are gasping at the surface....does anyone reccomend a complete water change on my main tank? My main tank levels are off the charts for nitrite (so purple not on card) and between 7.2 and 7.4 for ph. My hopsital tank is very acidic (6.2) and has high nitrites also.

No, don't do a complete water change, it will change the water too drastically all at once, do back to back 50% water changes instead. And be prepared to do a lot more changes yet. They're likely gasping due to the high nitrites. Really high nitrites can kill your fish.

 

[jacqueline2215]

how often should i change it....should i do more tonight? the nitrite levels are over 5.0

 

[Kasakato]

!!!!!
That's like HIGH. And I mean HIGH.
I would do back to back 75% water changes until it goes below 0.25

You need to keep doing as many water changes as it takes, every day to keep the ammonia and nitrites below 0.25ppm. After a while they will both go to zero (ammonia then nitrite) and you will see nitrates. When your levels are 0-0-5TO20 (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) your tank is cycled.

 

[jacqueline2215]

so i should do more changes tonight?

 

[rich311k]

Yes your levels are very dangerous your fish will appreciate it.

 

[Kasakato]

Do them NOW! Anything above 0.25 is bad.

 

[jacqueline2215]

ok i got my ph down mostly and nitrite down a little on my hospital tank. my ph on my main tank is also ok but nitrites are still over 5.0! and i did at least a 50% water change and changed my filter on my main tank.

 

[Kasakato]

How did you change it? You dont want to be messing with that druing the cycle. [the filter media] And whats the pH level? Looks like more water changes.

 

[jacqueline2215]

i have cartidges that go in and i put a new one in cuz the water was flowing over the old one. ph is 6.8-7.0