Ammonia levels are high.
- Thread starter jamzwayne
- Start date
You really still need to get those nitrite levels to less than 0.25 ppm or they will be doing a lot of damage to the fish's gills. If you are having a lot of trouble then try adding 1 tsp of NaCl (any salt will do) as it will compete with the nitrite (I can't remember exactly how) and the fish will be able to breathe properly.
Coolness.
I removed the fish. They are happily swimming in my 10 GAL for now.
So, salt will help with the nitrite? cool.
What about the Ammonia? Few more water changes?
I removed the fish. They are happily swimming in my 10 GAL for now.
So, salt will help with the nitrite? cool.
What about the Ammonia? Few more water changes?
jamzwayne,
If the intention of using old gravel was to speed up the cycle but the gravel was being stored in your garage dry and/or without any source of ammonia, it's most likely that any bacteria on it had died long ago and using the old gravel did not provide any benefit.
If the intention of using old gravel was to speed up the cycle but the gravel was being stored in your garage dry and/or without any source of ammonia, it's most likely that any bacteria on it had died long ago and using the old gravel did not provide any benefit.
D'OH
Oh well, at least I tried
Yeah, that was my basic intensions. I took a lil bit of water from my filter on my 10GAL and added it to the filters on my 55 GAL.
Maybe that will help a lil bit, maybe?
Oh well, at least I tried
Yeah, that was my basic intensions. I took a lil bit of water from my filter on my 10GAL and added it to the filters on my 55 GAL. Maybe that will help a lil bit, maybe?
Well you learned all sorts of new things. Yeah, old water doesn't really do much but taking a sponge out of the other filter that is cycled and squeezing it really well into the new tank will add some bacteria (and dirt).
Yes, salt (NaCl) does help minimize the damage from exposure to high nitrite levels. As for ammonia, just keep doing the water changes.
Yes, salt (NaCl) does help minimize the damage from exposure to high nitrite levels. As for ammonia, just keep doing the water changes.
Still having trouble with my 55GAL.
Here's what it was at as of 7PM last night:
Nitrite is climbing (about 6.0 now)and Ammonia is steady at 1.0 Ph is about 7.2.
I tried adding a little salt (didnt help)
Water changes have gotten my Ammonia down.
Ph is good.
Do you think I might ned to empty the tank and start all over?
I was thinking it could be my test kit, but it shows my 10 GAL as perfect.
10 GAL
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
Ph - 7.4
Here's what it was at as of 7PM last night:
Nitrite is climbing (about 6.0 now)and Ammonia is steady at 1.0 Ph is about 7.2.
I tried adding a little salt (didnt help)
Water changes have gotten my Ammonia down.
Ph is good.
Do you think I might ned to empty the tank and start all over?
I was thinking it could be my test kit, but it shows my 10 GAL as perfect.
10 GAL
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - 0
Ph - 7.4
The salt won't actually lower the nitrites, it just helps the fish cope with the high levels. You will need to add about 1 tsp per gallon to really help them. And with the levels that high (of nitrite) it really is necessary to do water changes to get them down as well. This may mean massive water changes at first as a 50% water change will still (a best) only knock a few ppm off the top.
