Just Tested Water Need Help!

BigDylan420

BigDylan420

AC Members
May 23, 2007
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Alright so I just went out and bought an API test kit for my water. I have a 20 gallon aquarium with 2 dwarf gourami and 2 gold platys. Earlier this morning I really thought one of the gourami was going to die. It was really inactive and just sitting at the bottom of the tank. It has been discolored for a couple of days but everyone at the local fish stores told me that was just due to the stress. I didn't know what to do so I changed half of the water in my tank. That was about 5 or 6 hours ago and I just tested the water about 10 minutes ago.The results are as follows.....

pH-7.2
Nitrite-0ppm
Nitrate-0ppm
Ammonia-2.0ppm

I really dont know what to do. Is the pH at an okay level for my fish and what should I do to lower the ammonia? Is another partial water change what I need? The gourami seems to be doing better but he is at the top struggling to breathe it looks like. I really dont want him to die I just don't know what to do.

Thanks in advance for your much needed help:)
 
Are you useing water conditioner? How long has the tank been running, You need to get the AMMO down asap.{YES WATER CHANGE}...On a cycled tank you should show some RATES, It looks like a piece of the puzzle is missing.PH is fine...:)
 
I probably don't know the answer to your questions, but more info would be nice. How long has the tank been running? When was the last change (not water change, but like adding fish)? How much do you feed?

And anything else you can think of.

I'm pretty sure another water change wouldn't hurt.
 
Alright sorry for the lack of details. The tank has been up and running for 3 weeks. It ran for only 48hrs before I added any fish due to the Petco advice. Rates?? I changed half of the water earlier if thats the rate you are looking for. Before that I changed 25% about a week ago. I have been adding salt as suggested on the box. I believe 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons.

How much of a water change should I do?? 50% or more or less???


Thanks again
 
I'm a newbie as well, so I'm gonna let the pros deal with the specifics. You probably need to read the Nitrogen Cycle Thread. When members post "'rates," they are referring to nitrates - the end product of the nitrogen cycle.

The basics of the cycle are:

Fish poop and decayed fish food introduce ammonia into your tank which is very toxic to your fish. In the presence of ammonia, beneficial bacteria found in the environment will colonize your tank and convert the ammonia into nitrite (NO3) - Also toxic to your fish. In the presence of nitrites, another beneficial bacteria will colonize your tank and convert the nitrites (NO3) into nitrates (NO4). Nitrate is less toxic to fish and can be managed via water changes.

Your goal is balancing the tank's biology to efficiently convert ammonia into nitrates.

By "missing puzzle piece" I think the earlier poster was conjecturing that your tank is not properly cycled - which means your microscopic tanks buddies haven't set up shop yet. I'm way too green to dianose your tank with any accuracy, but that seems to be the problem to me as well.
 
With AMMO that high do a 50% wc, Test the water before the change and post them here, are you adding water conditioner ? You dont need to add salt unless your trying to combat some kind of infection, Your tank does'nt appear to be cycled yet.....:)
 
Hi BigD,

You need to do as many water changes as is necessary to get the amonia down to below .25. If it takes three, do three, if it takes more, do more. test again tomorrow morning and do the same...water changes, water changes water changes...
Next you will get nitrite int the water. Same thing..water changes till you get that below .25 (in a cycled tank it will be 0 amonia, 0 nitrIte and 10 or more nitrAte.)
You are in the beginning of a fishy cycle and you can safe the fish, but you will need to do those water changes!

Good luck, we have all been there and done that, it is a steep learning curve!

L.
 
yeah no kidding it is kinda steep. but thanks to you guys who have already been tons more help than anyone locally. I am going to change the water 50% right now and then go to bed. I will test it in the morning then repost the results. How long should it take to start seeing gains in the nitrates?
 
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