My goldfish is pooping A LOT. No, like, really, A LOT.

[StarSapphire22]

Well I tested my tap water this morning, and as soon as I finished it, my boyfriend came in with the mail, which included our annual water report. :wall: Anyways, according to my test kit, ammonia in our tap is at 1.00, and the report confirmed that chloramine is in our water.

I've always added water conditioner just for the amount I'm adding....maybe five gallons worth extra, since I'm estimating and would rather be safe than sorry. Is that not correct? Should I be adding for the whole tank? And will that bring down the ammonia down in the tank? I know it neutralizes chlorine and stuff, but what about chloramine? My water still tested at 0.25 this morning. Should I add more aquasafe? I added enough for about 30 gallons last time, since I changed about 25 gallons. Should I add enough for 45 more or....?

This tank has been set up for almost 3 weeks now, now that I think about it (holy crap time flies!), so I don't think it's mini cycling...not from the move at least.

 

[fshfanatic]

Start using Prime. It will do what you want and you wont have to use as much as it is concentrated.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Aquasafe's description says it neutralizes chloramines too.....I don't understand? Can some one give me a more detailed description of what the difference is?

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Chloramine is neutralized by breaking the chlorine/ammonia bond. The chlorine is neutralized and the freed ammonia is left to be broken down by the filter bacteria and plants. I do know that Prime converts/binds this free ammonia into harmless ammonium until it's broken down further by the biofilter. I'm not sure if Aquasafe detoxifies ammonia in the same way.

 

[JamieMonster]

Only add enough conditioner to do your whole tank if you're using a python style changer- as it is dumping tap water directly into your tank & not neutralizing it beforehand. You want to make sure the concentration of conditioner in the water is enough to neutralize the entire amt going in. If you fill from buckets, just neutralize that water. The python saves LOADS of time & heavy lifting though. I am in love with mine. I agree- Prime is the way to go. Neutralizes ammonia and nitrites, if you have any, until the biofilter breaks them down, and each cap full treats 50 gallons... much cheaper in the long run.

 

[StarSapphire22]

Well, darn it, I just bought a new 16 oz bottle of Aquasafe....sigh. I get paid next friday, so they'll just have to wait with aquasafe until then.

 

[manda321]

If your tap is at 1.00. Then start using 2x what you usually use until you get the prime. Don't forget the api aquarium salt and stability. You can also use api stress zyme + once a week to help keep things under control.

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[manda321]

And don't get frustrated. You'll get all of this under control.

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[StarSapphire22]

I added enough to treat what I didn't treat during the water change last night. Still at 0.25 this morning. Should I add enough for 75 gallons in today then?

I don't do salt in my tank (unless there was ich or something). All that goes in my water (right now at least), is the Aquasafe every water change, and the EasyBalance every Monday.

The fish don't seem to care all that much....they're swimming around happy as clams (no pun intended)....I just hope they're actually doing okay. I'll spoil them with my next paycheck. First one from my new job, that pays almost 3 times as much from my last job.:headbang2:

 

[StarSapphire22]

Did a big water change last night and siphoned out every little piece of yuck I could find (including a rotting crab/crayfish claw?!?! Sometimes I wonder about what exactly the previous owner had in there....). Just finished my tests, and ammonia is reading zero, nitrite 0, nitrates 20, pH 7.5. This is the first time my water has been acceptable in a long time (thanks to the unknown chloramine). WOOHOO GUYS!!!!!! You all may have converted me to Prime forever.