HELP!!!! MY WATER PARAMS ARE CRAZY!

[hurricane_redbone]

I switched around the order of my mediums in my filter yesterday because I thought that it would filter better...
this morning i did my monthly water tests
and i find that my pH has dropped to 5, NO3 is up, NO2 is up, ammonia is up...
could it be because when i switched the mediums it spat out a bunch of sludge into the tank n then sucked it up again?

Or is there a serious problem?

 

[12 Volt Man]

switching the order of media shouldn't really matter much in term of a spike in nitrite ammonia.

its likely that the water paramaters may have been out of whack prior to doing the monthly test.

but we have to get them stabalized quickly.

do a 1/3 water change and add 1 tablespoon of freshwater salt for every 10 gallons of water (if the nitrite is really up you can do one per 5 gallons). Salt helps to stop nitrite poisoning. but it will melt live plants if you have them.

do another one third change on monday.

and on wed.

when things go really crazy, I usually suggest to people to do 1/3 water changes every other day (without touching the filter unless it is really clogged) until things stablize.

good luck

 

[nomadofthehills]

I would do a third today, a third tommorow, and a 50% the day after.

 

[hurricane_redbone]

I would do a third today, a third tommorow, and a 50% the day after.

ok well i did a 40% now
ill do another tomorow... ill need to go get some extra salt tomorow cuz i ran out... only ****ty thing is the shop where i usually get it is closed... i think ill have to search a grocery store for some iodine free salt

 

[WyldFya]

The first question asked by everyone should be... What are your exact parameters?

A few questions beyond that, that I have, are:

1) What type of filtration are you running?
2) How many gallons is the tank?
3) How often do you rinse your filter medias?
4) What types of fish are in the tank?
5) How big are they?
6) What is your monthly water change regime?
7) Do you gravel vac during your water changes?

 

[12 Volt Man]

The first question asked by everyone should be... What are your exact parameters?

A few questions beyond that, that I have, are:

1) What type of filtration are you running?
2) How many gallons is the tank?
3) How often do you rinse your filter medias?
4) What types of fish are in the tank?
5) How big are they?
6) What is your monthly water change regime?
7) Do you gravel vac during your water changes?

agreed.

but that info will tell us why the levels are so messed up.

right now, the important thing is to get them down no matter what the causes are.

in other words,

if there is a readable ammonia or nitrite level in the tank (which there apparently are), water changes and potentially salt are needed ASAP.

 

[WyldFya]

agreed.

but that info will tell us why the levels are so messed up.

right now, the important thing is to get them down no matter what the causes are.

in other words,

if there is a readable ammonia or nitrite level in the tank (which there apparently are), water changes and potentially salt are needed ASAP.

Detectable levels of nitrite and ammonia up to .25 ppm is common on many tanks. Without knowing the problem, diagnosing, and attempting to cure it is futile.

 

[Nova 8]

Sorry to sound like a noob, but, I have never heard of salt being used to lower ammonia or nitrites. Is it being added to help the fish recover from what ever damage they may have got from the spike or is there another reason.

 

[Volenti]

Sorry to sound like a noob, but, I have never heard of salt being used to lower ammonia or nitrites. Is it being added to help the fish recover from what ever damage they may have got from the spike or is there another reason.

Salt helps to stop nitrite poisoning.

.

 

[Nova 8]

ok missed that, ta.