NEED HELP QUICKLY

[RTC GAR TSN]

Hello everybody! I took a water sample and tested the water for ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels ph stuff like that. The ammonia was at 0 but as i looked at the nitrite and nitrate levels the nitrite levels were off the charts and the nitrate levels were all the way up. I've had my tank set up for a month and everything was fine a put my RTC in then about a week later a put 2 pacus in then 2 weeks later another pacu and everything was fine until today.

What could it possibly be. My gf put some stress zyme in there when we first got the tank and i knew about nitrite spikes but i didn't think it would be this bad. She only put a little in. What else could it be and what could i do to improve the water quality?

Right now i have my RTC in a 55 gallon that is running an Emperor 400 Biowheel so filtration isn't bad in there but i got the pacus in a 38 with an Aquaclear 50... I really need help!!!!

Please any info on what it could be and what to do to improve the water.

 

[prober]

How big is the tank? Did you do a fishless cycle or just add some old media and what filter does it have.

A major water change is the best thing to do, like 75%. Have you tested your tap water for nitrites and nitrates? If not let a bowl of water set out for a few hours and then test it to make sure you are not adding them in with your water change. That happens sometimes in the winter depending on your water company. Also you should double dose some "Prime" immediately. It will detoxify any ammonia and nitrite until your BB can catch up. The nitrite is the most concerning.

If the tank was previously cycled but had not had fish in it for a while the bacteria will go dormant and it takes some time for them to build up again. Adding to much bioload too fast will overwhelm them and may kill off some or all of the colony. You should always add fish slowly even in an existing tank to let them catch up.

 

[Jc1119]

Water changes in both tanks first. At least 50%. then test again. How big are the fish? When you says levels are all the way up, but we need more specifics to help you.

Salt can help reduce nitrite poisoning. Tanks are most likely too small for the bioload.

 

[calioutlaw1a]

What test kit are you using, and did you follow the directions perfectly when doing the test? What were the actual values of all of your water parameters, including units?

How did you cycle your tank initially, and when was the last time you tested your water? What were the results of your last test?

Can you clarify which fish you have in the 55g right now, which fish you have the in the 38g, and their sizes?

If you are correct that the nitrites and nitrates are very high, immediately do a large (50%+) water change and add something like Prime that will bind nitrites and nitrates, and add some salt to reduce nitrite poisoning and aid osmotic gradients across the gills. I'm not sure what would cause high nitrites and nitrates, unless you had a sudden die off of nitrobacter, the bacteria that converts nitrite to nitrate.

 

[RTC GAR TSN]

How big is the tank? Did you do a fishless cycle or just add some old media and what filter does it have.

A major water change is the best thing to do, like 75%. Have you tested your tap water for nitrites and nitrates? If not let a bowl of water set out for a few hours and then test it to make sure you are not adding them in with your water change. That happens sometimes in the winter depending on your water company. Also you should double dose some "Prime" immediately. It will detoxify any ammonia and nitrite until your BB can catch up. The nitrite is the most concerning.

It's a 125 gallon tank. It has 2 aquaclear 110s in it and it has carbon cartridges and bio balls in the filters. We did about 75% water change just an hour ago.

Water changes in both tanks first. At least 50%. then test again. How big are the fish? When you says levels are all the way up, but we need more specifics to help you.

Salt can help reduce nitrite poisoning. Tanks are most likely too small for the bioload.

I did do a water change and it was still pretty high. The fish are in my sig along with the tank. I put the fish into a different tank because i didn't want them to die. They've been set up for a month and a half because i'm getting a few fish from a friend soon and they've gone through the cycle.

As to exact measurements of the nitrite it was off the charts literally. The pink it made wasn't even on the chart.

 

[RTC GAR TSN]

What test kit are you using, and did you follow the directions perfectly when doing the test? What were the actual values of all of your water parameters, including units?

How did you cycle your tank initially, and when was the last time you tested your water? What were the results of your last test?

Can you clarify which fish you have in the 55g right now, which fish you have the in the 38g, and their sizes?

If you are correct that the nitrites and nitrates are very high, immediately do a large (50%+) water change and add something like Prime that will bind nitrites and nitrates, and add some salt to reduce nitrite poisoning and aid osmotic gradients across the gills. I'm not sure what would cause high nitrites and nitrates, unless you had a sudden die off of nitrobacter, the bacteria that converts nitrite to nitrate.

Like i said before i don't know how much because there wasn't a color on there that matched because it was too pink for the chart. I have the APItest strips. They were in the 125 but i took them out so they wouldn't be harmed. i added a bunch of aquarium salt and did a 75% water change. Again my fish are in my tank setup. I have a 9" RTC and 3 4" pacus.

 

[RTC GAR TSN]

I cycled it by putting in the 2 aquaclear 110s and putting the carbon and ammonia crystals in the catridges. Then i let the tank run with the heaters and aerators and the filters running. Then after a month i put my RTC in it and it was fine then the pacus and just till today it's been acting up.

 

[RTC GAR TSN]

How big is the tank? Did you do a fishless cycle or just add some old media and what filter does it have.

A major water change is the best thing to do, like 75%. Have you tested your tap water for nitrites and nitrates? If not let a bowl of water set out for a few hours and then test it to make sure you are not adding them in with your water change. That happens sometimes in the winter depending on your water company. Also you should double dose some "Prime" immediately. It will detoxify any ammonia and nitrite until your BB can catch up. The nitrite is the most concerning.

If the tank was previously cycled but had not had fish in it for a while the bacteria will go dormant and it takes some time for them to build up again. Adding to much bioload too fast will overwhelm them and may kill off some or all of the colony. You should always add fish slowly even in an existing tank to let them catch up.

I didn't put them all in at once. I put the RTC in there first then the 2 pacus a week later and everything was still fine then a pacu 2 weeks later and it's been like that for a month and a half until today it crashed....

 

[Jc1119]

I'd keep doing large scale water changes daily. Try to find some Stability made by Seachem. Follow the directions to the tee.

I'd test the tap to see if they are coming from there. Salt will help the fish cope for the time being. The API test strips are pretty innacurate IMO, but either way, any nitrites are harmful. If you did have a full scale crash, the water changes and Stability should get you back on track. Good luck

 

[calioutlaw1a]

How long have you had your test strips, and did you test the water while it was cycling before adding fish? If so, what were the results.

Maybe you can try picking up a new box of test strips or a liquid test for nitrite.