well i just got a call from my friend that says his filter broke what should he do? i think he has a saltwater tank he has a Porcupine puffer
his ph is 7.2
ammonia is 20
nitrite is light purple
and nitrite is 20~40
his bio system is messed up he told me
A little more help
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Myaj
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Re: A little more help
Oh ouch...
Water changes, as much as he can handle. Make sure there isn't something decaying in the tank. He'll need some sort of water movement, a powerhead if nothing else.
Prime or Amquel will help detoxify it a bit, and if he can get his hands on some of the saltwater Biospira (I'm sorry I haven't kept up to date on it and I'm not sure what the saltwater version is called now, "Dr Tims" or something?) that will boost his bio cycle back up. No other product works though, he has to get the right stuff and it is expensive.
If its been more than a few hours since his filter quit, don't restart it, it will just pump all kinds of dead gunk back into the tank.
Does he have live rock? I find it hard to believe a tank with life rock would suffer that much of a cycle just from a filter shutting down.. if there's no live rock though, I suppose that would make sense.
Water changes, as much as he can handle. Make sure there isn't something decaying in the tank. He'll need some sort of water movement, a powerhead if nothing else.
Prime or Amquel will help detoxify it a bit, and if he can get his hands on some of the saltwater Biospira (I'm sorry I haven't kept up to date on it and I'm not sure what the saltwater version is called now, "Dr Tims" or something?) that will boost his bio cycle back up. No other product works though, he has to get the right stuff and it is expensive.
If its been more than a few hours since his filter quit, don't restart it, it will just pump all kinds of dead gunk back into the tank.
Does he have live rock? I find it hard to believe a tank with life rock would suffer that much of a cycle just from a filter shutting down.. if there's no live rock though, I suppose that would make sense.
Re: A little more help
o nvm he said his other tank the Freshwater one he did 40% water change
he used API-stress coat with it
Edit; he just told me he founded a 2 year old bottom of aqua safe+R.B aqyarium series? should he use that?
i dont know how can he have all 3 at the same time
he used API-stress coat with it
Edit; he just told me he founded a 2 year old bottom of aqua safe+R.B aqyarium series? should he use that?
i dont know how can he have all 3 at the same time
Last edited by SharkBait on Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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LilGreenPuffer
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Re: A little more help
Ammonia was 20? Are you sure? Most tests don't measure that high.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Re: A little more help
well if its not 20 then its .20
not sure he got the test from the LFS i go to but the lfs told him that the ammonia is bad
not sure he got the test from the LFS i go to but the lfs told him that the ammonia is bad
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LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
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RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: A little more help
Could be 2.0. That sounds more likely.
Yeah, ammonia is bad! How much do you know about the nitrogen cycle?
Yeah, ammonia is bad! How much do you know about the nitrogen cycle?
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Re: A little more help
well its not my tank
but i do know that ammonia should be low then SPike they lower then nirtite or nightra sorry bad spelling XD
but yeah everything should spike then lower. but i dont know why his tank has a little of everything
but i do know that ammonia should be low then SPike they lower then nirtite or nightra sorry bad spelling XD
but yeah everything should spike then lower. but i dont know why his tank has a little of everything
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LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
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RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: A little more help
No, ammonia and nitrites should be zero at all times. Try this article. library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Re: A little more help
well when u first cycle the tank it needs to Spike up then lower down to 0
it doesnt SPike then becomes nothing
Edit:btw his tank is older then my tank im sure he knows more about this then u do
but im helping him look for answers not to make me look stupid by reading info that we dont need
it doesnt SPike then becomes nothing
Edit:btw his tank is older then my tank im sure he knows more about this then u do
but im helping him look for answers not to make me look stupid by reading info that we dont need
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Dadof4
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Re: A little more help
Did his filter physically break, ie: quit working, or did his bio filter crash for some reason?
Either way, he needs to do something sooner than later, like buy a new filter and do an emergency cycle or just do an emergency cycle (this article is in detail of what to do) library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/. He also really needs to do a huge water change ASAP, and large daily water changes, to get and keep his ammonia down.
The API Stress Coat along with most other products on the market do not contain live bacteria and as you know, bacteria is what converts ammonia to nitrate to nitrite, and there for will not work to speed the cycle process. The only product on the market that contains live bacteria for fresh water is Tetra Safe Start, and that is even questionable in it effectiveness. One thing that does work very well is getting used filter media from an established tank to add to the filter, either the new one or old one (provided it's working).
Either way, he needs to do something sooner than later, like buy a new filter and do an emergency cycle or just do an emergency cycle (this article is in detail of what to do) library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/. He also really needs to do a huge water change ASAP, and large daily water changes, to get and keep his ammonia down.
The API Stress Coat along with most other products on the market do not contain live bacteria and as you know, bacteria is what converts ammonia to nitrate to nitrite, and there for will not work to speed the cycle process. The only product on the market that contains live bacteria for fresh water is Tetra Safe Start, and that is even questionable in it effectiveness. One thing that does work very well is getting used filter media from an established tank to add to the filter, either the new one or old one (provided it's working).
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
Re: A little more help
thanks alot but what if the bottle is 2 years old +
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Dadof4
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- Location (country): United States
- Location: North Wisconsin
Re: A little more help
The Aqua Safe does not contain any bacterial source and will not work for cycling (which is what he needs) and it is only a water conditioner/dechlorniator. Anything that is two years old and claims to have live bacteria will not work because, up until late last year, all bacterial products needed to be refrigerated. Bio-Spira (it's name then) was the only real live bacterial source available at that time.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
Re: A little more help
o ok thanks cause he added this weird RRB aquamarine liquard
i will tell him to do 75%+ water changes then
but wont that stun his fish or shock it
i will tell him to do 75%+ water changes then
but wont that stun his fish or shock it
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Dadof4
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- My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
- Location (country): United States
- Location: North Wisconsin
Re: A little more help
No, the large water change won't harm the fish, it will actually do a lot of good with that high of an ammonia reading. The ammonia is doing damage, need to get rid of it.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
Re: A little more help
thanks i just heard from him and his water lvl now is
1.0 ammonia
doubled his Nitrite 40 i think it was
and lowered his Nitrate so 10~30
i told him to use Ammonia Lock+the other bottle not sure the name
that should help him but i am pretty sure his tank is cycling again
1.0 ammonia
doubled his Nitrite 40 i think it was
and lowered his Nitrate so 10~30
i told him to use Ammonia Lock+the other bottle not sure the name
that should help him but i am pretty sure his tank is cycling again