Help! Parameter Problems
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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Deep Freeze
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Help! Parameter Problems
Okay, I tested my water parameters recently and noticed that my Nitrite spiked. I thought it was no big deal and I just did a 50% water change but it is still way too high. I'm very worried and don't know what to do. Also, I am using test strips and I know how inaccurate they can be so, do you guys think that it is the strips. So, please, Help!
Just remember, a snail a day keeps the dentist away...
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Boxermom
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Strips tend to be pretty inaccurate. If you can, get liquid drop kits. Alternatively, or in the meantime, take a sample to the store to test (they should do it for free) and tell them you need exact numbers, not "good" or "fine" or anything like that.
How long has the tank been set up? Any new additions?
How long has the tank been set up? Any new additions?
Tina
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
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Deep Freeze
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Well, thats good to know. Also, I have no new additions, just my GSP that I got after the tank had finished cycling. The tank has been set up for about a month. Also, someone told me to use a product called nitra-zorb, would anyone reccommend this? Would 20% water changes a day help?Anyone else's advice would be greatly appreciated.Myaj wrote:They aren't as dangerous as ammonia
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Pufferpunk
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How high did your test strip say it it? How did you cycle the tank? I would do 80% daily water changes, until it reaches 0 & stays there.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
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"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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bonnie3188
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Corvus
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Nitrites should always be absent. As soon as even the strips show some color, there probably is something wrong with your biological filtration. Probably not enough nitrogen input during cycling.
In addition to a large water change I'd add live bacteria from a running filter with the same salinity or BioSpira. That should solve the nitrite problem far better and instantly than absorbing media given your tank is large enough to support your puffer.
In addition to a large water change I'd add live bacteria from a running filter with the same salinity or BioSpira. That should solve the nitrite problem far better and instantly than absorbing media given your tank is large enough to support your puffer.
Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man, and he'll eat for weeks.
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Deep Freeze
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Bonnie: My tank is not fully marine, but I am slowly rising the salinity for the health of my GSP.
Myaj: Are Primel and Amquel filter media products, how well do they work?
PufferPunk: The strips read the nitrite levels at 10.0, but I highly doubt they are accurate. But I am still worried.
I never knew a $5 fish could cause so much stress
Myaj: Are Primel and Amquel filter media products, how well do they work?
PufferPunk: The strips read the nitrite levels at 10.0, but I highly doubt they are accurate. But I am still worried.
I never knew a $5 fish could cause so much stress
Just remember, a snail a day keeps the dentist away...
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Nick
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Prime is a dechlorinator with the ability to detoxify ammonia and nitrite without stopping the good bacteria from getting them, it's the best way to protect your fish from the remaining toxins after your daily water changes. Amquel is the same thing, but with more of a risk of overdose, but people who can't get prime easily use it often, as it's better than the rest of whats out there. They are added to the tank directly in liquid form, and work nearly instantly.
No matter how magnificent your successes or devastating your failures, the worlds' approximately 5 billion impoverished people could not possibly care less.
How quickly are you raising the s.g. and how are you testing for it? If you're raising by more than 0.002/week, then you could have killed off beneficial bacteria and started a mini- or re-cycling of the tank.
(Sorry if you already knew this, just thought I'd throw it out there just in case this is what happened)
(Sorry if you already knew this, just thought I'd throw it out there just in case this is what happened)
Now, bring me that horizon...
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Deep Freeze
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