The Puffer Forum

Ok well I am trying this again.... The forums decided I wasn't logged in after typing out everything and my message disappeared...

I just tested my water and ammonia seems to be a huge issue here (1.0 -2.0ppm ) and I think that's what I need help with the most. My ammonia tests are old, is there a way to test their accuracy? My tap water has about the same level of ammonia in it and I had just added some salt water to the tank so I wonder if this could be partially why it's reading high right now :S

First off I got 2 f8p a week ago. The tank had previously been set up for 3 years but I had let a lot of the water evaporate and algae had built up and the filter had been turned off. I cleaned the tank and used the same bio-filter and refilled.The tank was set up with just snails for at least 6 weeks prior to adding the f8p. The ammonia was 0, nitrates 0, and nitrites 10. I topped up the tank because I had let about 20% evaporate and added ammolock because I know our tap water has high ammonia. I assume adding the ammolock disrupted the bacteria?

The reason I had originally wanted to post was because I am pretty sure one of the fish has fin rot and I wondered how to treat him and how to ensure it is fin rot before I treat. First mission is to figure out what is going on with the water..

The only thing in the tank right now is the F8Ps, and some snails. It is a 20gallon tank, which I had been told by my LFS would be fine, but now I am seeing it should be bigger. I have a 40 gallon on stand by, for when I decide to switch them over. I have started to add salt today because they have been in FW. I added some but it hasn't changed the hydrometer reading so I guess I didn't add enough. The fish aside from the rot seem to be fine, however the one with the rot doesn't seem to be eating, though has a nice round belly.

My biggest issue is how do I correct the high ammonia problem when my tap water has high ammonia? Should I be adding more charcoal or something?

I unfortunately don't have the nitrate and nitrite reading as i ran out of strips :S Hopefully you can give me tips on what to do without that info.

Thanks for your help,

Crystal

Lots of waterchanges using prime to dechlorinate will help. A bigger tank will be needed. Welcome to the forum

First thing go get some Seachem Prime to help and bind that ammonia. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... Prime.html Use the highest directed dose. I'd get the biggest bottle you can because water changes are gonna be in your future until you figure out the tapwater/ammonia problem.

*edit*
I meant Seachem Prime and not Pure as originally typed.

Get a product called "prime" and add it to your tap water. Do a 50% change and add prime to the total volume. Its like 20$ for a 500ml bottle that treats 5000 gallons. I think its 5ml of prime per 50g so depending on your tank do the math its powerful stuff. Converts amonia into a safe water soluble product and treats for all other water pollution.

I just realized that the water conditioner I have is essentially just like the "Prime" you suggested I use. It says "Helps neutralize harmful ammonia, chloramine and chlorine". Using products to eliminate the ammonia wont disrupt the bacteria?

Thank you

Does it detoxify nitrites and nitrates?... you need an all round product. Puffers are EXTREMLEY sensitive to poor water. HTH

Oh no, it doesn't do that Everything but that. I will look for it when I got to the LFS later. Thanks

I think my ammonia tests are off too... I tested a bottle water and it's at about .50ppm of ammonia and from what I have read it should be 0.

I meant to say "Prime" and not Pure. And Prime only binds ammonia and nitrIte to make it safer for the fish and does nothing to harm the progress of the tanks cycle.

You could also test your ammonia test kit by checking some bottled/distilled/purified water. That should definetly read 0 for ammonia.

My best suggestion would be to set up that 40g NOW & transfer the fish over to that tank. Add Tetra's Safestart to the filter (NOTHING ELSE WILL DO!!!). Do not add salt until you are sure the parameters are perfect for a month. Use Melafix for fin rot.

library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

+1 to PP's suggestion.