Emergency; Ph And Nitrite Sky-high

[Jade2672]

Please can someone help us; our fish tank has a severe water condition that we cannot seem to rectify.

Yesterday (Sunday) we did a routine test of the tank for Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite and PH levels only to find they were all sky-high.

We had done a thorough 25% water change on the Wednesday without any noticable differences.

After seeking advice from our local aquarium we proceeded with their treatment:
50% water change using Tap Safe
Removal of as much waste in the tank as possible
Installed an additional 2 air pumps with lines scattered around the tank
Switched off all lights
Stopped feeding
Administered Stress Coat as per the bottle's measures

Unfortunatley we have now lost 2 of our fish to a slow death.

Our remaining fish (2 oscars and a royal pleco) are still poorly.

We tried following the instructions given within our Interpet instruction manual where it states; The emergency removal of the fish to water of a similar chemistry but nitrite and ammonia free. The fish should be gradually introduced to reduce the stress'

The fish we tried to 'save' via this method immediately went into shock and subsequently died a short while later.

We have a 260ltr tank with one under gravel filtration system and one Tetra Tec external filter, both of these has been thoroughly cleansed as per usual.

Advice was given by a second Aquarium informing us to repeat 25% water changes on a daily basis until levels returned to normal.
Our Ammonia level is now below zero which we were told is the first sign of impending normallity?

We have now carried out our second water change (25%) within a period of 36hrs.

Each time we change the water our Ammonia level drops (from high to low- now settled at zero), but this seems to throw the rest of the levels out (nitrite is @ 4.0, nitrate is @ 2.5, and ph is @ 8.5).

The temperature of the tank is 80 degrees Fahrenheit.


Please can someone offer us advice

 

[WILDER]

How long has the tank been set up, ph will be high if you have a ammonia reading, rip the undergravel filter out they are crap, this could be your problem.

 

[Jade2672]

How long has the tank been set up, ph will be high if you have a ammonia reading, rip the undergravel filter out they are crap, this could be your problem.

Our tank has been established for over a year in total, without a single fatality.

How can I remove the under gravel filter without disturbing the sick fish as they are resting on the gravel? Will switching it off be suffice?

 

[black angel]

Your tank is cycling and now the ammonia phase is over its going through the nitrites. You have to get those nitrites down below 1 or the fish will die as you are seeing. If that means 50% twice a day then thats what you need to do.
Theres no need to switch the lights off or stop feeding the fish. Your fish need to keep the ammonia output going to keep the bacteria for the ammonia conversion happy.

How big are the oscars? A 260ltr tank wont be big enough if they are over 5 inches each. Oscars are just as messy as goldfish so need more water than normal tropical fish.

Until the tank is cycled fully ie 0 ammonia and nitrites dont clean out the filters.

 

[Jade2672]

Our fish are unwilling to eat anything, they do not come to the surface as per normal and are 'lolling' around the bottom of the tank.

 

[WILDER]

Do you have another filter in the tank besides the undergravel filter, they are not ideal for large fish undergravel filters as they get blocked up, sounds like to me this is your problem, you will have to remove the fish from the tank to remove it.
Leave the muck in the bottom then just add some gravel over it, then do a gravel vac.

 

[Jade2672]

We have just unplugged the under gravel filter for immediate effect.

At present we have two fully functional filters:
1no. Juwel internal filter
1no. Tetratec 1200 external filter.

Are we any closer to fixing this mess??

 

[WILDER]

That good then you don't need the under gravel filter, i would still remove it and give the gravel a good vac.

I tend to agree with black angel that tank isn't big enough for oscars.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=47035

 

[Jade2672]

Thank you for that advice, is there anything else we can do to help them recover quicker?

 

[WILDER]

Just water changes really to get them stats down, the removal of the undergravel filter should help.

 

[Jade2672]

We've just heard that due to the water shortage (SE Englad) we are being 'fed' water with a higher chlorine level??

Does anyone know about this

We think the only way around this (if true) will be to store clean water treated with Tap Safe and a constant supply of air for 3 days before transferring to the tank?

 

[WILDER]

Your water conditioner should remove it so they shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Jade2672]

It's been 4 days since we discovered we had toxic water levels in our tank, unfortunatley we are still in trouble and don't know what we are doing wrong!

We've carried out water changes on a daily basis, left the lights off, kept the additional air supplies running, but cannot rectify the Nitrite levels.

Having tested the water again this evening we appear to be stuck in a rut:

Ammonia - fine
Nitrite - 4.0mg/litre
Nitrate - increased to 10 mg/litre
pH - decreased to pH7

Does anyone know what we are failing to do or what we are getting incorrect??


PLEASE HELP US

 

[WILDER]

It takes longer when you are preforming water changes daily, this is the problem you are just delaying it, if the fish are coping stop the water changes, good luck.

 

[black angel]

Maybe it is delaying it but the fish are stressed with the high nitrites. This is what happens when people cycle a tank with fish.
I think its better to do large water changes rather than keeping the nitrites high and risk losing the fish.
Its up to you but 50% water changes may be needed.
Check the tap water for nitrite levels as well just in case.
If theres only oscars then adding aquarium salt as 1 level teaspoon per gallon predissolved will halp protect the gills a bit better. Remember though to re add the salt if doing water changes.

Are you changing the ph with downers? What is the ph from the tap?