Emergency Please Help

[SG_Dude]

My 46gal QT has been running for years,
new filter transition about 8 weeks ago.

Yesterday ammonia 0.25 nitrite 0.00.

The power went out for 4 hours last night.

It had 2 dead rainbows this morning.

Today ammonia 4.0 nitrite 1.0.

I have started a water change right now.

How much water do I do 30%, 50% 70% ???

Do I need to rinse or clean the canister filter?

Thank you.

 

[Tizer]

just do a 80% water change and let it settle, take another reading around 8pm

 

[SG_Dude]

Thank you,

I did 30% just now.

So like another 50%???

So it's ok to let the canister keep running?

 

[loraxchick]

Yes keep the canister running. Do as many w/c as you need to to bring the ammonia down. You might be in the middle of a minicycle. Just test twice a day and do changes as necessary until the filter catches up.
cheers

 

[Tizer]

yeah, well its the only thing holding bacteria thats useful, if you starve it of oxygen, it will all die off and your be back to square 1 and have to cycle the filter again. 4 hours without oxygen isnt total wipe out, hopefully it will pickup again and start processing the ammonia.

with a reading of 4, a 50% water change will only take it down to 2, you need to get to the first reading on your tester kit, which should be 0.25, to get it safe. anything over 0.25 is a killer.

with 4ppm which you have, nothing will last long.

 

[SG_Dude]

Thank you will test again and continue with another 50%

 

[SG_Dude]

46 gal down to 2.0.
Continuing water change.

72 gal testing 2.0
Starting water change.

37 gal testing 0.25
Will leave for now.


Seems to go with the age of the new canisters.
46 8weeks, 72 10weeks, 37 12weeks

Darn power outage.

Thanks.

 

[SG_Dude]

I will test again tonight or in the morning.
My wife and I did 28 3 gal buckets today.

Thanks again.

 

[SG_Dude]

Not sure why this was moved.
The tank is 4 years old.