Help

[Steginge]

Hi got a 55 gallon tropical fish tank doing well add 44 fish in first 7 weeks then boom everything going to pot lost loads off fish nitrite an nitrate threw the roof fist wait to get the nitrite cycle done tried everything water change add good bacteria everything if anyone can help would Love adavice please

 

[Rocky998]

Hi got a 55 gallon tropical fish tank doing well add 44 fish in first 7 weeks then boom everything going to pot lost loads off fish nitrite an nitrate threw the roof fist wait to get the nitrite cycle done tried everything water change add good bacteria everything if anyone can help would Love adavice please

What type of fish are in there? Are all 44 fish the same species? Depending on what type of fish that seems like A LOT of fish for a 55g... Can you show a picture of the aquarium?

You probably didnt cycle the tank properly and now you're doing a fish in cycle. You will have to do daily water changes of OVER 50% and test to make sure all ammonia and nitrites are 0.

@Slaphppy7 and @Colin_T will be able to help more with this.

 

[Sgooosh]

also adding 44 fish at once will cause a boom in fish poop that will destroy balance

 

[JuiceBox52]

Start off with daily large water changes (50% or more), probably at least 75% the first time. Invest in an API water test kit to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The nitrogen cycle wouldn't have been complete and the fish caused a spike

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

If you can post some pictures of the fish and the tank, we can check them for diseases.

--------------------------
Reduce feeding to 3 times a week for the next few weeks. Don't worry, the fish won't starve. After the filter and everything has settled down, you can increase the feeding to once a day.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for one week. Then do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week, or any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate above 20ppm.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

--------------------------
What sort of filter do you have on the aquarium?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

 

[Steginge]

Hi thanks for ya help av been changing water daily an adding supplements stopped feed for 5 days an went the fish shop an got established water he said cause adding water from tap an not letting the water clear of chlorine am killing my good bacteria al test now an show us all my results av just took 110l out this morning an this will be the results

 

[Steginge]

This my test

 

[Essjay]

The nitrite reading is way too high, it needs to be zero. The ammonia test has a greenish tinge so that's too high as well. You need to do large daily water changes until the levels stay at zero.


All you need is a water conditioner to remove the chlorine and you can use tap water. Selling you "established" water is a waste of your money.

 

[Steginge]

That was a

The nitrite reading is way too high, it needs to be zero. The ammonia test has a greenish tinge so that's too high as well. You need to do large daily water changes until the levels stay at zero.


All you need is a water conditioner to remove the chlorine and you can use tap water. Selling you "established" water is a waste of your

The nitrite reading is way too high, it needs to be zero. The ammonia test has a greenish tinge so that's too high as well. You need to do large daily water changes until the levels stay at zero.


All you need is a water conditioner to remove the chlorine and you can use tap water. Selling you "established" water is a waste of your money.

Av done water change today 110 L an the results just come back like this all the time really haven’t a clue what to do

 

[hansgruber7]

Your tank isn't cycled and you added too many fish too quickly. Just keep doing large daily water changes until ammonia and nitrite drop to zero. It would help to get some real plants in there too, even just some floating plants like frogbit or some easy column feeders like java fern. You could test your tap water to see if it's ok. Sometimes that can be a problem. Make sure you are using a dechlorinator every time you add new water.

 

[Steginge]

Hi thanks for the info I have been doing that but think I haven’t been cleaning the tap water long anuff I put the tap water with the treatment straight in the tank an not let the chemicals do there job but that’s why I have got the water from the fish shop it’s only 1€ for 25 L so it’s cheap as ya can get so am hopeing over the next few days to see a difference av done 110l out of the 230l water change today mate beginners mistake

Your tank isn't cycled and you added too many fish too quickly. Just keep doing large daily water changes until ammonia and nitrite drop to zero. It would help to get some real plants in there too, even just some floating plants like frogbit or some easy column feeders like java fern. You could test your tap water to see if it's ok. Sometimes that can be a problem. Make sure you are using a dechlorinator every time you add new water.

 

[Naughts]

hopeing over the next few days to see a difference av done 110l out of the 230l water change

This is less than half the water. To change 75% (and remove more ammonia and nitrite) you need to remove around 175l.

 

[Colin_T]

Get yourself a couple of large plastic containers (rubbish bin or storage container). Make sure they are clean and free of chemicals.

Before you do a water change on the tank, put the containers near the aquarium and fill them with tap water. Add enough dechlorinator to treat each container. Add an airstone to each container and let the water bubble away while you drain water out of the main tank. Then fill the tank with the water that has been bubbling away. It will be free of chlorine/ chloramine and you won't upset the filter bacteria.

As others have mentioned, just keep doing big water changes and gravel clean the substrate. A 75% water change will dilute the nutrients by 3/4s and that will make a huge difference. Do a 75% water change each day and the ammonia and nitrite will come down to 0ppm in a few days.

In the mean time, just feed the fish once every couple of days and keep doing daily water changes whenever there is an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

In a few weeks time when the filter is working properly, you can feed the fish more often and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate once a week.

-----------------------
If you want to add something to help speed the filter cycle along, you can buy liquid filter bacteria supplements. Basically filter bacteria in a bottle. Most shops keep it in the fridge.

I normally recommend adding a double dose every day for a week and then pour the remaining liquid into the tank. Try to add the liquid bacteria supplement near the filter intake so it gets drawn into the filter where it belongs.

If you do dialy water changes, then add the bacteria just after you have filled the tank up with dechlorinated water.

-----------------------
The fish in the pictures don't appear to have any diseases, so if they are dying, it will be from ammonia and nitrite poisoning. The best treatment is big daily water changes to get rid of the ammonia and nitrite.

 

[Steginge]

This is less than half the water. To change 75% (and remove more ammonia and nitrite) you need to remove around 175l.

Yer but I carnt go past where me filter intake is an that is half way

 

[Steginge]

Yer but I carnt go past where me filter intake is an that is half way

Been told not to turn off my filter av been told for at least 8 weeks