Hi,starting new tank

[hdsparky]

we are starting up our 46 gallon Marineland Bow Front tank after about 8 years of non use. We had a runaway heater that killed everything years ago. Now we are starting again with an Aqua Logic Controller running the heater.
Couple of questions,we are starting out with just neon tetras, blood fins, 2 Corey cat fish and 2 albino Plecos. Now battling ICH and high nitrite. Have raised temp from 77 to 83, added 1st dose of api super ICH treatment. After 2nd ICH treatment I plan on vacuuming gravel(may have been feeding to much food) and dolng 25 to 50% water change. We are down to 2 neons, 3 bloods, still have both cat fish and at least one Plecos, may have lost the little one. Any suggestions? I am using the API Freshwater test kit and having water tested at Petsmart. The Petsmart color chart for nitrate doesn't match the color chart in the API book. Sorry for so long a post.
Tank is less than month in cycle.
Started tank with API Perfect Start, haven't put day 28 envelope in yet.
Ph:7.5,nitrate:5.0,ph:7.4,ammonia:6.6,nitrite:8.0

 

[docpark]

If I'm reading your parameters correctly, you have lethal levels of both ammonia and nitrite. You are likely going to lose most or all of the remaining fish. The water conditioner Prime could help protect them somewhat from ammonia and nitrite poisoning if you add it every 24 hours. You might want to consider forgoing the ich treatment and dealing with the ammonia and nitrite poisoning, since that is what will kill the fish sooner. If you put aside the ich treatment for now you could do large water changes daily to dilute the ammonia and nitrite.

 

[FroFro]

we are starting up our 46 gallon Marineland Bow Front tank after about 8 years of non use. We had a runaway heater that killed everything years ago. Now we are starting again with an Aqua Logic Controller running the heater.
Couple of questions,we are starting out with just neon tetras, blood fins, 2 Corey cat fish and 2 albino Plecos. Now battling ICH and high nitrite. Have raised temp from 77 to 83, added 1st dose of api super ICH treatment. After 2nd ICH treatment I plan on vacuuming gravel(may have been feeding to much food) and dolng 25 to 50% water change. We are down to 2 neons, 3 bloods, still have both cat fish and at least one Plecos, may have lost the little one. Any suggestions? I am using the API Freshwater test kit and having water tested at Petsmart. The Petsmart color chart for nitrate doesn't match the color chart in the API book. Sorry for so long a post.
Tank is less than month in cycle.
Started tank with API Perfect Start, haven't put day 28 envelope in yet.
Ph:7.5,nitrate:5.0,ph:7.4,ammonia:6.6,nitrite:8.0

As the above person said, your water parameters are basically poisoning the fish to death. You introduced fish to an environment that was not established enough to provide the best conditions for them to live. A tank that is not cycled will be topsy turvy in water parameters the moment you put fish in, as the waste that the fish produce as well as the ammonia they naturally secrete will create LETHAL spikes. Don't rely on petsmart water testing. The people there are usually uninformed and will tell you what you want to hear. Follow the instructions in your API kit to the letter and write down your results. Do an IMMEDIATE 75% water change of CONDITIONED water. Make sure the new water is as close to tank temperature as possible to reduce stress to your already sick fish. Wait a day and closely monitor your fish, test the water again, continue with another 50% water change daily until your parameters are in the safe ranges. If only slightly above safety ranges, do a 30%-40% water change. Until you can get your parameters under control make sure to test everyday and keep up with the partial water changes. Condition the water before you put it in the tank. Vacuum your gravel thoroughly, since you need to do a water change this will kill two birds with one stone. If you are using any antibiotics stop what your doing immediately. Any medicine you use will kill your beneficial bacteria in the filter/gravel/water/decorations. If what you are medicating a fish for is urgent enough that stopping treatment can risk its life, try treating it in a separate tank.

Cycling a tank is important because in order to keep stable water parameters you must have a mature bacteria colony present along with regular tank cleaning/maintenance. A bacteria colony takes weeks to mature, the only way to really "shorten" the process is if you have another tank with spare filter media, or know someone with a healthy established tank that's willing to part with some of their filter media, you then place the borrowed filter media in the actual water or in your filter if their is room to "seed" the new tank with beneficial bacteria. Without an established bacteria colony your fish will have nothing to breakdown the ammonia they naturally secrete from their bodies/in their waste and nothing to break down the nitrates and nitrites as well.

We need a little bit more information as well.

What do you feed your fish?
How often do you feed?
How MUCH do you feed?
How often do you do water changes? How much do you change at a time?
How often do you clean the gravel?
Do you remove uneaten food promptly?

 

[hdsparky]

The tank is 3 weeks old so I now realize I put fish in to early. Feed once a day, tropical flakes are fed, one 25% change done last week.Will vacuum gravel tomorrow while doing 75% water change. Have topfin readistart nitrifying bacteria starter and API stress coat available.

 

[FroFro]

The tank is 3 weeks old so I now realize I put fish in to early. Feed once a day, tropical flakes are fed, one 25% change done last week.Will vacuum gravel tomorrow while doing 75% water change. Have topfin readistart nitrifying bacteria starter and API stress coat available.

How much do you feed the fish? Do you remove any uneaten food so that it doesn't simply rot at the bottom of the tank?
For now I'd reduce feedings to once every two days, keep up on the water changes and once things are starting to straighten up with your tank you need to start doing twice weekly water changes of at least 30%. 25% once a week is not enough for your tank in its current state. I'd also recommend getting prime water conditioner, it can help put your water parameters in the safety range for at last two days, its a bit expensive, but it works great. As for the "starting bacteria" I've never had much luck with these. I feel its just a waste of money IMO, if you know ANYONE that has a healthy established tank please see if you can borrow some old filter media from them (like a filter cartridge or some filter floss, whatever they use). If they do give you some, make sure they place it in a container with tank water and that they don't refrigerate it. Keep it wet and at room temperature and get it in your tank ASAP. I had an issue with cloudy water months back and the moment I placed some borrowed filter media in my filter it cleared up in under a day and has not come back.

 

[hdsparky]

How much do you feed the fish? Do you remove any uneaten food so that it doesn't simply rot at the bottom of the tank?
For now I'd reduce feedings to once every two days, keep up on the water changes and once things are starting to straighten up with your tank you need to start doing twice weekly water changes of at least 30%. 25% once a week is not enough for your tank in its current state. I'd also recommend getting prime water conditioner, it can help put your water parameters in the safety range for at last two days, its a bit expensive, but it works great. As for the "starting bacteria" I've never had much luck with these. I feel its just a waste of money IMO, if you know ANYONE that has a healthy established tank please see if you can borrow some old filter media from them (like a filter cartridge or some filter floss, whatever they use). If they do give you some, make sure they place it in a container with tank water and that they don't refrigerate it. Keep it wet and at room temperature and get it in your tank ASAP. I had an issue with cloudy water months back and the moment I placed some borrowed filter media in my filter it cleared up in under a day and has not come back.

I am doing 30 + water changes every day, will get prime and a nitrite remover. No luck yet on getting filter media from anyone,did have another suggestion of using prime.

 

[hdsparky]

Did another partial water change, asked at work this morning about aquariums and one of the girls in the office has 2 healthy aquariums, her 40 gallon has been 2 months on filter. She will change and bring me filter media tomorrow.

 

[hdsparky]

Got filter media from friend and she gave me some of her water. Tested her water and had 0 ammonia,0 nitrates, but very heavy on nitrates. My thought is her tank is cycled but needs a water change,any thoughts? I only used her filter media not the water..