So my partner just got a new 50L tank a couple of weeks ago and made the mistake of putting fish in straight away. Needless to say the ammonia levels were severely high, but after several water changes and taking some gravel and old filter pads from one of my own established tanks, I managed to get the ammonia to near on zero. We went out and got 5 more fish (4 Rummynose and 1 red tail shark).
I knew the ammonia levels would raise but didn't think it would be this much. The ammonia raised to 8.0ppm. I did an immediate 50-60%ish water change and put new Zeolite filter pads into the filter and AmmoLock to detoxify the ammonia and reduced feeding to a minimum. (The filter is just a sponge filter that sits inside the tank. I pulled the sponge out before we set up the tank and put different filter media in there, carbon included.)
I did all of this yesterday, and over night whitespot has appeared on all 4 Rummynose. (When doing the water change I was sure to keep at a current temperature of 26 celcius.) So this morning I slowly raised the tank temp to 29, and put the appropriate amount of aquarium salt in. (In the past I have been succesful with using heat and salt with my infected tanks)I was sure to remove the new zeolite filter pads as im aware that adding salt to the water can encourage the zeo pads to dump whatever ammonia they have absorbed back into the tank.
Current water parameters are as follows;
The water is currently crystal clear, no cloudyness what so ever.
Ammonia: 4.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: barely 5.0 ppm
pH: 7.4. (I am currently adding acid buffer daily to lower the pH to a more acidic level.)
temp: Have raised to 29 celcius due to white spot but usually at 26.
In the tank at the moment we have 2 German Blue Rams, 1 Gold Gourami, 8 neon tetras, 4 Rummynose and 1 red tail shark.
At this point only the 4 Rummmynose are showing signs of white spot. None of the fish are showing signs of ammonia poisening apart from the red tail shark who is swimming with clamped fins and occasionally rubbing his sides on ornaments.
I just need to know if I am doing anything wrong or is there something else that I can do? The ammonia is really worrying me at the moment, not so much the white spot as I know how to treat it.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I knew the ammonia levels would raise but didn't think it would be this much. The ammonia raised to 8.0ppm. I did an immediate 50-60%ish water change and put new Zeolite filter pads into the filter and AmmoLock to detoxify the ammonia and reduced feeding to a minimum. (The filter is just a sponge filter that sits inside the tank. I pulled the sponge out before we set up the tank and put different filter media in there, carbon included.)
I did all of this yesterday, and over night whitespot has appeared on all 4 Rummynose. (When doing the water change I was sure to keep at a current temperature of 26 celcius.) So this morning I slowly raised the tank temp to 29, and put the appropriate amount of aquarium salt in. (In the past I have been succesful with using heat and salt with my infected tanks)I was sure to remove the new zeolite filter pads as im aware that adding salt to the water can encourage the zeo pads to dump whatever ammonia they have absorbed back into the tank.
Current water parameters are as follows;
The water is currently crystal clear, no cloudyness what so ever.
Ammonia: 4.0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: barely 5.0 ppm
pH: 7.4. (I am currently adding acid buffer daily to lower the pH to a more acidic level.)
temp: Have raised to 29 celcius due to white spot but usually at 26.
In the tank at the moment we have 2 German Blue Rams, 1 Gold Gourami, 8 neon tetras, 4 Rummynose and 1 red tail shark.
At this point only the 4 Rummmynose are showing signs of white spot. None of the fish are showing signs of ammonia poisening apart from the red tail shark who is swimming with clamped fins and occasionally rubbing his sides on ornaments.
I just need to know if I am doing anything wrong or is there something else that I can do? The ammonia is really worrying me at the moment, not so much the white spot as I know how to treat it.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!