Need Help Quick ! Filter Wasn't Working

[Faythee]

I noticed night before last that my fish weren't acting right, seemed stressed. I tested my water and my nitrite was off the chart, at least 10.0 (I use strip test). I panicked and did a 25% water change. I also added some easybalance with nitraban. When I awoke in morning one gourami was dead on the bottom of the tank and my other gourami has beem swimming and twitching frantically. My danios seem unaffected, and my 2 mollies are acting a bit sluggish. I checked my filter and noticed the water was pouring out the tube side...uh-oh. I removed it and fixed it to work properly. Went to store and they gave me ammo chips to remove the ammonia. I had a hard time stuffing the bag behind my filter. Now looking at it, the bag seems to be interferring with my filter flow. Can I just take the chips out of the bag and just plop them loose behind my filter ? My readings are the same as yesterday. I am afraid to do another water change as I just did one, and one like 4 days prior, which would be 50% already in about a week. Looks like I am starting the cycle all over again. Is there anything else I can do ??? The gourami that died seemed sickly when I got it 2 weeks a go. It had somthing sticking out of its side, its belly was big, and it just hid in the corner. I don't want to lose the rest of my otherwise healthy fish

Thank you

 

[dannym]

Hi there

Im pretty new to fish keeping myself but you need to do at least a 50% water change every single day for about 3 or 4 days to keep your levels down, DO ONE NOW if you have not already! then after about 4 days, do about 20%

Im sure someone with alot more experinace than myself will come along shortly

Good Luck!!

 

[Mikaila31]

Yep, keep doing large water changes and you might want to use prime or something similar to keep the nitrite down. I also suggest that you try to get some mature filter media.

good luck,
mikaila31

 

[Faythee]

Okay...I am going to do another water change now. I just changed my filter recently unfortunately. Now it looks like I am starting all over again...ughhh. What exactly is prime ?

Thanks !

 

[dannym]

I believe prime is used to reduce ammonia & nitrates

 

[Faythee]

I changed about 30% and now my gourami is behaving even worse. The rest are fine. I am wondering if this one wasn't sick when I bought it too since it was from the same tank as the last one

I turned the light off in hopes it may calm him a bit. I will give them some frozen brine shrimp a little later. He chowed it down last night.

 

[FISH KEEPER EXP]

I noticed night before last that my fish weren't acting right, seemed stressed. I tested my water and my nitrite was off the chart, at least 10.0 (I use strip test). I panicked and did a 25% water change. I also added some easybalance with nitraban. When I awoke in morning one gourami was dead on the bottom of the tank and my other gourami has beem swimming and twitching frantically. My danios seem unaffected, and my 2 mollies are acting a bit sluggish. I checked my filter and noticed the water was pouring out the tube side...uh-oh. I removed it and fixed it to work properly. Went to store and they gave me ammo chips to remove the ammonia. I had a hard time stuffing the bag behind my filter. Now looking at it, the bag seems to be interferring with my filter flow. Can I just take the chips out of the bag and just plop them loose behind my filter ? My readings are the same as yesterday. I am afraid to do another water change as I just did one, and one like 4 days prior, which would be 50% already in about a week. Looks like I am starting the cycle all over again. Is there anything else I can do ??? The gourami that died seemed sickly when I got it 2 weeks a go. It had somthing sticking out of its side, its belly was big, and it just hid in the corner. I don't want to lose the rest of my otherwise healthy fish

Thank you

As everyone has said performing water changes on a regular basis will definately help, and mature filter media will definately help. What may be easier is to get a liquid ammonia remover, i think interpet make one. This works pretty much within a few hours use this every 3 days until water levels balance out and stabilise. Also if you use aquarium salt in conjunction it will help numb te effects of the ammonia on the fish

The only thing with regular big water changes, is that some big water changes can result in a form of ammonium remaining in the tank, which is a result of a large amount of chloromine being dechlorinated leaving a waste product. Its not harmfull to the fish but, it still shows up on a ammonia test kit.

 

[Faythee]

My tank is 10 gallons and was almost completely cycled before this happened. Nitrate was good and nitrite just one bar above the safest level. I was doing 20-25% changes weekly. Is this not correct ?

When I change the filter, should I keep the old one ? That is what you mean by used media ...correct ? How do you keep it...in the freezer ?

I also realize I need a liquid test kit to get the exact readings I need. I hate these strips.

 

[Spooky76]

Nitrate levels are OK, Nitrite levels as with Ammonia are NOT OK, they should be 0. If they are not, you need to do water changes.

Getting some filter media off a mate is fine, but bear in mind, if its out of water for too long / gets too cold / not enough 02 etc the benefical bacteria in your filter will die anyway.

Do you understand how your filter works ? Im not trying to sound ####ty by the way, im just asking.

Spot on - test strips are crap, get the liquid kit.

If I were you I would do as advised, but NOT 50% water changes. I would start with 25% water change, test after an hour if its not gone down, do antoher 25% and keep going until your Ammonia and Nitrite are 0. Once that done, you need to test it every day for the next few weeks. Dont add any new fish either.

After a week, you need to do weekly maintenance....article here if you dont know already.
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-the-hobby/171045/Step-by-step-Guide-To-Weekly-Maintenance/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ly-Maintenance/[/URL]

Hope it all works.

 

[Faythee]

I haven't lost any more fish yet. The mollies seem back to normal, but my gourami is scanning the tank walls non-stop like it wants out, acting all twitchy. I did some research today and now am entirely confused. I did about 4 days before noticing this nitrite spike, change the filter and vacuum really good (it seemed smelly), plus changed out 25% water. Did I overdo it and cause this maybe ? Tank is about 5-6 weeks old I think. I need to start writing things down. I thought maybe it was because filter wasn't acting correctly, but I can't be sure if it wasn't before that emergency water change the other day or not. Sooooo my tank is either too clean or not clean enough ! Also, I didn't have an ammonia test, just that strip said nitrite was high so to add somthing to remove ammonia. I am taking water sample to store tommorrow. Things I read, suggest this:

-10-15% water change daily til normal
-get mature media and add to tank (do I just stick it in there somewhere ?)
-add live plants such as elodea or giant vallis to absorb ammonia
-feed not at all or every other day 'til levels are correct

Do y'all agree on these tactics ???

I seriously read and studied before getting this tank , and am so dissappointed in myself I messed it all up. I was considering getting a bigger tank (now a 10 gallon to a 50 gallon +), but with all this I am quite apprehensive.

I have 10 gallon with 3 danios, 2 mollies, now 1 gourami, and a pictus catfish.......and it appears I can't even handle that

 

[Hero]

Honestly... with that amount of fish in a 10gl that is not cycled... and only changing water once a week I'm shocked you didn't loose the entire stock! I'm new but almost certain your fish died from ammonia poisoning. I would get a liquid ammonia kit, test daily and change water every 1-3 days depending on the results. Once ammonia results in 0 for 3 days straight i would test for nitrite and nitrate. G'luck... I have now cycled 3 tanks with fish and only lost 1 to ick and 1 due to water conditioning mistakes! It can be rather difficult

Side note: I'm from Florida too. Daytona beach area what about you?

 

[Faythee]

Hi Hero, I am in Daytona Beach also. I went to Poisedon and they gave me 5 gallons of water from one of their tanks as well as some TLC to help with the nitrite levels. Apparantly I have cleaned my tank "too good" and changed the filter at the same time. I still have all my fish but the one. My gourami is acting normal again. Problem now is one of my Mollies is nipping at my gourmai constantly. Poor thing. I will probably go and give the gourmai back to the store tonite.

To make things worse....when pump wasn't working correctly, water had leaked behind the tank onto our new hardwood floors and ruined some of it. Husband had to rip it out and dry it and replace some. I am in the doghouse now. Ooopsy!

 

[Spooky76]

LFS water could be as bad...
Read the article on maintenance that I posted, it really is very very helpful and points out all the stupid mistakes we all make / made and stops others doing the same thing.

I promise if you follow that guide your fish will be healthier and your water will improve.

 

[ICEEGRL]

Seriously... read that article in the link!
What EXACTLY do you mean by "change filter"? Does it have a sponge and cartridge? If so... never repalce or really clean the sponge. Something has to stay in there (dirty) for the bacteria. (put very simply)

I used to clean my tanks to death. It is a hard habit to break.

Just a note... Big tanks are easier to keep stable than small ones, and you need a bigger tank for all those fish.
Good luck