Really down about water

[Rory the cat]

Really fed up - I just can't get the water right.

My tap water is 75 m/l nitrate - so I switched to r/o. This time last week my levels were 75 - 100 m/l nitrate, 0.1 - 0.4 ml ammonia and 0.25 nitrite.

Have been doing 15% water changes daily with r/o for a week and have planted the tank with fast growing plants.

I have no algae in the tank whatsoever, the fish seem very well (apart from a touch of Whitespot on Puff and a few nipped fins courtesy of Puff) and my plants are thriving. I did a test on Monday and the nitrate was down to 25m/l, ammonia 0.05 and nitrite 0.05. Tested last night - back up to 50m/l nitrate, 0.4m/l ammonia and 0.1 nitrite. Just tested again and the levels are still the same despite another water change.

HELP!!!!!

I am using pure R/O with minerals & KH additives. I am NOT over feeding (if anything underfeeding). Have deliberately not vacuumed gravel since last week as I was doing it weekly and I think I may have over-done it. Putting in copious amounts of stress-zyme, cleaning the filter in tank water monthly. Filter is on highest setting and is only 2 months old anyway and is more than enough for the tank. I also have a t bag in there for good measure & carbon in the filter itself.

The tank is not overstocked and there is DEFINITELY nothing dead in the tank, although I think the snail may have died that was in there, but I have brought the shell to the front of the tank to keep an eye on. See that's worrying me now - if he has died it was yesterday, could it have been the ammonia that killed him?

What on earth can it be? It is a 4-year established tank, I took it over in March when it was in a very bad way. Could it be cycling itself again? What can I do? Had a good cry last night, but seriously I need some help here

 

[tstenback]

hey this water has come a long way in a short amount of time if i remember correctly....you shoould be proud of your accomplishment not down. When water changes its parameters a lot in a short amount of time it sometimes goes through a bounce or two along the way. Keep up with the water changes and minimize the feeding for the next few days and lets see where that gets us. Also what else is in the tank other that fish? You will hear this a lot in this hobby "Be Patient it will all work out".

 

[Fordaz]

Could be your plants? I had high Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels in my tank, had no idea what was causing it. My plants, too, were thriving in the water.

I made the decision to move my fish to another tank (only 6 Danios). I then completely emptied the old tank of water, took out the live plants and replaced them with silk ones, filled it back up and set it away for 7 days. PH, Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia were fine, I've re-introduced my Danios back into the tank now, they've been in for about 12 days, and all seems clear on the tests.

Dunno if that'll help, but there's no harm in replacing the plants with plastic/silk ones, doing a partial water change and leaving it for a couple of weeks.

 

[Rory the cat]

Other than fish there are 4 plants ('Baby Tears' & another I cannot remember the name of, it has 50p shaped leaves), several fabric/plastic plants, some wood (from LFS), some slate (LFS) and an ornament that looks like a piece of wood but is hollow for hidey holes (LFS again). I soaked all ornamental pieces in tank water before placing in the tank.

There is also the filter, T bag and a large airstone. There is also one Ramshorn Snail, but he has retreated into his shell for the last 24 hours, which I guess isn't a good sign.

I know what you're saying Tstenback and thank you - but it's just upsetting worrying that I might be doing something wrong or that the fish might be suffering in some way. Very sad but I am already really attached to them (esp Puff who I have taken to talking to in the morning over breakfast). He comes to the front of the tank so he pays attention This morning my other half was telling the cat how silly I was for talking to fish!

 

[Rory the cat]

Thanks Fordaz - but I got the plants after the levels were so high to help bring them down. I had all fabric before that.

I am going to establish a second tank next week (Puff's fin nipping has gotten too extreme and I think he needs to be alone, despite what the LFS told me ) so will be interesting to see what happens in that!

Just wish I didn't wake up every morning with the dread that the fish will all be dead over night owing to my poor tank water.

 

[tstenback]

I know what you're saying Tstenback and thank you - but it's just upsetting worrying that I might be doing something wrong or that the fish might be suffering in some way. Very sad but I am already really attached to them (esp Puff who I have taken to talking to in the morning over breakfast). He comes to the front of the tank so he pays attention This morning my other half was telling the cat how silly I was for talking to fish!

thanks for the info i will try to see if anything here could be having an effect on the water but i am willing to bet with sticking to the routine things will clear up. This tank was in bad shape and is now in quite good shape. We just need to give it sometime to stabilize and things will be great. Have a good day