wicked Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 Hi need some help, I have a 20 gallon tank and have lost all but two of my fish. This tank has been established for 15 years and I have never had the loss that I have had in the last two weeks I was testing my water and the kit said everything was fine, but still the losses continued. I finally took a water sample in for a test from another party and it say's that my Nitrite levels have sky rocketed. I have been doing a 25% water change once a week but the levels are far from great. So I am looking to you fine people for some help. I am down to 2 fish and they seem healthy and happy but I know I can not run a tank this size with a Black Skirt Tetra and a Platty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 You should stir up your gravel and increase your water changes to 50 percent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicked Posted November 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 You should stir up your gravel and increase your water changes to 50 percent. How often do you suggest I do this, I just did a 25% water change yesterday? By the way I have met you, I bought the 25 gallon from you last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracked maniac Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 you can do water changes evry day if you want to help releave the fish it wont hurt anything there is also something else you can try its called clearmax from fluval if you can find it, this worked extremely well in my 20gal to knock the nitrite and nitrate levels down to acceptable levels hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 You should stir up your gravel and increase your water changes to 50 percent. How often do you suggest I do this, I just did a 25% water change yesterday? By the way I have met you, I bought the 25 gallon from you last year. I would stir up the gravel every couple of months and do water changes every 2 days for a week. After that you can go back to weekly or biweekly water changes. Yes I remember you as well. You are from the reptile forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracked maniac Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 clearmax is filter media not chemical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 The initial problem could be that you are useing those inaccurate sometimes faulty test strips and or that you haven't vaccumed the gravel. You can do as many water changes as you like but until you remove a major source of the NitrAtes and Ites then you will continue to have this problem. Check your filter and if there is allot of extra waste then that needs to be removed DO NOT REMOVE BACTERA only gunk on the surface. You can use Prime To help Detoxify some of the NitrAtes and iTes for the time being. The bottle says that 5 times the recommended doseage is safe in an emergency. Good luck Lisa Good luck Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kraken Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 (edited) Prime works really well. A powder called Safe works really well too but the prime is more easily found. I find the API test kits to be quite accurate. They are in liquid form. Edited November 17, 2008 by Kraken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicked Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 Well my Nitrates are still high I have done cleaned the gravel been doing water changes using Prime. How long will it take to get the levels back to normal????? I have an aqua clear mini on the tank right now, I had a larger unit a whisper which is just a piece of you know what, I have a air bubbler in the tank as well. Any other suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wicked Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 Well my Nitrates are still high I have cleaned the gravel been doing water changes using Prime. How long will it take to get the levels back to normal?????I have an aqua clear mini on the tank right now, I had a larger unit a whisper which is just a piece of you know what, I have a air bubbler in the tank as well. Any other suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parachromis1 Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 Bigger filter and more water changes. Try adding some plants if you know how to keep them. That;s all you can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.