All new to me..plse help

[nomisbails]

I have a 7gallon tank, set it up and for the first 3 weeks all was well. Till I went away and my younger girls over fed and now have lost several fish. Water is cloudy (a milky whiteish). I have tried everything to help the fish survive. I know its only a small tank, but would it be best to just leave it for a week - 10 days to see how it progresses or is there something i can do?

I never do more than a 25% water change at a time (1 per week), add the right amount of cycle, dont over feed the fish, and this morning lost the 3rd fish (a platies). More saddening for my girls.

nitre level 5ppm
nitrate level 20 ppm
ph 7.5
4 fish left please help me to help them, thanks in advancce

 

[JRB__]

Ok, sounds like your in the later stages of a fish-in cycle. The cloudy water is from the high ammonia and nitrite levels, it will clear once those levels dissapear and cycle completes. Now the 'cycle' I'm referring to is the nitrogen cycle. Its something all new tanks must go through, and the tank will only be safe for fish once the nitrogen cycle has completed itself.
Read up about it, here's a good place to start --> MissFishy's Guide to Fish

Also another good site you should check out is --> AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor
It'll help you find out if your overstocked and what you can stock in a 7g.

 

[OrangeCones]

I have a 7gallon tank, set it up and for the first 3 weeks all was well. Till I went away and my younger girls over fed and now have lost several fish. Water is cloudy (a milky whiteish). I have tried everything to help the fish survive. I know its only a small tank, but would it be best to just leave it for a week - 10 days to see how it progresses or is there something i can do?

I never do more than a 25% water change at a time (1 per week), add the right amount of cycle, dont over feed the fish, and this morning lost the 3rd fish (a platies). More saddening for my girls.

nitre level 5ppm
nitrate level 20 ppm
ph 7.5
4 fish left please help me to help them, thanks in advancce

If that is nitrite that it 5ppm, you should do larger water changes to bring it down.

 

[nomisbails]

Thanks for the links, it appears that as a newbie i have all the wrong fish and need a bigger tank...live and learn. I must say that I love them and wish I haad taken it up earlier! Would you think in order to help the fish that a 16 gallon tank would be better. I have
1 x peppered cory, 2 x platies and 1 x guppy. I now know they will outgrow the tank. Suggestions welcomed and thanks for the help.

Also just found out that a 25% water change is too little (as advised by shop) and need at least 30%. I have just changed the wated which is really hard and im sure your all sickk of these questions but we all need to start some where so any more advice welcomed to help save my remaining fish. Many thanks

 

[Newman]

5ppm NITRITE? I'm surprised any fish can survive that for a long time. do huge water changes (around 60-80%) until you get less than 1pp nitrites in the water. nitrite is very toxic to fish. also what are the ammonia levels?

 

[nomisbails]

With the water change will distilled be better for the fish as opposed to just treated tap water? As i have read that it is (boiled and let sit) for getting the water to be less hard. I will try to remove the 60% tonight and we will cross fingers. I really am so greatful for all the help you are giving me...I am smitten with the fish and dont want to lose another.

not sure about ammonia levels as cant test for them. sorry

Will upgrade the tank to at least a 75 litre one as soon as I can, will this help as the bug has bitten and i would like some more fish (say another 4-5)

 

[Newman]

boiled water will be softer, but platies don't like softer water. use treated tap water..
also boiling may not remove chloramines..

 

[nomisbails]

Thanks Newman for the advice, if I put the water treater in how long befor I can change the water, it says 10 minutes before you can use the water. Is this true...sorry to be a pain in the butt! But the more I learn the better I will be and the less I will need to plague you all.

 

[Newman]

I'd wait a day...You still have to age the water in addition to dechlor. its the safest method that i use (actually i wait at least 2 days )

 

[Doomhed]

Thanks Newman for the advice, if I put the water treater in how long befor I can change the water, it says 10 minutes before you can use the water. Is this true...sorry to be a pain in the butt! But the more I learn the better I will be and the less I will need to plague you all.

dont worry about bothering us, we wouldnt come here if we didnt wanna help!

yes, wait 10-15 minutes.

I personally keep 2x 5 gal rubbermaid plastic buckets ($7 each, walmart) with rope handles for water changes, one for clean and one for dirty water.

 

[Newman]

Lol, I'm always extra safe about this then.. I leave water to be changed standing for around a week sometimes before i get around to using it.

 

[nomisbails]

I love conflicting opinions...makes lifes decisions all thatmore fun! I am going to let the water sit overnight as I know that it will de-chlorinate better even with the treatment added to it. As for leaving it....wont it go stagnant?? ha ha ha! Would rain water be better just as an off topic? Thanks again for your help guys

 

[Newman]

the main reason i leave it out for a while is to let any dissolved CO2 escape. dissolved CO2 in tap water makes the pH lower than it would really be after it's been in your tank. this way when you add the water the pH will remain the same. pH swings will hurt fish..
And i put water into 1 gallon jugs, dechlorinate them and place a cap on the before i leave them out for the week before my water changes. i haven't gotten stagnant water yet...i mean i haven't seen any bacterial blooms in this water

 

[littletankbigworld]

It's better to let it sit for a day. If not, bubbles of nitrogen form on aquarium tank ornaments when the water is poured in. This doesn't seem like a big deal, but nitrogen bubbles can also form in your fishes' stomachs, causing gas bubble disease.

 

[Newman]

whoa that's really weird...never heard that one. and you're certain that's nitrogen bubbles and not just trapped oxygen like I think it is?

 

[JRB__]

Wow, you guys are waaayyyy more cautious then myself when it comes to w/c's. I'm like Doomhed, I let it sit, once the dechlor is added, for about 15-20mins. Pretty much for as long as it takes for the blue crystals/salts to dissolve. Occansionally longer if I forget bout it.

 

[Monoxide]

Theres many people that will tell you the best way or what they do when chlorine removing from water or just water changes. It also depends on your type of fish. IMO many fish are weak and sensitive and can die super easy to stuff like this.. and IMO some fish are tougher and really don't care and just wants your dam* tube out of the water so they can swim. Anyways if you got "sensitive or weak" fish then take more caution. But so many times with my tanks with changing water.. I use to do what they all said. And very rarely I see any problems. But then again I now add my meds to take chlorine out of my water into the tank (stir it in) then add the needed water with syphon or 5 gal buckets that I have. And I never had a problem yet.. I do not reccomend my way. But its just a thought Id tell ya.

 

[tramca]

Wow, this is all news to me.

When we do our water changes, we use tap water, boil up a few kettles full to get it closer to the tank temp, then add the right amount of safeguard(liquid form) mix it in then put new water straight in. Should we be letting ours sit a few days too?

 

[Newman]

boiling it will soften the water up dramatically...then it would be more susceptible to pH swings if that's all you use. Then again, tramca i believe you own acid-water fish so i doubt that matters...still don't let your pH drop too low, or too fast =/
If your method does no harm to the fish, than it should be good

 

[nomisbails]

well did a massive change, have the nitre level down to 3ppm now, and doing another huge change tomorrow. The fish were off their food (1 platie) who is feeding again so all is good. Thanks for the help, and saving my beautiful fish. Heres to 1ppm nitre!! I have been letting the water sit on the radiator to help raise the temp and also to help dechlorinate so as not to shock the fish. I assume this is ok as they all lived!