ammonia is killing ME!
- Thread starter Lou
- Start date
Im really sorry about that, had it all typed out and the computer wouldnt load correctly. Now, i set up a 55 gallon tank at first of september. didnt let it cycle real well and put a 12inch koi in it for about 3 days. i didnt do a water change when i put the new fish in ( 4 3in. feeder fish). the ammonia was high but i figured i could do a couple partial wt. changes for a few days and get it leveled back out. its been a month and a half later of doing 10 gallon water changes every other night. now its starting to get worse. my ammonia level right now is 8.0, did the A.C.E. drops (10 tea.) and it didnt even make a dent. NOW for the question, am i going to have to do like a 90%water change, or is there another alternative. today i bought a Cascade 150 power filter to go onto the tank. and i also added a dose of ammonia lock 2. not really making any difference. i know i messed up beyond belife with the koi, but is there a way to fix this problem (and par. wt. chgs not working to well) without tearing the system down and starting all over? your replys are greatly appriciated. thanks.
Take the Koi back and lose the feeder fish too. The Koi gets far to big for a 55g tank anyway. Do you have a test kit to check nitrites and nitrates or just an ammonia kit? If you do get rid of the fish, try using the fishless cycle method going forward. You won't need to add any ammonia for some time I would bet, but this all depends on the status of your nitrites.
i only had the koi for 3 days and gave him away to someone with a koi pond. and i love the feeder fish too much to get rid of them. i use the quick dip 5, and a seperate ammonia tester i use. after almost 2 months, the nitrites finally moved from 0 to 1.0 ppm. maybe this means it might start cycling, because i dont think it has even begun until yesterday. i test the water about every other day with the water changes. but thanks for the advice, its very much appriciated. thanks
Trying not to sound harsh, but if you love the feeder fish so much, you wouldn't cycle a tank with them. Especially not if your ammonia is hitting 8 ppm. I think killing your fish is a lot more horrible than returning them to the pet store. Do you have a friend that could house them for you until you cycle your tank?
i can put them in another tank, but i didnt want to do that. this tank is in a hotel, and breaking it down in the lobby is painful. i put the koi in the tank in hopes that he would get the cycle started, but he overloaded the system. i thought the ammonia would drop once he was out, but it didnt, it just got worse. i think i have made the decision to remove them and start this whole horrible process all over again. thanks for the comments, they are much appriciated.
By the way, I'm not sure what A.C.E is, but many ammonia locking products detoxify ammonia, not remove it, so you would still have a reading.
I would do a large water change to try to get the ammonia down below 2ppm or lower if possible. Too much ammonia can slow the cycle. I don't think your cycle is lost, but may need some help with reducing the ammonia.
Good luck
I would do a large water change to try to get the ammonia down below 2ppm or lower if possible. Too much ammonia can slow the cycle. I don't think your cycle is lost, but may need some help with reducing the ammonia.
Good luck
ok, i think this just might work, maybe? i did a 30 gallon water change 7 days ago. Now, my nitrites are 3.0, nitrate 40, and my pH has droped from 6.8 to 6.2, and ammonia is between 1.0 and 2.0. Now, sinces all the levels are moving around right now, do i need to change the water and filters? i have been do a w. change about every 2-3 days, 10 gallon, and changing the power filters about every week to 2 weeks. NOW, do i need to stop my water changes and filter changes since i Think its starting to cycle? Im really not sure is 10 gallons would hurt, but i dont know. (Do you think my tank is starting to cycle?) thanks you for your input. It is greatly appriciated.
You really shouldn't have changed your filters until your tank stabilized to begin with I think,But its too late to really worry about that I guess . If I were you I would keep up on the water changes and leave the filters alone until you are done cycling..even then you don't need to replace the media as much as you are (or at least as much as I think you are.. every week or so right?)
Good luck on that.
. If I were you I would keep up on the water changes and leave the filters alone until you are done cycling..even then you don't need to replace the media as much as you are (or at least as much as I think you are.. every week or so right?)Good luck on that.