Help with lowering Ammonia and cycling the tank.

[smwiniarski043]

Hello!
So I have a 30 gallon tank with 5 Danios in it. I use a filter and heater, and also use a little Aquarium salt. I also have 3 different plants.

This is my husbands hobby so I don't know too much about aquariums, its all very interesting to me but I am really new and don't know much. My husband is gone for some months in the military so I am left here taking care of the fish and making sure they live.

Before my husband left we thought that the tank was fully cycled. We did have a small amount of Nitrates. 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. Well after he left I have ammonia in there which I do a daily test and its .25. Still 0 nitrites and now 0 Nitrates. I don't know what has happened. I do appropriate water changes (10% or 50% plus cleaning the rocks), and put everything I need in there when I do change the water.

I feed them once a day about pinch and a 1/2. is that too much?
Also I am noticing that 3 out of the 5 have red in their gills and the neon Danio (who also has red in her gills) has red strips on her body. I have read that when you see that there is a chance of ammonia poisoning. Their not gasping for air and are acting normal other than what I can see on their.

I just need some direction on how to get the tank re-cycled and how to lower the ammonia. I don't want these fish to die!!!
Thank you in advance!

 

[aakaakaak]

Welcome to MFT! We'd love to help, but first some questions...

1. How long has the tank been up and running?
2. What is your PH at?
3. Do you have other aquariums in the house?
4. How often to you clean the aquarium?
5. Are you familiar with how to clean the aquarium?
6. How was the tank initially set up?
7. Did you change out the filter media recently?
8. By neon danio, did you mean glofish, neon tetra or some other type of danio?

 

[smwiniarski043]

Thanks!

1. The tank has been running for a little over 2 months.
2. pH is at 7.4
3. No other aquariums
4. I do 10% water changes every other day or every other 2 days.
5. I think so... When I clean the rocks (which would be a 50% water change once a week) I use a the python. When I just do the 10% I just use a cup and change the water out with tap. Then I put in the salt and Prime.
6. At first we tried to have a few fish (bleeding heart Tetras) to naturally cycle but they died within 24 hours. So then my husband did the other way to cycle it, and used plain ammonia. Once the ammonia went down we added 4 danios. Everything was good. Then we added 3 Guppies. Two died within 48 hours, the other one lived for a week and was doing great then out of no where died. Right before my husband left (around the end of January) the tank has a small amount of Nitrates. Also that was before the last Guppy died.
7. I think he changed it before he left. Could you tell me how to check if it needs to be changed?
8. I mean't glo danio. Sorry about that...
I also have 4 snails that kind of came out of no where...

 

[OrangeCones]

Since you already use Prime to dechlorinate, you can use it to bind extra ammonia and nitrite. If you do not have Seachem's Ammonia Alert disk, I highly recommend them for new fishkeepers.

If you do not, keep in mind that even if the Prime is binding the ammonia, it will still show up on the test kit if your kit tests for total ammonia (total ammonia = free ammonia + bound ammonia). There are more expensive tests kits that can test for both free ammonia and total ammonia (only the free ammonia is the toxic type), but they are not commonly available.

The unexpected snails were likely hitchhikers on the plants. Do you know that name of the plants? If not, can you post pictures of them? Many plants sold for your aquarium use, sadly, are not aquatic. This can add to your ammonia level if they decay.

 

[aakaakaak]

Your filter media doesn't really need to be changed as much as they tell you to. It's where most of the beneficial bacteria is kept, which is why I was asking. It looks like you may have lost your cycle.

Are you using the API Freshwater Master Test Kit? And if so are you shaking the crap out of Nitrate bottle #2 before you use it?

 

[lauraf]

I agree, aak - if the test results are accurate, it sounds like the cycle was lost. To the original poster - that's okay, you can do a fish-in cycle to reestablish. The salt can help with some effects of ammonia poisoning, but it sounds like you've been adding it for some time - is there another reason? Usually salt isn't necessary . . .

 

[smwiniarski043]

Thanks Everyone!
Since I posted yesterday I went to Petsmart to se if I could purchase something to lower the ammonia and to help my Glo Danio with the red on her. They gave m e "Aqua Clear Filter Insert Ammonia Remover" So I put that in the filter last night. They also gave me "Pimafix" to help with the Red. I put that in last night as well. I also put in another filter in to produce more water flow. I checked the Ammonia this morning and it has gone down, not quite 0 yet though. And my Glo Danio is looking way better! I can still see the red on her but not nearly as bad.
Most of the plants in the tank are doing really good, whenever some are wilted I just take them out. I can't think of the names off the top of my head but I'll post some pictures.
I use the salt now because when I had the guppies, and it was highly recommend since 2 died. It worked well for the last one but he eventually died. I'm sure the Danios don't really need it but I use it to be cautious I guess..
I have been shaking the hell out of the nitrate bottle for 1 minute, but still no nitrates... :/
So if I lost my cycle.... How do I get it back? My husband did all this before he left.

 

[aakaakaak]

The pimafix isn't doing anything about the ammonia and will actually hurt your cycle. Stop using it for now, but keep it handy. Pimafix is good meds for sick fish.

You can also buy a bottle of Tetra Safe Start to kick start your bacteria. Just be sure to mix the bottle in with the new water instead of dumping it in the tank with the fish. It probably wouldn't hurt them, but why risk it?

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Dylandrewsdad]

If you think there is ammonia you need to keep doing 50% water changes daily. Also as Laura asked, why are you adding salt? Based on your stocking there is no need. So my advice is this:

1. Do a 50% water change
2. Stop using the Primafix and salt
3. Get a API master test kit to test the water (Do not trust petsmart if they test it, unless they use the liquid test, then ask the exact numbers)
4. Post your readings here, we can help on what steps to take next.

What filter is on the tank? As Aak stated the good bacteria lives on the those surfaces and changing it can hurt the tank, most of us usually just rinse it out in old tank water.

Good Luck! Please tell your husband we appreciate him and what he is doing!

 

[smwiniarski043]

Thanks again for everyones help!

I do have the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.
I just ran an Ammonia test on both my tank and my Tap water.
The tank says .25, AND the Tap water says .25 ... Did not know there is ammonia in tap water....

I'll stop using the salt and the Pimafix. But will the Glo Danio be ok? I still don't think she looks normal... Pretty much she is why I went in freak out mode about the ammonia.

I will get some Tetra Safe Start. I just did another test on the Nitrates and it still says 0.

Right now the filters that I am using in the one with the corks inside, and the other one is supposed to have a carbon filter in it but I'm not using it. It's just empty. I'm just using it to get more flow... I haven't taken them out and cleaned them though.

 

[aakaakaak]

.25 with the API test kit.........

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

The API "yellow" has always looked a twinge green to me. I've heard a couple people say the same thing. I think it has something to do with their kits doing that naturally.

Keep an eye on the ammonia/nitrites and hope for nitrates. If you see the ammonia pop .5 or higher get to work on your water changes. You could also double dose your Prime to neutralize some of the ammonia.