Water Parmameters Have Gone to Hell - Need Advice

[rmarrandino1]

About 3 weeks ago my new 55-gallon tank completed cycling.

However 3 days ago I noticed Ich on a couple of fish. So, I removed all of the carbon from both of my filters (Whisper 60 and Rena XP2). I did clean the inside of the Rena, since it looked pretty dirty, I'm sure this had something to do with the small spike in ammonia. I've done a daily 25% water change and then added the Ich medicine.

Yesterday my ammonia was 0.5, nitrite 0.0, and nitrates 20. I added Ammo Lock as a precaution. Yesterday I lost 3 fish, 2 from the original group that tranferred over to this tank. I had them about 1.5 years. I also lost a Bristlenose Pleco that I've only had a couple of weeks.

Today my ammonia was 4.0, nitrite 0.0, and nitrates between 20 - 40. Can these reading be right or can it be a false positive because of the Ammo Lock?

I plan on doing a 50%+ change this afternoon before I add the Ich medicine. Am I missing something? Should I be doing something different?

The good new is that the Ich is just about gone from the infected fish.

Thanks for your help.

 

[echoofformless]

I heard ammo-lock will give false positive readings.

Why did you clean inside the filter? That might not have been a hot idea.

Anyway, here's what I would do - keep on the water change and ich medicine schedule. Don't add any more chemicals to alter the ammonia. Once the ich has cleared, then start testing your ammonia, nitrite, etc and see where you are biologically. If you're in any trouble, take it from there. For right now your fish are stressed enough by the meds and the water changes so I wouldn't advise doing anything too drastic until you're certain there needs to be a drastic measure.

 

[Avalon]

However 3 days ago I noticed Ich on a couple of fish.

Acclimation issues, but nothing to stress too much over. Need to act fast and with a strong remedy.

So, I removed all of the carbon from both of my filters (Whisper 60 and Rena XP2).

Good for med dosing.

I did clean the inside of the Rena, since it looked pretty dirty, I'm sure this had something to do with the small spike in ammonia. I've done a daily 25% water change and then added the Ich medicine.

Dirty is good. Only clean when absolutely necessary, and never all at once! In a fish only aquarium, good quality cannister filters (such as yours) will last a long, long time before they need any cleaning done.

Yesterday my ammonia was 0.5, nitrite 0.0, and nitrates 20. I added Ammo Lock as a precaution. Yesterday I lost 3 fish, 2 from the original group that tranferred over to this tank. I had them about 1.5 years. I also lost a Bristlenose Pleco that I've only had a couple of weeks.

Today my ammonia was 4.0, nitrite 0.0, and nitrates between 20 - 40. Can these reading be right or can it be a false positive because of the Ammo Lock?

Tank is cycling again. Beware the bacteria/algae bloom. Ammo-lock won't help much, but daily water changes will. Remove all dead fish asap, gravel vac, and reduce the photoperiod to no more than 8 hours. A protein film, if you see one, indicates you have excess wastes. What are you going to do with the nitrites?

I plan on doing a 50%+ change this afternoon before I add the Ich medicine. Am I missing something? Should I be doing something different?

Leave the cannister filter alone!

 

[rmarrandino1]

I figured I caused a mini-cycle by cleaning the friggin filter. I just didn't think that the ammonia would shoot up that high.

Ammonia was down to .5 today, nitrites were at .5, and nitrates at 10. Also, no sign of ich on any of the fish. I'll do one more water change tomorrow and add one more dose of ich medicine.

I'm guessing the tank will be back to normal after another day or two.

Thanks for your help.