Fish tank Help!!!!!!?

Question

Ok I have a 55 gal tank with chiclids. I have had fish for 3 years so I'm sorta experienced with them. Recently I transfered into a 55 gal tank and slowly added more fish. My tank is equiped with two filers a 50 gal filter marine bio and a 75 gal filter marine bio. I clean the tank reguarly and perform water changes about once every 2 weeks or so. Ive never had problems before but within the last week the tank has become completely foggy and the nitrate levels are very unsafe at this point. I did a water change added some stuff and still no luck what should I do? Please help one of my chiclids is about to die =(

Answer 1

It sounds like you just recently setup your tank, which means it's now going through the cycling process
I wouldn't be to much worried about nitrAtes, because that's the end product

However, you have to check ammonia and nitrite, these 2 are the 2 lethal ones to fish

I personally just started a 55 gallon as well and it's in the middle of the cycling process
my nitrites spiked already and my ammonia started to go down already

You need to do partial waterchanges of 10% every other day at the least to be able to control ammonia and nitrite and to help your fish through this hard time

And DO NOT clean your filters right now, because that's where the benefical bacteria is growing
to read more about it, here is a link
http://fishlesscycling.com/forum/index.php?topic=772.0



Hope that helps
Good luck


EB



Feel free to email me for further help

Answer 2

Do water changes to control the nitrates - if you just pour in nutralizer it could very well mess with your tests, being neutral yet still present, and you'll never really know how much you have in there.

Test the levels of ammonia and nitrite and make sure they are not at lethal levels. If they register then it sounds like the transfer was a failure and you've lost bacteria and the tank needs to cycle all over again (did you transfer the filters to the new tank, or just the fish, and did you add too many fish at once and overload the system?). If this is so, get your hands on bacteria (from media from an established tank) right away and put this in your filters to add new healthy bacteria. This will re-cycle your aquarium very quickly. You can buy bottled stuff, but they range from useless to not nearly as good as real bacteria. Do water changes in the mean time to control it, every day if you need to. Stop feeding the fish altogether for several days.

If ammonia and nitrite do not register, than it means you have harmless bacterial bloom - just stick to your regular routine, do not by any means clean any filters, feed lightly, and wait it out - it will clear up on its own within a week or two.

"Added some stuff" - what stuff? Be careful with additives, some can end up doing more harm than good.

Answer 3

B.J., You have a bacteria "bloom",this is not uncommon in new tanks, as long as your Ammonia and Nitrite levels are acceptable,don't worry. Do small frequent water changes,and keep testing for Ammonia and Nitrites,the bacteria that are clouding your water will go away when they run out of whatever they're feeding on.
Something doesn't exactly sound right,are you sure that it's Nitrates that are causing the problem? Nitrates won't normally sicken fish. Also you don't say how high the levels are,this would help to know. Do frequent tests and small water changes daily,cut way down on feedings,it takes a long time to starve fish,but you can kill them with too much food in a matter of weeks. Also small feedings may help starve the bacteria that are clouding the water.
You mention water changes,but not whether you vacuum the gravel, if the gravel is full of "stuff" that could account for the high Nitrate levels. Get one of those siphon things(small hose with a large plastic tube on one end) and clean the gravel as you are doing the SMALL water changes every day or so. Go slowly,so as not to change the pH or other water conditions too quickly. Be patient with the cloudiness,it will eventually go away,but it may take some weeks. Good luck.

Answer 4

Clean one of the filters out at a time. It sounds like you need to be changing the water about every other day until you get the nitrate levels to a reasonable level. You probably did not have the bacteria built up in the new tank that were in the old tank. Did you transfer all of the gravel from the old tank as well? Keep adding nitrate neutralizer and changing 25% of the water. Don't clean both filters at the same time or you could really through off the ecosystem.

Answer 5

the tank is currently cycling. there is nothing to worry when it comes to nitrates because that is the end product. i would focus on ammonia and nitrites. change the water every other day 15%. if you have a kit, check the ammonia and nitrite because those are the two that affect the fish as in ammonia and nitrite poisoning. i wouldnt recommend cleaning anything but changing the water but do not clean the filter because the beneficial bacteria is important for the nitrogen cycle.

if you are on a low budget any fish store will gladly test your water for free

Answer 6

You might want to increase the water changes for the nitrates,just a guess but,the cloudy water is probally a bacteria bloom,nothing to worry about if it is.It should clear up in a couple of days.Don't change any of your filters at this point.It could really screw things up if you do.

Answer 7

check and answer these...


It the filter working properly?
Is there a dead fish in your tank?
Does the filter need to be changed?
Did you destroy the natural bacteria in the tank?


helpful ideas=

http://www.thatfishshop.com/chemistry/nitrogen_cycle.htm

http://www.aquariumpros.com/faqpro/quality_7.shtml

Answer 8

ask a profeshinl!