# Hi I'm new Don't know if i"m doing it right



## mimitj65 (Oct 21, 2008)

In feb. I set up a 125gal 6ft long tank. with two aquar clear filters. I started buying babies about 30-40. they grew up. In july I noticed babies every were. my son was amazied that the adults didn't eat the babies.I did water chages every week.I got the 6in1 test strip. everything was good until I purchased th Eheim professionel 3e. I hooked it up and took the old down. About a month later I saw ich on a few of my fish. So I went to the pet shop and he told me to do a 25% water change, and add Mardel-Maracide. I did about a 40% water change and added the Maracide. The next day I took some water to the fish store they told me my Ph was low. I told them what I had done. So they sent me home witha stability and malawi/victoria buffer and Mardel coppersafe Told me to follow all the directions. I did all that and with in a few hours my fish started dieing.So i freaked out and did a 50% water change. Oh the filter showed way donw too. So I called a fish store that does in home maintance. He told it would take a few days but haven't herd anything yet. I been testing my tank for the last 4 days. My ph is 7.2,high ph is 7.4 ammonia is .25,nitrite is.25 and nitrate is 40.Man I'm willing to pay someone $100. to come to my house and get me back on the right track. I'm just a women who wants to relax watching my fish.I have a beautiful tank and when I figure how to put my pics in ya see. Any input with out any more fish dieing would be greatly apprecated.  :-?


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

It seems like you have disrupted your tanks nitrogen cycle by switching filters. 
With an established tank you should never have an ammonia or nitrite level above 0.
I think when you took down the aquaclears and installed the new filter you removed all of your established bacteria that was in the media of the aquaclears. Which in turn caused the ammonia and nitrite spike. Basically a mini cycle.
Ideally you should have taken the established media from you other filters and placed them in the new filter or left your established filters running while the bacteria colonize in your new filter.
The pH had nothing to do with it as it was more likely the ammnia and nitrite.
Contitnue to do water changes and do not disrupt any of the filters.
If you can seed the tank with some seasoned filter media from an established filter that will help. If the stability stuff you have detoxifies ammonia and or nitrite go ahead and use that as well.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Frequent partial water changes are in order, until you get the ammonia and nitrite down to zero. Make sure you use a good dechlorinator with your water changes - I would suggest picking up some Prime since this will help detoxify the ammonia.

You may need to do several water changes within the next 24 hours.

The ammonia is toxic to your fish and can cause long term damage to them if the problem isn't resolved quickly.

I agree with smellsfishy1 on how this came about. You should have left the established filter systems running for awhile in conjunction with the new system, until it was properly seeded.

For more information, read up on the nitrogen cycle in the library section. :thumb:

Your health problems may not stop immediately on clearing up the water. Stress can really throw a wrench in things with these fish.

If you don't know what species you have, once you're through this crisis, I would recommend posting pics of them in the unidentified section and making sure your fish are compatible for the long haul.


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

> everything was good until I purchased th Eheim professionel 3e. I hooked it up and took the old down. About a month later I saw ich on a few of my fish.


When you put on the new filter and removed the old, you took away alot of the good bacteria for your bio filtration.
In the future, run the new filter _with _the old ones for a month, then remove the old ones one at a time, with atleast 1 week between.
Or you could have put the used filter media from the a/c into the eheim to pre seed it.


> About a month later I saw ich on a few of my fish. So I went to the pet shop and he told me to do a 25% water change, and add Mardel-Maracide. I did about a 40% water change and added the Maracide. The next day I took some water to the fish store they told me my Ph was low. I told them what I had done. So they sent me home witha stability and malawi/victoria buffer and Mardel coppersafe


You have added alot of chemicals to your tank. The fish were already stressed by the ich.
The lfs will inevitably sell you as much stuff as possible, it's part of their job.
I'm sorry, but you were a easy target, as they could read how upset and desparate you felt at that moment. 


> Told me to follow all the directions. I did all that and with in a few hours my fish started dieing.So i freaked out and did a 50% water change.


Again, all the added chemicals and changing the pH drastically, especially at once is not good. 
It's always safest to *wait at least a hour between *adding any chemical to the aquarium.
The water change was a good move, as long as you were careful with the temp, addition of declorinator, and so on. 
Did you also add all those other chems.?

The fish dying is adding to the bio load, be sure to get them out asap when you see their dead.

Are you sure you have ick? Do you have it still?

What cichlids or other fish do you have? Most will adjust to your pH. 
I have to disagree  pH swings along with the mini cycle, could be a part of the problem.

Sudden swings to raise or lower pH will do harm.

We need to form a plan to get your tank back on track and keep maintenance easy so you can enjoy your setup.
I agree with the others about doing water changes, but also let's check a few other things:
What is the pH of your tank now?
What is the pH of the water you use for partial w/c?
Alicem


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Don't worry about the ph until you get the ammonia and nitrites straightened out and we know what kind of fish you are keeping!

If there is a need to buffer the ph once everything is resolved (and most tank raised fish are VERY adaptable to lower or higher ph than they have in the wild) then you are better off to use the buffer recipe in the library chemistry section rather than using store bought ph adjusters.


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## mimitj65 (Oct 21, 2008)

I had to clean my clogged blue sponge in my filter last nite becasue it slowed way down. but I only cleaned out the sponge I left the rest. Put it back together it working good.As of this morning my ammoina was .25 the nitrite is .25 also. I have not done anymore to my tank as I'm afaird to kill my fish.After a week of still having cloudy water-wiith the new filter I put my aquar clear back on the other end.So last nite I put a ammonia media that comes in the mech net. that helps remove the ammonia.Do i just keep doing water changes until the ammiona is 0.Thanks for all the help


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

Yes. Keep up the water changes. 
It should keep your ammonia and nitrite levels at bay during the cycle's process.
These water changes should clear up the cloudiness as well.
Don't disrupt anything else. 
Not the gravel, not the decor, not the filters _*NOTHING!*_
Hang in there , you are doing fine.
:thumb: Good luck.


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## mimitj65 (Oct 21, 2008)

I'm happy today my ammiona 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 40 ph is 7.2 high ph 7.4. I don't know if ph of 7.2 is low for afican cichlids but what i have figured is that with the water changes on a weekly bases like i was doing and(slacted) My tank must of been rigth becasue I had fish breeding every wear.Wow I'll never have to buy fish.Everything went bad when hooking the new filter up.When the new filter is in play and with the water changes I hope it will get back in order.I really don't like adding chemicals.Thanks to all and I love this site so far.This is my fish resource.  :fish: :fish:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Continue the frequent water changes for a bit...Perhaps one a day or every other day - I'd rather see those nitrates around 20 - 40 means it's time for a water change.

Good luck! Sounds like you're getting a grip on things.

Again, if you want to try raising your ph a bit, go with the buffer recipe in the library chemistry section! And do it slowly...But wait until you have things under control for a bit before adding anything extra to your tank!


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## Dave (Feb 9, 2003)

smellsfishy1 said:


> With an established tank you should never have an ammonia or nitrite level above 0.


This would depend on your source water, but for the most part this is a good rule of thumb.


> I think when you took down the aquaclears and installed the new filter you removed all of your established bacteria that was in the media of the aquaclears. Which in turn caused the ammonia and nitrite spike. Basically a mini cycle.


Very likely.


> Ideally you should have taken the established media from you other filters and placed them in the new filter or left your established filters running while the bacteria colonize in your new filter. The pH had nothing to do with it as it was more likely the ammnia and nitrite.


very good advice


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

That is kind of strange that through all of these water changes your nitrates are reading at 40ppm.
It isn't a big deal but I would think that maybe it should have dropped even a little bit.
Anyway, keep up on the water changes until it does drop. Like Cichlidaholic, I prefer mine under 20 but no big deal.
As long as the pH is above 7.0 the fish will be fine. I think it is often blown out of proportion.
If it was that big of a deal why do your african cichlids breed in 7.2-7.4 pH water?
The pH is not really a problem especially right now. 
Take the advice of Cichlidaholic.
Get the system balanced and then worry about tweeking your pH,GH,KH. 
In the mean time read up on those things and try to understand what they are and how they effect each other.(http://cichlidforum.com/articles/chemistry_list.php)
This is very important before you add any "buffers" and these values start to swing every which way in dramatic fashion.
Glad it all worked out mimitj65.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Has the ich cleared up now?

I'm really surprised that it took a month after taking out the aquaclears and adding the new filter for problems to arise.
You're getting very good advice here though:thumb: .

I'd work on doing water changes (probably 50% at a time) to bring the nitrates down to under 20 for a good start. Like Kim said, use a good dechlorinator like Prime when doing the water changes and make sure the temp is pretty close to the temp of the tank water. I really wouldn't worry about pH. Test the pH of your tap water and if it's 7.2, I'd call it good. Changing pH is harder on fish than having it a little low.

Hope you haven't lost any more fish and I can't wait to find out what all fish you have and see pics =D> .


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