# WOW Did I mess Up!!!



## wjb1260 (Aug 12, 2012)

Hey Everyone, I am new here. I have had several tanks in the past but by no means am I an expert. Case in point. I have not had a tank in probably 7 or 8 years. I moved back home to the edge of the ozarks in Arkansas and my nephew gave me his old 40 gal. I first set it up with local gravel,rocks, and driftwood. I had 3 long eared sunperch. We were moving to a different house and the wife wanted more color so here is where I messed up. I saved 30 gal of my original tank water. My parameters were all good. the local or rural city water tests out fine with my API Master test kit. PH is 7.0 ammonia is 0 ppm nitrite and nitrate is also 0 ppm. My tank was about 6 months old and I moved it and put all new gravel, 50lbs of polished river pebbles and new silk plants. Added 2 new extra internal pumps. and watched the water and it was keeping good parameters for 3 or 4 days so I went and picked up some new fish. I got to many and lost several. I now have the stress level doing better( no more lost fish). 



Water in the tank now is PH 6.2 ? 

Ammonia 2.0

Nitrite .50

Nitrate 20



I am using stress coat,melafix,startzyme,and start right. 25% daily water changes. I need to get the ph back up and the rest back to zero. Any suggestions before I go any farther. Been away from having a tank longer than I thought. HELP


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

Your tank is not fully cycled. when you took out the old gravel, you got rid of some of your bacterial colony. How many fish did you put in at once? 
With ammonia at 2ppm, you need to do an immediate 50-70% Water change. ammonia even at .50 ppm can cause permanent damage to a fish's system. If you can buy some Seachem prime. it's a water conditioner, but if you double dose it, it neutrlizes ammonia and nitrites.
If you want to raise the ph, put some crushed coral in the tank, or put some limestone in.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

test levels indicate your tank is still cycling. Watch levels(as you are) and slowly raise your ph to desired level.Elements from nature (local) have no place with tropicals(different diseases, bacteria and the such). Do water changes as needed and add no more fish.Your A and nitrites will go away(probably) before nitrates. The nitrates usally follow the lowering of A and nitrites , fooling many into thinking cylce is complete. In my experience thats when you need to focus on nitrates(as they will focus on your system).Be patient(maybe 4 weeks or longer?). when first two are gone and nitrate is reasonable(low) then slowly(weekly) make small additions that your filter can adjust to. Good luck.


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## ChessieSFR (Dec 30, 2011)

I think you mentioned that you put wood in the tank. Driftwood causes a drop in pH. That may be part of your problem.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

chessie is correct.Good call,seems like we missed that!


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## wjb1260 (Aug 12, 2012)

Hi Chessie. In my natural setup there was driftwood but not in this new setup. My avatar and profile pic is a pic of my new setup.


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## ChessieSFR (Dec 30, 2011)

Oh, okay. I got confused. Then it is probably due to the incomplete cycle. Hopefully it works itself out quickly.


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## wjb1260 (Aug 12, 2012)

Good Morning Everyone. I did a 50% water change yesterday. Water test this morning was PH 6.2 Ammonia is .50 ppm and Nitrite and Nitrate is 0 ppm. I am going to do another 50% water change today. When we dont do something for a few years we tend to forget somethings. I am more upset with myself for not catching it sooner. I lost 5 fancy fantail males, 5 female fantails, 5 neon tetras and 2 of my 3 green cory cats. I have 2 male fantail guppies and 3 female fantails left. 1 neon and 1 green cory cat. Being on disability loosing that many new fish sucked. I am probably going to do a 50% water change daily. As for what I am adding to my water, I have stopped the melafix. The stress coat and my dechlorinator(start right) with 50% water changes instead of 25% has stopped them from dieing.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

check ph of your source water.


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## wjb1260 (Aug 12, 2012)

Hey coralbandit in my original post I stated what my tap water paramiters are.( My parameters were all good. the local or rural city water tests out fine with my API Master test kit. PH is 7.0 ammonia is 0 ppm nitrite and nitrate is also 0 ppm) and I tested it again yesterday as well. I am new to this area and I have never had a tank setup in this area. Hopefully with you and everyone elses help I can get my tank up to where it needs to be.


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## wjb1260 (Aug 12, 2012)

Good evening everyone. I did a water change and a water test yesterday and ph was 6.2 ammonia was .25 and nitrite and nitrate were zero. Today and this evening no water change ph is 6.0 ammonia is .25 and nitrite and nitrate are both zero. I have a dr appmnt at the VA tomorrow and I have to drive by the two lfs i use... Hmmm


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