Help! I posted to Fish Forum Log, sorry!

[dfishwife]

Please see my post at Fish Forum Log! I didn't post to the best place! Ammonia, Ick and Cloudy water on 4 year old tank! Thanks for any answers!

[FishKing]

This can all be caused by feeding the fish too much and not cleaning the aquarium. Also the ick may come from low tempuratures. So if you have a gravel vac hoes down your tank about 40%. Refill the tank with water that is about 80 degreesor higher the tempurature of the heater, and last do not keep the light on very long.

[susitna-flower]

WELCOME TO FISHLORE, DFISHWIFE!

Sounds like you have been through a lot! Your tank is having a mini cycle problem (ok major, cycle problem)

Most here recommend the API Master test kit, much easier to read, and since we all look at the same thing, we are able to relate to just what you are describing....

The first problem. ICK should be treated with raising the water temperature up to 82+ and keeping it there for AT LEAST 2 weeks. 84 is good, that way you will know it stays where it needs to be. With this method, you have to change at least 25 % water every other day, to replenish the oxygen as it is lowered in warmer water.

NOW: The medication you used has killed the good bacteria you need in the tank to convert ammonia to nitrite, and then to nitrate. THIS is potentially much worse for your tank than a little ick! Ammonia is TOXIC and will kill your fish. SO for this you have to do 25-50% water changes every day until ammonia and nitrite go back to 0.

Nitrates should not be up around 20. I know many places state 20 is OK, but in my experience at 20 I start doing water changes. I keep my tanks between 5 and 10 as it is much less stress on the fish, and keeps algae down. So, more water changes......

When you get this all worked out you should end up with no more fish than will grow to 1" per adult size per gallon of tank. Less would be better. Good Luck

[dfishwife]

Yes, I, for the 5+ years I have been keeping an aquarium, this aquarium for over 4 years, with 40 inches worth of fish with no problems, changing the water about once a month, I did go about 6 weeks that I did not change the water...didn't seem to have any problems, but, it was after I began to change the water again that I found I did have a problem...so it was coming, or already there, I just had not realized it, for I was not taking any readings. I made another water change last night, about 30%, added more ammo lock, this morning the readings (using the same Jungle Quick Dip 5 tests in one strip ) are nitrate still very low, perhaps 5-10, as it is just a barely perceptable pink tint. Nitrite has continued to be 0, throughout all the increased ammonia readings. Total alkalinity KH is still 40. (it was normally at the 'ideal' of 120) PH is 6.8 ; I read that false readings of ammonia can continue after treating with Ammo Lock. I am still getting the same blue green color, it is a dark hue, like comparable with the danger shade of green (It is on the Jungle Quick Dip for Ammonia that the colors on the comparison chart are off, the 5 in 1 test strips match well...but, I don't know if they are accurate for how they measure!) I will raise the temperature. I did not know the fish could take the temp that high, thanks. So should I continue to treat with the Quick Cure, or stop using it and just keep the temp raised for the two week duration? I am not exceeding the one inch per gal limit, the fish length totals 37, and it's a 40 gal tank. I did, however, have Rainbows and more cherry barbs for one week at totaling 46...I took them back before I realized I had a problem going on... Thanks for your help.