ruthiesmom

Merry Chrristmas all
Woke up this morning another guppy floating belly up. Checked water still the same .25-50 ammonia and 1 nitrates. Also cloudy water is now producing white slimy gunk all over filter and plants(fake) Any help PLEASE?
Thanks
Tina

Mike19

Hi and Merry Xmas

Have you done a water change to try limit the slime and ammonia levels.

ruthiesmom

50% water cahnges for 4 days including this morning.

Mike19

With a pH of 6.0 and constant water changes ammonia should decrease, what type of water conditioner are you using ?

ruthiesmom

API Stresscoat+

Mike19

I havent used the API stresscoat although it is a good brand so i assume that it should detoxify ammonia levels for 24 hrs like prime. this may appear to sound off topic but are you the type who may over feed your fish because you think maybe one is not eating or your not feeding them enough?

capekate

Sorry to hear you are still having problems with your cycle and ammonia. All fish are sensitive to the toxins from an uncycled tank, and some more than others. I know you are doing the best that you can, with the daily water changes, but until those ammonia readings get to zero, your fish will suffer for it. I hope that your tank cycles soon... and I wish you the very best of luck with it.

Dozey

Also, have you checked your tap water's paramaters?

Mike19

using products such as prime and continuing water changes daily are short-term resolutions for the long term it will solely depend on the good bacteria in your biological filter.

Mike19

Tina, i found this link which you may find useful, ''Handling High Ammonia Levels''

http://www.beverlyspet.com/fishtalk/...a%20Levels.htm

Dozey

I have both Prime and API Stress Coat. I couldn’t remember why I didn’t use the Stress Coat regularly so I grabbed the bottle. Stress Coat has Aloe Vera which I read will build up in a tank over prolonged use. I do remember the one time I used it my water went ever so slightly milky looking which took several hours to clear up. So it’s just a thought here. Could the white slime be Aloe Vera overload from the daily water changes?

capekate

From my experience, white slimly gunk will build up normally on hoses in an established tank. Its part of tank maintenance to clean them off from time to time and should not be any concern. When we start a new tank, we all love the look of a pristine tank when everything is spotless, but over time this is just not possible to maintain without diligent cleaning.

ruthiesmom

how soon after water change can you check water parameters? After I changed water today the cloudiness seem to be less than the last few days. But as for the slime on the filters do you clean that off or let it go?
Tina

Biscato33

Hi ruthiesmom,

I'm sorry about your tank! I hope it cycles soon! I don'y exactly know how long you should wait before you test the water after a water change, but I would give it a half an hour or so. It's good that the water is less cloudy. As for the slime on the filters, I would clean it off with the aquarium water, but I'm not positive on that, so wait until someone is sure they know what to do!

~ Ali

fishlover78

I also have used stress coat, and the aloe vera leaves a milky look on the tank. I would use the prime.

Shawnie

awwwww darnit im sorry for the loss of your guppy....I hope things get better soon!! as some have said, some handle the cycle process better than others..but remember, you will always have the ammonia readings after changing it even with your conditioner..it doesnt remove the ammonia, just makes it non toxic...stress coat + is great for conditioner but just the reg stress coat is not..the + neutralizes the ammonia for 24 hours until your next change so as long as its the plus, you are ok..keep doing the daily changes and we will pray there will be no more fatalities!! cycleing with fish takes weeks sometimes so keep the faith ...goodluck!!

Lucy

I'm really sorry you've lost your fish.

I've used Stress Coat with Aloe for a long time and have never noticed any film.

Shawnie

I still do use it without film...are you using any other meds in the tank ? is there water agitation on the top to make the water move around a bit? sometimes if the tank is filled too high and the water has no movement from the outake of flow, it will cause a film on the water surface and other areas...a bubble wand will help also ...either way, you are close to a cycle being done as you have some nitrates...(hoping you dont have any in your tap water!!)

capekate

You usually should wait 24 hrs after a water change to test the water.
The slime and white gunk on the hoses and bottom of the filter, I just wipe it off when I do a water change. I pull up the hose so that its out of the water to wipe it off, otherwise you get all that gunk back into the tank. At least when its on the hoses, it stays there. Once you dislodge it, its a mess in the tank. So best to pull the hose up and out above the water line before wiping it off with paper towels. thats what I do with it...

ruthiesmom

I actually ran out of all chemicals after todays water change so I have to go to LFS tommorrow. I am going to stop at a different chain and see if they have prime to do the changes with. Would anyone happento have a picture of what the prime botttle looks like? Also Capekate the white gunk is on my filter and all on the in side of my pump also. What temp should my water be around for the fish that I have. I looked at the temp it was at 80.I thinks the little one was messing with the knob. So turned it back down by 2 degrees trying to get back around 75.
Thanks for all the support everyone I am just getting so frustrated.
Tina

Mike19

http://images.google.com.au/images?c...-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Just ask for Prime by Seachem

ruthiesmom

Thanks Mike,
I always forgett google images.