[cichlid lova 1996+5]

my 55 gallon cihclid tank has been doing pretty well but when i cleaned it the last weekend and everything has spiked. By cleaning i mean all the rocks boiled and plants put in the dish washer even gravel boiled. My nitrate nitrite were off the charts! ph was at 7.2. And if cichlids can have a heart attack i think my did. My acei flipped out one night and hit the walls and swam so fast and he stopped in the corner of the tank and was not breathing. A few minutes later he was ok. i have been doing 50% water changes and have been doing that for three days. everything is under control and to make sure i bought some live plants to absorb the nitrites and nitrates. but they will not eat. They havent for the three day period. i even put brine shrimp in to have them eat and usually hey go crazy but the didnt really eat it all that much. I am really getting scared i have had most of these fish for over a year and dont plan on losing them. I will do anything to make sure they dont die. I have a magnum 350 and it doesnt seem to be helping where the exhaust meets the tube there is water spraying out of it. (this is inside the filter) please help should i buy a different filter or what should i do?!!!

 

[rgr4475]

It seems what you did was kill off most of your beneficial bacteria. If you cleaned your filters too with tap water, then probably all gone. Especially if you did everything at once. In the future, there is no need to clean rocks (algae is normal and looks natural) or to remove your gravel and boil it. A lot of your good bacteria is in the gravel. Just do monthly gravel vaccuming.

Ok, now to help the situation. You are probably experiencing a mini cycle or in your case, you may have to start from almost scratch. What were your ammonia and nitrite readings? Don't worry about nitrates or ph levels right now. I would do a large water change (50%) and continue to do water changes while monitoring your ammonia and nitrite levels. I would also dose the tank with Prime or some type of ammonia detoxifier if you have any. This makes the ammonia less toxic for the fish. I would stop feeding also for a day or two. The plants won't do anything to help this situation.

I am not familiar with the Mag 350's so hopefully someone will suggest something there to help you out. However in the future you may want to add another filter in addition to the Mag 350 to aid in bio filtration.

But for right now, the big thing that will help will be the water changes. Good luck

 

[cichlid lova 1996+5]

The nitrite is at about 7 and ammonia is below .05 ppm

 

[rgr4475]

Wow, thats really high nitrite. Do a water change soon. Did you clean the filter during this rock and gravel cleaning?

 

[cichlid lova 1996+5]

Yes i have. I know the nitrite is high but i am putting amquel in every 24 hours and doing 50% water changes. I would do more but the water is cold.

 

[prov356]

should i buy a different filter

No, don't start with a new filter as that will only add to the problem. Just make sure the one you have is working properly and otherwise leave it alone. The other advice you've been given is good, water changes and detox Amquel. Don't worry that they're not eating, as it's actually best to go very light on the feeding right now. Give them a couple of days off from the food and see how things test out. Hopefullly the spikes will be brief. Ammonia and nitrite are the ones to keep an eye on, don't worry about nitrate right now.

 

[cichlid lova 1996+5]

Everything is magicaly back to normal an the fish are active and eating! Thankyou for the advice!!

 

[prov356]

Good to hear. Brief spikes are good things to encounter.

 

[lpearson]

should i buy a different filter

No, don't start with a new filter as that will only add to the problem. Just make sure the one you have is working properly and otherwise leave it alone. The other advice you've been given is good, water changes and detox Amquel. Don't worry that they're not eating, as it's actually best to go very light on the feeding right now. Give them a couple of days off from the food and see how things test out. Hopefullly the spikes will be brief. Ammonia and nitrite are the ones to keep an eye on, don't worry about nitrate right now.

@prov365.
I think you should follow his advice and post back here your findings. Cheers