Water Quality for a Quarantine Tank

[afriend]

I recently set up a Q tank for some new discus that I would get in a couple of weeks. I accomplished this by setting up a bio-filter using some medium from my existing show tank. I then tested it by adding 30 drops of ammonia daily and then testing the ammonia to be sure that the filter was working properly. Just after adding the ammonia it would read about 0.25 ppm, and then would drop to 0 by the next morning. Nitrite readings have remained at 0 ppm. After a few days the Nitrate values began to increase and presently at about 5 ppm. So I figured that the bio-filter was working properly. I continued to add 30 drops of ammonia daily until the day before a received the new discus. PH has remained constant at 7.1

Two days ago I received the new discus and addapted them to the Q tank. This morning I tested the water parameters and determined that the Ammonia level is 0.25 ppm, Nitrite is 0, Nitrate is 5ppm, and PH is 7.1. I suspect that the new fish bio load is greater than the filter can manage at this time. Also, I suspect that the filter will handle the bio load after the bacteria in the filter has increased.

I have decreased the ammonia level with water changes, but it will be next to impossible to get it to 0. How harmful is a ammonia level of 0.25 ppm to the fish? The PH is 7.1 and constant. How high a ammonia level will the discus tolerate before it is harmful to them?

I would greatly appreciate some advice on how to handle this situation until the filter can handle the new bio load.

[Jhhnn]

Use prime, safe, amquel+, or cloram-x. They convert free ammonia to ammonium, which is much less harmful. Get a Seachem ammonia test kit while you're at it- it's the only kit I know of that can tell the difference between ammonia and ammonium.

If the nitrite level starts to go up, add some salt to reduce its toxicity, change more water until the biofilter catches up...

[afriend]

Jnhnn,

Thank you for your reply. I have some Ammo-Chips. I thought about using them, but there are two possible negatives. First, they might change the PH and thereby kill the fish. Second, they might remove all the ammonia/ammonium and thereby kill the bacteria. Do you have any experience using this product?

[Scribbles]

I would just keep doing large daily wc and use Prime or a similar product.

Chris

[afriend]

I'm doing 40% water changes and this keeps the ammonia at about 0.25 ppm. Does anyone know if this ammonia level is harmful to the fish? I live in a rural area and the weather prevents me from getting into town to purchase anything. I have some ammo-chips produced by API. Any advice on using this product?

[diamond_discus]

I brought lots of test kit to test various water parameter (and also ammo chip and carbon) ... but I stopped using all those and don't even test the parameter anymore .. because I am doing large daily water change. No need for any chemical other than just Prime or Safe, and some sponge filter.

When I am extremely busy, out of town or being sick, then I don't feed them beefheart mix, but just some clean pellets or Frozen Bloow Worm. Then I don't have to change water every day, as long as you don't overstock and overfeed. Sometimes I am out of town (vacation or business trip, up to 10 days), the fishes are all fine without WC .. But for those days, I either don't feed them or just feed them once a day with an autofeeder.

I still have some Marineland Activated Carbon, and White Diamond Ammonia-Neutralizer. (http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+3599&pcatid=3599)

They work fine for me, but like I said, I don't use them anymore because I am doing daily 75% to 95% WC.

[Eddie]

I'm doing 40% water changes and this keeps the ammonia at about 0.25 ppm. Does anyone know if this ammonia level is harmful to the fish? I live in a rural area and the weather prevents me from getting into town to purchase anything. I have some ammo-chips produced by API. Any advice on using this product?

This would depend on your PH. To keep the levels lower, just change more water.


Eddie