Ram with Pop eye and bad water despite frequent large changes - help please

[Maria Ashton]

I don't know where I am going wrong at the moment, two days ago I did a 75% wc on my tank as something odd was growing on the wood - looked a bit like cobwebs. I removed it and wiped down the sides of the tank and the wood.

Today I noticed a ram in distress and on closer inspection saw she had pop eye, tested the water and found nitrates were at 50! and nitrites were at 0.5, the readings were nothing like this two days ago, nitrites at zero and nitrates around 20.

I did an 80% wc and added Easylife pro filter fluid which has helped, the ram seems a lot better but I don't understand what is going wrong, I am guessing the root of the problem is still there - anyone any thoughts please?

[jimg]

pop eye s usually a sign internal problems. could very well be due to dirty water. to not change much water then to all of a sudden change alot of water is not good. better off doing med size wc's as needed to keep nitrates at a min. rinse filter media in tank water then see how it goes.

[Maria Ashton]

Thanks Jim, re wc I normally do 30 - 50% every two to three days. I just don't understand where the nitrite has come from and why nitrates shot through the roof, moreover I dont know why the discus were not showing signs of distress.

[jimg]

I would double check test kits to start. and check the filters and areas with low oxygen. It may have been cyanobacter on the wood and if I remember right they will consume a lot of the o2 in the water, check the filters too

[Chad Hughes]

Maria,

Check your source water too.

All the best!