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10-07-2007, 10:11 AM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 14
Posts: 32
Karma: 14
 |  Fast droping Nitrate levels killing fish?
I have a small 5 gal tank, i use to have 4 mollies 2 died in the first week and a half the other 2 lived for a few more months up until this morning when i found 1 dead on the bottom of the tank. In the last few days both fish have been eating less and laying on the bottom most of the time ( i think to one that is still alive might have ich but im not 100% sure).
Since the last week and a half i have been working on lowering the nitrate level in about 10 days it went from 140 to about 90 could this major drop killed the fish?? | 
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10-07-2007, 10:35 AM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Bristle Worm
Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 136
Karma: 15
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Hi,
I'm assuming this is a freshwater tank but never-the-less I have a feeling you didn't let it cycle properly and the high nitrate killed the fish. More than likely you still had high nitrite and amonia....my guess without knowing other water parameters. _________ 125gal Reef/Fish,40gal sump,Reefmania calcium reactor,MH,UVH,Moon,Aquazone plus 100,Auto Topoff,CoraLife 125 skimmer,GHL Profilux computer & special effects lighting.
Fish:Coral Beauty,Yellow Wrasse,African Clown Wrasse,BiColor Anglefish,Banded Goby,Psycodelic Mandarin Goby,Spotfin Angelfish
Inverts:Long-spinned Urchin,Crowned Urchin,Feather Dusters,Fire shrimp,Banded Shrimp,Brittle Star,snails
Corals:Cup,Frogspawn,Pink Open Brain,Yellow Dot
Zoanthid,White Tree,Leathers  | |
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10-07-2007, 10:38 AM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 14
Posts: 32
Karma: 14
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ya it is a frestwater tank and when i got the fish i didnt know anything about cycling or water chemistry i thought u filled the tank with water ,put to the fish in, fed them ,and cleaned the filter...Was i wrong but i know alot more about everything now | |
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10-07-2007, 11:10 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Zoanthid
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ontario, canada
Posts: 1,117
Karma: 166
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nitrates in a freshwater are more lethal then saltwater. You want to get them down before replacing any fish. You also want to test for nitrite and ammonia because these are very lethal as well.
Do you do water changes, clean out the filter media, and vacuum the gravel?
You want to do water changes monthly and clean out the media every two weeks.
Do some research on GreenX, I used this for nitrate problems in my cichlid tank but do some reading on it first because I haven't used it in a long time. _________ 20g
25lbs LR
1 hydor koralia
rio nano skimmer FISH: blk/white clown, damsel, yellow watchman goby CORAL: grn open brain, acan, torch, rics, toadstool, zoo's
INVERT:[/u] hermits, nassarius, astrea, turbo's, nerites, crocea clam
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10-07-2007, 11:11 AM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Meriden, Connecticut Age: 43
Posts: 3,864
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Nitrates are not really a killer of live stock!!! As stated above nitrites and ammonia are probably the culprits!!!!
Sorry to haer about your loss!
Unfortunately, livebearers are not that hardy IMO! _________ 125gal.w/Mag9.5 return(dual megaflow)>Mag7 pump Aqua Cev180skimmer.Wave2k Hamilton Reefstar(2)250watthqi(mh)pend.a Yellow, Naso Tang Red Lip Blenny Percula Clown Demoiselles Niger Trigger F. Wrasses Ceriantharia Orn.Shrimp and Stars Hermits Queen Conch asst. snails> Stars Zoos shrooms Montipora Brains Gorgonians Favia Turbinaria(large+small polyp) Acropora Xenia Tridacna (CroceaMaximaSquamosa) Leathers <35+75gal.reef tank as well> 
"IF THE PHONE DOESN'T RING...IT'S ME"  jb  | |
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10-07-2007, 11:15 AM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 14
Posts: 32
Karma: 14
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I do about a 40% water change every week, clean the filter evry 2-4weeks but i dont vacuum the gravel. the nitrite is at .5 right now
and i plan on geting the tank well under control before adding new fish
Thanks for your help | |
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10-07-2007, 11:22 AM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 14
Posts: 32
Karma: 14
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i just put in some "ammonia clear" tablets made by jungle | |
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10-07-2007, 11:42 AM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Montipora Digitata
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 47
Posts: 1,082
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How are you cleaning the filters? The filters should be cleaned in the tank water that you remove during a water change. If you clean the filters with fresh tap water you are killing all of the beneficial bacteria that has built up on the filter media. _________ 72 gallon bowed 150lbs LR 60 lbs LS
1 Hawkfish
2 Percs
1 Kole Tang
Hippo Tang
Six Line Wrasse
Coral Banded Shrimp
Cleaner Shrimp
Leather Toadstool
Long Polyp Toadstool
Orange Sunshine Polyps
Montipora
Acropora
Frogspawn
29 gallon
1 Clown
1 Coral Beauty
1 Yellow Fin Fairy Wrasse
Cleaner Crew
24 FOWLR
Pearly Jawfish
Firefish
Starry Blenny
55 gallon African Cichlid Tank http://home.comcast.net/~pizzal/index.html 
"The more you learn, the more acutely aware you become of your ignorance" | |
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10-07-2007, 11:45 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 14
Posts: 32
Karma: 14
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when i say i clean the filter i mean i replace the screen inside the filter i have an aqua-tech 5-15 gallon power filter | |
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10-07-2007, 11:49 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Oct 2007 Age: 14
Posts: 32
Karma: 14
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and i rinse the Bio-fiber cartridge as need also
when i said screen above i ment cartridge | |
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