My water is toxic help!

[renadia]

I wen to big Al's tonight tot have the water tested and the ammonia is way high (very green test) and the Nitrite is way high (the darkest on the testing tab red). They told me to change 1/2 the water tonight.
I bought some Multi-Purpose Bio-Support to try and get the cycle going again.

Bought second hand 55 gal Saturday, it was very  very dirty
Cleaned the tank and rocks, it came with the fish
Kept the water if the filter (Fluval 404) and some water.
Most of the water is new.

[BigDaddy]

Is this the tank with the parrots?  You likely either

a) don't have enough filtration to deal with their waste
b) need to do partial waterchanges more regularly
c) all of the above

Did you keep the media in the filter (i.e. sponges or rings) and did you NOT clean them?

[renadia]

Yep it's me with the Parrot and the big Tinfoil fish.
So I guess the media is the Fluval 404 filter? I didn't clean it the lady said it was OK. It has has 4 white filters and 2 were recently changed, pouches of carbon, and 2 containers with different plastic or rubber media for the bacteria, so to keep the good bacteria I didn't touch the filter but cleaned the rest of the tank

[BigDaddy]

Not enough to handle the load.  You can make up for it by doing your waterchanges more often.. but really, you need to loose a fish or two, buy another filter and/or get a bigger tank.

[renadia]

Not enough to handle the load.  You can make up for it by doing your waterchanges more often.. but really, you need to loose a fish or two, buy another filter and/or get a bigger tank.

Should I do a waterchange of 1/2 the tank or 1/4?

[KLKelly]

You will probably have to do water changes daily until ammonia is under toxic levels.  I wouldn't feed your fish while your water is toxic.  Do you remember what Big Als said your ph was - did you get the number - eg 7.4 or 7.6.

What water conditioner are you using?  Prime and Amquel are good at detoxing some ammonia (amquel can drop ph though).

If nitrite is that high - should he consider adding salt?

Also if parrot fish is like goldfish (big waste producers) I would add a hang on the back filter also.

[renadia]

You will probably have to do water changes daily until ammonia is under toxic levels.  I wouldn't feed your fish while your water is toxic.  Do you remember what Big Als said your ph was - did you get the number - eg 7.4 or 7.6.

What water conditioner are you using?  Prime and Amquel are good at detoxing some ammonia (amquel can drop ph though).

If nitrite is that high - should he consider adding salt?

Also if parrot fish is like goldfish (big waste producers) I would add a hang on the back filter also.

The PH was the only thing that was OK. They had no more water conditioner, Thay said to call tomorrow they should get some Prime.
I don' t now about the parrot I think they originated from Cichlid

How much of a water change should I do?

[BigDaddy]

Your parrots have as heavy a bioload as large goldfish, maybe more.

With just the one filter on there right now, I'd be doing 50% changes.

[babblefish1960]

Without a conditioner, don't change water until you have one.

[murgus]

Without a conditioner, don't change water until you have one.

I think that is the more concise, to-the-point post I have ever seen from babel

[renadia]

I think that is the more concise, to-the-point post I have ever seen from babel

I have conditionner wouldn't add water without it, it's the Prime I don't have

[renadia]

Your parrots have as heavy a bioload as large goldfish, maybe more.

With just the one filter on there right now, I'd be doing 50% changes.

When you say just one filter what do you mean? Do you mean the Fluval 404 unit is not enough?

[dan2x38]

When you say just one filter what do you mean? Do you mean the Fluval 404 unit is not enough?

What BabbleFish said is very good advice, "No Prime", "No Water Change!" Other conditioners do not do what Prime does! Goggle Prime...

Yes, Blood Parrots are hybrids of Cichlids & ashame too...!

[KLKelly]

If ammonia is toxic he needs to do a water change - his other conditioner will deal with the chlorine and chloramine - just won't detox any of the ammonia - at least with a 50% water change he temporarily drops ammonia and nitrite by 50%.

[sniggir]

isn't a 404 rated for 90gal? I don'y use fluvals and I beleive in ultra over fitration but shouldn't this filter be good anough for a 55? just a question

[babblefish1960]

You are correct in principle snigger, however, the current load levels and future load levels are too great for a 90 gallon, these fish are very meaty in personal size, and messy in their bioload waste generation, and also too large for their present accommodations.

In this circumstance, they would require significant water changes on a daily basis for the filter to be able to keep up with this much fish mass.

[renadia]

What BabbleFish said is very good advice, "No Prime", "No Water Change!" Other conditioners do not do what Prime does! Goggle Prime...

Yes, Blood Parrots are hybrids of Cichlids & ashame too...!

What is so bad about Blood Parrots? Why is it a shame, I think they are kind of cute and my kids have fallen in love with them.

[BigDaddy]

There is nothing wrong with them.  It is just that they are not a naturally-occuring fish.  They are a cross between at least a couple of South or Central American cichlids.

What counts, though, is that you like them and you want to care for them properly.

[beowulf]

There is nothing wrong with them.  It is just that they are not a naturally-occuring fish.  They are a cross between at least a couple of South or Central American cichlids.

What counts, though, is that you like them and you want to care for them properly.

I agree, the only time I hate them is when idiot fish sellers dye them which is often.

http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/fish.html

The young fish is usually an albino variety which is chemically treated to strip the protective slime coat. They are then "painted" with dyes, and given another bath in a solution to stimulate the slime coat to grow back. Due to this torturous dying process, the fish have stunted growth, and rarely reach more than 3-4 inches. They also have a decreased life span due to the dyeing process. This also goes for other painted fish such as painted tetras.

[renadia]

I agree, the only time I hate them is when idiot fish sellers dye them which is often.

http://www.kingdom-gospel.com/fish.html

Oh my god they actually dye them! Poor fish, so I guess mine went thru that. Well we will take good care of them  I was starting to feel bad about owning these fish. I actually put a few pellets for the Koi in the tank since the guy at Big Al's seemed surprise the previous owner had always fed them sinking shrimp pellets. They were very interested in the floating food and did eat it, it kept them busy for a while.