Tropical Fish Forums

[GarryLee]

Hi all,
I have just checked the water in my small tank (Biorb 30l) and noticed high ammonia & Nitrite levels. Both read at 1.0.
It is usually very steady (0,0) - I did a 20% water change this morning and added 5ml of stress zyme and 5ml aquasafe.
The fish have been in for 1 week, I have 5 blue tetra and a small yellow puffer in there.
Since I last checked the water levels I have added a lump of java moss and a few small common plants. The java moss turned the water a slight green co0lour but I didn't think this was important.
What I need to know is, will ammonia and nitrite levels of 1.0 kill my fish - shall I set up an emergency tank?
The nitrate levels are acceptable at 10.
The only other option is to transfer them to my main tank, which I don't consider a safe option as the pH is 6.4 in there compared to 7.2 in my orb.
Please advise, thank you in advance =)

[diademhill]

If you have another tank rinse some of it's filter media in some tank water and tip this murky water into the biorb to seed the UG filter.

You need to move out the tetras or the puffer as they are not compatible.

Please check the chemical dose you are using 5ml aquasafe is correct for 20 litres not the 6 litres of a 20% change.

Using stresszyme the cycle will take a month - without it it will take 4 weeks.

[GarryLee]

Much obliged
I will do that straight away as the nitrite level has not altered today.
I have just started cycling a 3rd tank to be on the safe side.
None of the fish are in any obvious distress and I have checked for symptoms of ammonia/nitrite poisoning and there are none.
The puffer and tetras get on fine as the dealer assured us they would as long as we kept the puffer fed Is there another reason not to keep them together?
Thanks again, Ill let you know how it goes

[diademhill]

The puffer will shred the tetras - the only small puffer species that is OK with shoaling fish is the Amazon puffer which won't fit in a Biorb and even Colomesus asellus will sometimes go on a killing spree.
If you have a dwarf puffer you could remove the tetras and just have a trio but the biorb substrate is not good -puffers do better with sand.

Always do research away for a dealer - preferably from somewhere not trying to sell fish.

[GarryLee]

Thanks again.
OK tetras moved into my main tank, but I still can't seem to get the nitrite level down. The water is murky again after another water change (30%), but the puffer seems happy.
I followed your instructions re the filter water. I have never had a problem with this tank before. I have another tank which is suitable to transfer to if the puffer starts to look in trouble. My intention is to move him into this soon anyway and strip down the orb and start again with it. I'm wondering whether to replace the ceramic media with pea gravel.
Thanks again for the help