Someone please help!

[AlyssaH16]

I've had my 55 gallon tank for about 6 months now maybe longer with a mix of different cichlids and oscars. I have a couple of bala sharks, 3 pictus catfish and a pretty nice size Pleco. Just recently I bought the API master testing kit bc one of my favorite fish and didn't know why. My ammonia levels are literally the highest I've ever seen. Testing at 8ppm. Everything seems to be fine expect my nitrite is at .25. I've done literally everything. I've bought ammo lock, ammo carb, aquarium salt, stress Zyme and stress coat. I started with 10%-25% water changes and then just yesterday did a 50% water change and still my ammonia is just crazy. My fish all seem to be doing fine and my tank looks crystal clear I just don't know what to do anymore and I can't lose anymore fish. I'm at a complete loss right now.

 

[Rbishop]

What is your exact stocking?
What detailed filtration do you have?
What is your normal water change schedule like?
Have you done something recently like clean the filters?


If you tested recently and the level wasn't that high, as in not an old tank issue, I'd do 50% WCs until that level got down big time....

 

[FreshyFresh]

Alyssa, welcome!

I'd skip all the chemical adds (aside from a quality dechlorinator) and just focus on water changes. 10-25% won't cut it for that bio load in a 55g. If it's a common pleco you have, they can get well over a foot long themselves, with a huge bio load. You can change the water right down to where the fish can barely swim and this will do nothing but help.

Did you recently add more fish or disturb the bio media in your filtration in some way? That would throw your nitrogen cycle off. Have you measured your tap water for ammonia?

 

[AlyssaH16]

What is your exact stocking?
What detailed filtration do you have?
What is your normal water change schedule like?
Have you done something recently like clean the filters?


If you tested recently and the level wasn't that high, as in not an old tank issue, I'd do 50% WCs until that level got down big time....

I have an albino tiger oscar, a red tiger oscar, a convict, jack Dempsey, strawberry peacock, Texas cichlid, yellow lab, firemouth, blue Acara, 2 Malawi I don't exactly know the name of, 3 pictus catfish, 2 bala sharks and a Pleco. I currently have a marineland boo wheel penguin 350 but am getting ready to start a 100 gallon with the marineland canister filter C-350. I've done a water change every other day because there's been no lowering in the ammonia levels. And yes I've cleaned the filter. Currently I don't have a filter in because I put ammo lock in so I'll probably put a brand new filter in when I can get the ammonia under control.

 

[Rbishop]

That is way to much fish for a 55 tank, as I'm sure most will tell you. And way too little filtration.

Get busy on WCs....50% at a time until ammonia is under .25 and stop adding all that stuff...you just need a good dechlor like Prime.

 

[AlyssaH16]

Alyssa, welcome!

I'd skip all the chemical adds (aside from a quality dechlorinator) and just focus on water changes. 10-25% won't cut it for that bio load in a 55g. If it's a common pleco you have, they can get well over a foot long themselves, with a huge bio load. You can change the water right down to where the fish can barely swim and this will do nothing but help.

Did you recently add more fish or disturb the bio media in your filtration in some way? That would throw your nitrogen cycle off. Have you measured your tap water for ammonia?

I have added new fish and the only thing I've done with the filtration is remove and clean the filters and I put ammo carb in. I'm getting ready to start a 100 gallon with a C-350 canister filter but I wanted to get all this under control and have the water in top shape for the 100 gallon before adding any of my fish.

 

[FreshyFresh]

A lot of us have done it ourselves, but that is way overstocked for a 55g. A single oscar by themselves can live in a 55g, but it's not ideal. Also, removing a filter removes the majority of your beneficial bacteria that supports your nitrogen cycle. Without that, you'd have to do daily fin-level water changes, if not more with that stocking level. The number of fish you have would ideally require a 6ft, very large tank. 100g is too small as well.

 

[AlyssaH16]

That is way to much fish for a 55 tank, as I'm sure most will tell you. And way too little filtration.

Get busy on WCs....50% at a time until ammonia is under .25 and stop adding all that stuff...you just need a good dechlor like Prime.

I have stress coat to remove chlorine would that work? Or should I buy exactly what you said?

 

[Rbishop]

Transferring the water to the new tank isn't going to be of any benefit.....you need to transfer good media that has enough BB for the bio-load.

 

[AlyssaH16]

A lot of us have done it ourselves, but that is way overstocked for a 55g. A single oscar by themselves can live in a 55g, but it's not ideal. Also, removing a filter removes the majority of your beneficial bacteria that supports your nitrogen cycle. Without that, you'd have to do daily fin-level water changes, if not more with that stocking level. The number of fish you have would ideally require a 6ft, very large tank. 100g is too small as well.

100 gallon is too small?