I'm new and and STRUGGLING.........HELP!

Roeshelle · Apr 11, 2023

Hi my name is Rachel, I'm new to saltwater tanks and have a RedSea E 260 currently cycling (day 14) and a QT tank with 2 clowns and a royal gramma waiting to go in it. My issue is that I cannot get the ammonia under control in the QT tank no matter what I do. Frequent and large water changes, Prime, bacteria.....ammonia is off the charts constantly. I'm not sure how much longer the fish will be able to tolerate the conditions but the main tank is still showing elevated levels of ammonia and nitrites as well so I'm lost. What do I do??

T-J · Apr 11, 2023

Was the QT tank cycled before you added the fish?

ScottJ · Apr 11, 2023

Are the fish in QT showing sighs of distress? Rapid breathing, gasping at the surface? What test kits are you using?

Mr. Mojo Rising · Apr 11, 2023

what is the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate level?
I would suggest to stop adding bottled stuff to your tank

Roeshelle · Apr 11, 2023

T-J said:
Was the QT tank cycled before you added the fish?

It wasn't, from the research I had done I was under te impression that it wasn't necessary to cycle a QT tank.

xiongsy · Apr 11, 2023

Roeshelle said:
Hi my name is Rachel, I'm new to saltwater tanks and have a RedSea E 260 currently cycling (day 14) and a QT tank with 2 clowns and a royal gramma waiting to go in it. My issue is that I cannot get the ammonia under control in the QT tank no matter what I do. Frequent and large water changes, Prime, bacteria.....ammonia is off the charts constantly. I'm not sure how much longer the fish will be able to tolerate the conditions but the main tank is still showing elevated levels of ammonia and nitrites as well so I'm lost. What do I do??

I believe the quickest way to resolve the issue is with vinegar. Dump 2 times tank volume of 5% vinegar in ml and test in 24 to 48 hours. 100 gallon, dump 200 ml vinegar. I have a 22.4 gallon fiji cube and dosed 50 ml. Won't harm the tank in my experience. I've heard prime is a gimmick product regarding bacterial.

Edit: dose to DT.

Roeshelle · Apr 11, 2023

ScottJ said:
Are the fish in QT showing sighs of distress? Rapid breathing, gasping at the surface? What test kits are you using?

No gasping at the surface but they do seem like they have rapid breathing and the pattern of swimming is odd, more darting than swimming as they were. Like a panic. I'm testing with the RedSea kit.

Roeshelle · Apr 11, 2023

LordofCinder said:
what is the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate level?
I would suggest to stop adding bottled stuff to your tank

Do you mean in the main tank or the QT tank?

Roeshelle · Apr 11, 2023

xiongsy said:
I believe the quickest way to resolve the issue is with vinegar. Dump 2 times tank volume of 5% vinegar in ml and test in 24 to 48 hours. 100 gallon, dump 200 ml vinegar. I have a 22.4 gallon fiji cube and dosed 50 ml. Won't harm the tank in my experience. I've heard prime is a gimmick product regarding bacterial

How often should I do this?

c4haskett · Apr 11, 2023

Are you using api to test with?

c_healy · Apr 11, 2023

Can you post a video of the fish?

ammonia test kits aren’t all that accurate

Stephen8169301 · Apr 11, 2023

#fishmedic

ScottJ · Apr 11, 2023

Roeshelle said:
Do you mean in the main tank or the QT tank?

Both

gbroadbridge · Apr 11, 2023

Roeshelle said:
It wasn't, from the research I had done I was under te impression that it wasn't necessary to cycle a QT tank.

Well, technically it does not - provided that you are prepared to keep doing 75% water changes 4 times a day.
So yes, your QT needed to by cycled up just like the DT. Normally QT's are quick cycled using bottled bac, or media from the pest free DT.

Assuming you are using a decent Ammonia test kit or Ammonia Alert badge, you'll need to keep up the water changes.
Please do not rely on API test kits for any parameter in a reef tank, especially Ammonia.

xiongsy · Apr 11, 2023

Roeshelle said:
How often should I do this?

Do it once in DT and test again in 24 hours. Not many will advise it, not sure why, but if you research enough you'll see others got ammonia and high nitrates down with high carbon dosing (vinegar). You don't have anything to lose by dosing the DT. At some point, you're going to burn through your salt due to the qt along with $$ and possibly your fishes.

Pacific North Reef · Apr 11, 2023

From what I have gotten, If you are not cycling the QT tank, you will need to do WC every 3 days to keep ammonia down.

jabberwock · Apr 11, 2023

How big are the QT and DT? API kits are ok if you follow the instructions exactly. Instead of chasing both systems, focus on one and get the fish moved to a safer system. Would your LFS hold them for you while you get stabilized?

Dan_P · Apr 11, 2023

Roeshelle said:
Hi my name is Rachel, I'm new to saltwater tanks and have a RedSea E 260 currently cycling (day 14) and a QT tank with 2 clowns and a royal gramma waiting to go in it. My issue is that I cannot get the ammonia under control in the QT tank no matter what I do. Frequent and large water changes, Prime, bacteria.....ammonia is off the charts constantly. I'm not sure how much longer the fish will be able to tolerate the conditions but the main tank is still showing elevated levels of ammonia and nitrites as well so I'm lost. What do I do??

BioSpira or Turbo Start could be added to both tanks. Ammonia should be down in 2-3 days. In the mean time, focus on saving the fish with water changes.