Water Change, need help Urgently Please

[ZombieEngineer]

with all do respect, I was asking about the tank, not for comments on my financial situation.

I dont know if i done something wrong, or as I said if a snail/crab or some sort died. possibly my brother might have fed them when he came to visit and its went un noticed. tanks not overstocked as it has 3 fish inside.

Are you sure that you tested it properly and didn't get a false positive? A snail/crab dying is not enough to cause an ammonia spike in that large of a tank that is 2 years old. It would take a very large inhabitant like a fish or a mexican turbo sized snail and even then, a 2 year old tank should at most see a little mini cycle and pose no risk to your other inhabitants.

I don't think you need to bother with a water change at all.

This is a very expensive hobby, and emergency expenses happen all the time that you need to be prepared for. Bryopsis outbreak, got 2 weeks to shell out $30 on fluconazole or its gonna take over and kill corals. Dino outbreak, there's another $200 for a cheapo UV, pump, nitrate, phosphate, and silicates. Return pump failed, there's another $100. This kind of stuff is part and parcel of the hobby. In hindsight, I wish I had waited until I was much older and more financially independent before I got my first tank. It's been a money pit ever since even though I enjoy it.

 

[BigTomo003]

Are you sure that you tested it properly and didn't get a false positive? A snail/crab dying is not enough to cause an ammonia spike in that large of a tank that is 2 years old. It would take a very large inhabitant like a fish or a mexican turbo sized snail and even then, a 2 year old tank should at most see a little mini cycle and pose no risk to your other inhabitants.

I don't think you need to bother with a water change at all.

This is a very expensive hobby, and emergency expenses happen all the time that you need to be prepared for. Bryopsis outbreak, got 2 weeks to shell out $30 on fluconazole or its gonna take over and kill corals. Dino outbreak, there's another $200 for a cheapo UV, pump, nitrate, phosphate, and silicates. Return pump failed, there's another $100. This kind of stuff is part and parcel of the hobby. In hindsight, I wish I had waited until I was much older and more financially independent before I got my first tank. It's been a money pit ever since even though I enjoy it.

a 10 gallon tanks going to fluctuate rapidly if something dies, or over fed ect. I said in one of my posts I set atleast 100 a side every time I get paid to cover any other costs. over time I've bought extra equipment like heaters, pumps lights just incase something breaks and there's atleast one spare of each equipment for each tank. I dont run protein skimmers on my 2 smaller tanks though. just the 5ft. (there was a local school that out on gumtree for the tank free to go if someone picked it up. couldn't pass the opertunity of a £800+ dream tank for absolutely free.) that tanks still relatively new.

sometimes things come unexpected. im young and still figuring things out. but it works for me.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

You said you needed to WC all 3 tanks. If the problem is just the 10g tank, mix up 5 gallons of saltwater by volume (3 cups typically) add that to your 600L and put 5 gallons from that tank in your 10g. If you mix wrong, the 600l will not care about 5 gallons being off a bit.

 

[Celestion]

Low salt , is way safer than to much lol

 

[BigTomo003]

You said you needed to WC all 3 tanks. If the problem is just the 10g tank, mix up 5 gallons of saltwater by volume (3 cups typically) add that to your 600L and put 5 gallons from that tank in your 10g. If you mix wrong, the 600l will not care about 5 gallons being off a bit.

I must have worded it wrong. thats a good solution.

 

[Chortanator]

Because no one answered your question and wanted to lecture you instead: ammonia is converted into nitrates. You may see ammonia directly after feeding or after something has died, but the nitrifying bacteria in your tank will quickly convert that into (relatively) harmless nitrates.

 

[Tamale]

thanks and tell me about it lol. I only posted the reason I couldn't afford it, not why I should be able to. especially in times such as just now with food, gas electric all bumping up in price significantly people should be more understanding. is what it is though ‍

When I was 19 and just in the military I was living paycheck to paycheck too so I get it mate haha. Being young in this hobby has to be tough but if you love it keep doing it!

 

[BigTomo003]

When I was 19 and just in the military I was living paycheck to paycheck too so I get it mate haha. Being young in this hobby has to be tough but if you love it keep doing it!

yeah. im a chef. work alot of hours but after tax n that its around £250 tax reduction ( I need to get that fixed cause I haven't said I moved job so they think I work 2 and I'm due a couple grand back from that) but yeah I've had my tank when I was living with my parents, stuff happened and I was forced out having to get my own place at 18 without a choice. fish kept me happy sounds weird to say but it does, so I got another tank and then ovs my 5 ft one. cant wait till thats established. my clowns spawned. that was really cool to see them as I raised them from babies to them having their own. I just posted this in the best interest of the fish. breaking a essential piece of equipment can be really bad. and things always happen when u cant afford to fix it weather that it costs £20 or £500. ive went through days of not eating ect. but when your forced out of your house at a young age, lucky enough to get a place of your own instead of the streets is great. maybe 3 tanks is a bit much but hey, it keeps me happy. ain't that what matters!

 

[BigTomo003]

Because no one answered your question and wanted to lecture you instead: ammonia is converted into nitrates. You may see ammonia directly after feeding or after something has died, but the nitrifying bacteria in your tank will quickly convert that into (relatively) harmless nitrates.

thanks. possibly why its showing ammonia then.

 

[Tamale]

yeah. im a chef. work alot of hours but after tax n that its around £250 tax reduction ( I need to get that fixed cause I haven't said I moved job so they think I work 2 and I'm due a couple grand back from that) but yeah I've had my tank when I was living with my parents, stuff happened and I was forced out having to get my own place at 18 without a choice. fish kept me happy sounds weird to say but it does, so I got another tank and then ovs my 5 ft one. cant wait till thats established. my clowns spawned. that was really cool to see them as I raised them from babies to them having their own. I just posted this in the best interest of the fish. breaking a essential piece of equipment can be really bad. and things always happen when u cant afford to fix it weather that it costs £20 or £500. ive went through days of not eating ect. but when your forced out of your house at a young age, lucky enough to get a place of your own instead of the streets is great. maybe 3 tanks is a bit much but hey, it keeps me happy. ain't that what matters!

Worked in the service industry for a while off and on so totally understand the salary constraints! Keep plugging away, hone your craft, make good connections with chefs, and network at the places you want to work one day! Oh, stay off the alcohol train haha. That **** will crush you in the food industry one day, being a chef is stressful so use the hobby to alleviate instead of hard drinking. Had way too many solid young chefs lose their positions because the booze took over. You'll get through the lean times and look back at this as just a phase in the journey!

 

[Chortanator]

thanks. possibly why its showing ammonia then.

That's most likely the case, which is why some people told you not to test for/not to worry about ammonia in a mature tank. I believe a nitrate test would be better to do regularly, since all ammonia is converted.

 

[Mark Goode]

yeah. im a chef.

Respect! I get a panic attack whenever I go in the kitchen.

 

[Nate Chalk]

thanks. possibly why its showing ammonia then.

Yes!

 

[BigTomo003]

That's most likely the case, which is why some people told you not to test for/not to worry about ammonia in a mature tank. I believe a nitrate test would be better to do regularly, since all ammonia is converted.

thanks for your response. glad someone actually explained it. as I said I'm not super technical about it all. I like to keep everything simple. test regularly and fix anything thats gone wrong. I understand now.

 

[Nate Chalk]

thanks for your response. glad someone actually explained it. as I said I'm not super technical about it all. I like to keep everything simple. test regularly and fix anything thats gone wrong. I understand now.

Good to be knowledgeable on the nitrate cycle

surprised you made it 2 years , guess ur lucky

 

[Stormlasher]

closest lfs is over an hour away unfortunately, I did consider that. I dont drive. yea the tanks been running for over 2 years

how much amonia we talking? and how big a tank.

 

[BigTomo003]

Worked in the service industry for a while off and on so totally understand the salary constraints! Keep plugging away, hone your craft, make good connections with chefs, and network at the places you want to work one day! Oh, stay off the alcohol train haha. That **** will crush you in the food industry one day, being a chef is stressful so use the hobby to alleviate instead of hard drinking. Had way too many solid young chefs lose their positions because the booze took over. You'll get through the lean times and look back at this as just a phase in the journey!

yeah man. I got like that hence to me losing my last job, never showed up on time, or not at all ect. been doing good now though. I've had relatively **** child hood but you learn that there's always light at the end of the tunnel. just need to keep pushing forward to get to the top. went from a chef in a wee pub to a 4 star hotel in the space of a year or so, learning new things and its great.

 

[Tamale]

yeah man. I got like that hence to me losing my last job, never showed up on time, or not at all ect. been doing good now though. I've had relatively **** child hood but you learn that there's always light at the end of the tunnel. just need to keep pushing forward to get to the top. went from a chef in a wee pub to a 4 star hotel in the space of a year or so, learning new things and its great.

Hell yes brother. Keep learning and growing. Rooting for you and the tanks!

 

[BigTomo003]

Good to be knowledgeable on the nitrate cycle

surprised you made it 2 years , guess ur lucky

I mean I know the basics, just didn't know that after its well established that it balences out especially in a small tank like that then its always unstable to my understanding, and bigger tanks are easier as the water volume is greater. Guess I had it wrong the full time. thanks for your input then

 

[BigTomo003]

Hell yes brother. Keep learning and growing. Rooting for you and the tanks!

haha I will do mate