Need HELP ! Tank levels has rised drastically ! !

[MrsGimmik]

Hello.

I have 4 adults in my tank. I have added 3 more new axolotl's to my 125 gallon tank for about a month now.
I've have noticed today everyone has been flapping their gills & making twitchy movements or try scratching their gills.
I did an immediate water test.
Here are my readings:
HIGH Range PH: 8.2 - 8.4
Ammonia:0.25 ppm
Nitrite:1.0ppm
Nitrate:10ppm

Is there any way I can lower my levels ? How often of a water change ?

 

[Spudss]

The reasons why your getting ammonia and nitrite readings could be because:

1) Your tank isnt fully cycled...
2) You dont have enough filtration to handle the bioload...
3) You dont change enough water each week...
3) You feed too much and food is rotting in the tank...

It could be one of the above or a comibination of the above.. I cant say without knowing the details of your tank and maintenance schedule?

When in doubt do a water change... 50% weekly is what i always do in cycled, properly filtered tanks.

Lowering the readings is fairly straight foreward.. just change the water and if you still get ammonia/nitrite readings change even more... you will eventually figure out how much needs to be changed each day/week with daily water testing. The hard part is figuring out why your levels are out of wack! 10ppm for nitrates is perfectly fine.... but you shouldnt be having ammonia and nitrite readings.

 

[Colinna]

It could be any of what Spudss mentioned.

To start fixing this. Do a 75% water change today. Check the parameters tomorrow and do maybe a 50% water change if it's still showing ammonia and nitrItes. Keep doing this until the water parameters are correct/safe.

Make sure you have enough filtration for your tank and that there is no food or plant debris laying around. These things cause ammonia build up as well.

My weekly tank maintenance is a quick vacuum of the substrate, removal of any plant/food debris and between 25% - 50% water change.

Good luck!!

 

[MrsGimmik]

I haven't done any water changes for about a month or so. I usually refill my tank from water evaporating from the clip on fans I have going to keep them cool.
If it is filteration issues, I have another canister filter just lying around. I will have that set up later today.
I will do a 50% water change as well today. Any possibility if this isn't controlled & all levels don't change, Can I do atleast an 80% water change or will that totally mess up the cycle ?

 

[Spudss]

A month is a long time... Your lucky you have a big tank or those levels would be much higher :uhoh:!! Just shows how stable big tanks are!

After a month a large water change wont mess with your cycle... dont worry. The tank is probably nearly finished cycling.

You could even do a 100% water change if you really wanted too... The bacteria are on the surfaces, not in the water. Those reading arent too high so 50% should be enough. Just test your water again after.

If you keep up 50% weekly changes you wont have a problem again.

Good luck!

 

[MrsGimmik]

Thank you Spudss. I'll see how all of this will go. Gonna be fun refilling this bad boy ! ! ;P
Is there any kind of moss that can help with water quality ? Java moss / xmas moss ect ? I have Marimo moss balls, Obviously, It seems like it's doing it's job for the ammonia as it isn't too high of a level

 

[Spudss]

Plants dont really help with ammonia levels... thats the Filters/bacteria's job. Plants do help reduce Nitrates a little bit but i wouldnt reduce water changes because if it unless you have hundreds of plants and a lighty stocked tank.

Anacharis is the hardiest coldwater plant i know of...

Duckweed is great for sucking up nitrates... Its a floating plant and very easy to grow.

Moss does better with current and needs good light to grow properly (Really really slow in low light)... What kinda lights how you got?