Petersgirl
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- Mar 25, 2013
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Hello, guys.
Sorry I haven't been on for a while.
So I have a four footer which is now equipped with a chiller and an external filter. I have four axxies in there, and a 10 gallon which has a separate axxie in, called Pig.
Now, we've had a really powerful heatwave the last few days - temperatures have been climbing into the 30s - so I thought I'd move Pig, even just temporarily, into the tank that has the chiller. I know it's too small for five axxies, but as I was going to work, I thought I couldn't possibly risk Pig getting sick from the heat - his water was 24 degrees before I floated him in to the chilled tank, which was at 16 degrees.
Now, guys, I know I've messed up. I came home to find poor Pig with his slime coat all flaking off. He doesn't look uncomfortable and actually seems quite glad of all the company of the other axxies, but he's never had an issue like this in his previous tank.
I had done a water change for both tanks that morning. On testing the water, I understood the problem. The parameters for Pig's tank are perfect - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20ppm Nitrate and 6.4 PH (usual for our area). The big tank appears to have had a crash - the ammonia was sitting at 0.50, the nitrite was at 0, the nitrate had shot up to 40 ppm and the PH was only 6!
I did an immediate 50% water change, washed the external filter out with tank water and added Quick Start. After testing again, it has dropped the ammonia to 0.25 but everything else hasn't changed.
I intend to give another big water change tomorrow, once my water has dechlorinated.
I have kept him in the big tank and moved his filter to the bigger tank to help with the cycle.
Have I done the right thing? I'm reluctant to move him back to his own tank because I know he'll get too warm. Should I move him back or keep him in the big tank?
I will of course keep doing water changes until the cycle rights itself.
I do have pictures but I'll have to wait until my husband's awake because I can't get them off of the camera yet >.<
Sorry I haven't been on for a while.
So I have a four footer which is now equipped with a chiller and an external filter. I have four axxies in there, and a 10 gallon which has a separate axxie in, called Pig.
Now, we've had a really powerful heatwave the last few days - temperatures have been climbing into the 30s - so I thought I'd move Pig, even just temporarily, into the tank that has the chiller. I know it's too small for five axxies, but as I was going to work, I thought I couldn't possibly risk Pig getting sick from the heat - his water was 24 degrees before I floated him in to the chilled tank, which was at 16 degrees.
Now, guys, I know I've messed up. I came home to find poor Pig with his slime coat all flaking off. He doesn't look uncomfortable and actually seems quite glad of all the company of the other axxies, but he's never had an issue like this in his previous tank.
I had done a water change for both tanks that morning. On testing the water, I understood the problem. The parameters for Pig's tank are perfect - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20ppm Nitrate and 6.4 PH (usual for our area). The big tank appears to have had a crash - the ammonia was sitting at 0.50, the nitrite was at 0, the nitrate had shot up to 40 ppm and the PH was only 6!
I did an immediate 50% water change, washed the external filter out with tank water and added Quick Start. After testing again, it has dropped the ammonia to 0.25 but everything else hasn't changed.
I intend to give another big water change tomorrow, once my water has dechlorinated.
I have kept him in the big tank and moved his filter to the bigger tank to help with the cycle.
Have I done the right thing? I'm reluctant to move him back to his own tank because I know he'll get too warm. Should I move him back or keep him in the big tank?
I will of course keep doing water changes until the cycle rights itself.
I do have pictures but I'll have to wait until my husband's awake because I can't get them off of the camera yet >.<