Beth Help Please!

[timsedwards]

Hi Beth,
Just checking on my clown today in the QT with the royal Gramma, and he is acting funny. He is swimming rather erratically and he keeps bumping into things. Hes not swimming like he cant control himself, but it is as if he cant see?
I am a bit concerned for him, any ideas?
Tim.

 

[timsedwards]

OK avoid the panic, lol, now i can be reasonable he is behaving fine, senses are fine (all except spider-sense anyway ). No sign of Ick still and RG is fine, loving my holey rock.
BUT, just did a water test and I have .25 reading on Ammonia. Now you said I cant do water changes, so how do I reduce this? I am not overfeeding, i feed them a tiny bit every other day (with garlic). I have an ammonia zapper thing that will do in an emergency, but would rather not use that.
Any thoughts?
Tim.

 

[beth]

I never said you can't do water changes! You can do water changes. The water change, however, must be the same SG as QT that is hypo.
You need to address the ammonia asap. What filters do you have in there? Do you have salt water already mixed up? How do you keep pre-mixed water?

 

[timsedwards]

Hi Beth,
Oh i thought you did say that, sorry my mistake!
I have a fluval 3 internal in there.
I will ahve some salt water mixed up tomorrow (got some salt arriving in mail tomorrow), although it was going to be mixed at 1.024 for main tank! lol i guess i can mix a little at 1.009 first. I keep my premixed salt water in 10g rubbermaids with heater and powerhead.
I realise i need to do some work on my QT when this hypo is over
So a water change asap? Say 25%?
Thanks,
Tim.

 

[beth]

You have ammonia, you should get started on changing ASAP. Use some water from your main tank to mix up some water for the QT at 1.009 SG. Even getting the salt tommorow, it still takes time to mix. You shouldn't add unmixed/aged salt water to any tank.