has anyone ever used stress zyme?

[decgoth]

was thinking about putting some in with the red bellies, but NEVER used this stuff b4 & don't want it to turn out toxic to them.

Also how do you keep the nitrites down? i tested today and it came out real pink(unsafe level) and did a 25% water change right after.

am i supposed to wait 24 hours b4 retesting or can it be done an hour later?

Adrienne

[decgoth]

sorry wasn't the nitrites that are a concern it is the nitrates. I took a reading of the tank just before and this is what i got:

nitrate 160

nitrite safe level

hardness 75

alkaline 40

pH 6.2

[William]

Stress zyme shouldn't be toxic to your fish but I dp however not have any personal experince with the product so i canät really say much about it.

Nitrate levels are kept down by having a well cycled aquarium with a working filter, removing debris and not overfeeding. If you still get high levels you might want to consider feeding a little less or chaning water more often. Predatory fish can sometimes require that you chenge water several times a week due to their feeding habits and the large amount of waste matter they produce.

[decgoth]

ok maybe they're being overfed. my mom went into a panic and put Tetra Easy Balnace in since my arm is 'laid up' yet again. i tested it around 11 tonight and it tested at 80 instead of 160. I'm getting another airstone this week since the one i have is in the fry tank at the moment and i bought a filter to take care of up to 30gal.

[rollie]

stress zyme, if you got to much money ,give me some!! it will not hurt your fish, but will not do anything. it suck!! it a waste of hard earn money.

i have try it many a time. and it suck!

[decgoth]

luckily i didn't buy it. my sister gave me her bottle when she got out of keeping fish. i think the only thing i can really do right now is go get a 10gal bucket as a 'holding tank' & completely empty, clean & refill the tank :? which is not going to be easy with my arm this week but i'm not gonna take the chance on losing them. I thought about one of those nitrate reducer things but they are just too expensive for me right now.

[William]

I wouldn't recommend completely emptying and cleaning the tank. That can actually make things worse since you will remove most if not of the bacteria that brakes down the nitrate. It's better to just keep changing water and siphon th gravel.

[decgoth]

ok. I just got back from doing a few errands and now the water is all cloudy :x. I bought a new air pump & stone for in there so hopefully things will straighten themselves out. i've never had this problem with any of my tanks before and it's driving me nuts :cry:

[William]

IS there anything in the tank that could be roting?
if there is a lot fo debris on the bottom I strongly suggest siphoning it.

[decgoth]

nothing that i could see but that doesn't mean it's not buried in there. The siphon i bought of course is among the missing. I'm going hopefully tomorrow or monday to get a new one.

[William]

Sorry to hear that. I siphon will no doubt help you keep the ammonia levels down over time.

[decgoth]

I'll bet that my boyfriend packed it in a box someplace :roll: the only problem i'm going to have is the upstairs doesn't have a regular faucet. i KNOW i saw a battery operated one someplace, just have to remember where tonight and have to keep him away from the tanks lol

[decgoth]

well i checked everywhere and every box i could get at and still nothing......so i ordered a new one. on a good note though, a friend of mine at the LFS gave me a phosphor-X pillow and i bought a new air pump and stone and WHAT A DIFFERENCE in the water. it's CRYSTAL CLEAR again but the nitrates are STILL at 80 and have been for a couple days now. the piranhas aren't lathargic which is a good sign but it makes me nervous with the 80 reading. I also have some plants on order too.

Adrienne

[William]

That is good news indeed. Lets just hope the nitrate levels starts to go down.