Temporary (QT?) Tank Ammonia Inquiry

[colinlevy]

Sorry for the long post for a simple question

Feel there needs back story.

 

This week my 25g tank's heater cracked opened and started bubbling whatever is inside the heater into the tank and completely destroyed it. Everything wreaked of burnt rubber, from the tank, equipment, to even the water. Numerous large water changes weren't helping so I made the decision to take down the tank and clean it and set it back up over the next week. 

 

Now, in the mean time, my LFS advised they could not hold the fish, so I setup a 5 gallon tank for my 2 clowns, 1 cleaner shrimp, and some random snails/crabs to stay in for about 7 days. I did not want to put anything (LR or filter) from my DT into this temporary tank to Jumpstart a cycle, because of the horrible smell so I had no choice but to use fresh SW and used a product called fritz zyme 9 (similar to others, a beneficial bacteria) and put some biomax media into the tanks back chamber for the bacteria. I put the fish in the same day and they have been doing fine for a few days with no sign of ammonia. 

 

I had to go out of town for a few nights for work (till Saturday night) and my better half just did an ammonia test and said it is currently showing 1.0 for ammonia. Though she is good with helping out with the fish, a water change is out of the question until I get home in 2 days. 

 

What options do I have to keep ammonia down or less harmful in the mean time? I told her to not feed them, keep fresh floss filters in, lights off and to make sure nothing in the tank is dead.

 

I still have half a bottle of the fritz zyme 9, can I add more? I also have a bottle of Dr. Tim's One and Only. Will adding more of either of these beneficial bacteria products help? 

[Clown79]

Seachem prime will detoxify the ammonia.  Most lfs sell it. It can be dosed every day.

 

It really helps during times like these.

 

Most test kits will not accurately read ammonia levels when Prime is used, seachrms ammonia badge will so its good to have 1 of those as well.

[colinlevy]

Thank you so much for the response @Clown79

 

I hate that I am not home during this time. We already lost one fish during this mess (not due to ammonia thankfully). I plan to do a massive water change once home in 48 hours. 

 

I will have her get a bottle of Seachem Prime from the pet store tomorrow afternoon. 

 

Should the labeled dosage be followed or would more or less be better? 

[Clown79]

32 minutes ago, colinlevy said:

Thank you so much for the response @Clown79

 

I hate that I am not home during this time. We already lost one fish during this mess (not due to ammonia thankfully). I plan to do a massive water change once home in 48 hours. 

 

I will have her get a bottle of Seachem Prime from the pet store tomorrow afternoon. 

 

Should the labeled dosage be followed or would more or less be better? 

The back of the bottle has full instructions on proper dosing.

 

 

[Tamberav]

3 hours ago, colinlevy said:

Thank you so much for the response @Clown79

 

I hate that I am not home during this time. We already lost one fish during this mess (not due to ammonia thankfully). I plan to do a massive water change once home in 48 hours. 

 

I will have her get a bottle of Seachem Prime from the pet store tomorrow afternoon. 

 

Should the labeled dosage be followed or would more or less be better? 

You can't really overdose it so I tend to use more than instructed as it doesn't say how much per ammonia level only per gallons.

 

What brand of heater was it?

[colinlevy]

@Tamberav

 

It was a 75w Cobalt Neo-thern. Been running just at a year. I spoke to Cobalt and I am sending it back to them so they can take a look at it. 

 

I initially overlooked it when I was taking each piece of equipment out of the tank and running it in a bucket to find what caused the mess. Thankfully I has a weird feeling to check the heater again and sure enough it started bubbling out down the entire front of the heater. The housing cracked itself. 

 

Just been the biggest headache...

[Clown79]

4 minutes ago, colinlevy said:

@Tamberav

 

It was a 75w Cobalt Neo-thern. Been running just at a year. I spoke to Cobalt and I am sending it back to them so they can take a look at it. 

 

I initially overlooked it when I was taking each piece of equipment out of the tank and running it in a bucket to find what caused the mess. Thankfully I has a weird feeling to check the heater again and sure enough it started bubbling out down the entire front of the heater. The housing cracked itself. 

 

Just been the biggest headache...

There was a certain yr of manufacturing with neotherms that this occurred. 2013 I believe.

 

Most likely nothing you did or could have prevented.

[Tamberav]

I have read of neotherms still doing this now and again...even newer ones bought recently. I just use mine to mix salt now. When those heaters fail it is in a catastrophic way.