Here we go...first 30gal planted tank

[Complexity]

White cloudy water + clear yellow tannins = cloudy light brown.

Or something like that.

Just checked, and if the test they used was the same one I have (API brand), then dark green would indeed be 8.0ppm.

Back into panic mode. Do an immediate 90% water change, followed by two 50% water changes. Add salt for the molly. She has been harmed by that high of ammonia whether she shows it or not. Watch the temperature since you're making such huge water changes so you don't create huge temp swings in the process.

[kevinly]

OKay just finished a large waterchange about 85%. Its kinda hard to get more water out without disturbing the substrate too much.

Vicky, so I should do a 50% change the coming days?

Good news is the tank is looking clearer then every before, well that is as of right now.

[Complexity]

You should do another 50% water change NOW. Don't wait until tomorrow.

Considering that 8.0ppm was the highest reading the test could give, we don't know if the ammonia was 8.0ppm or higher. IF it was 8.0ppm, an 85% water change would take it down to .4ppm. That's okay, but that molly needs it to come down even more because she's been subjected to ammonia poisoning. .4ppm is on the high end of what you should have, and don't forget that the substrate will continue to pump out more ammonia overnight. So don't let it start at .4ppm. Doing another 50% water change now will bring you to around .2ppm as a starting point.

Then tomorrow, do another 50% water change.

Additionally, we don't know what the nitrite levels are so we need to err on the side of caution since the molly is in the tank.

So that is:

1. 50% water change NOW. Tonight.
2. Another 50% water change tomorrow.

[kevinly]

Vicki,

I took the molly out and put him in a quarantine tank. I added salt so he would be fine.

So you are recommending another 50% now?

[Complexity]

Whoops! Did my calculations wrong.

8.0ppm - 85% water change = 1.2ppm

That's still above the highest safe level for fish.

Do TWO 50% water changes tonight. Do them back to back. Remove 50% of the water, refill, remove 50% of the water again, refill again.

That will bring you to .3ppm. Still higher than what that molly needs, but it'll have to do.

1.2ppm - 50% = .6ppm.
.6ppm - 50% = .3ppm

Ammonia will increase overnight. So in the morning, do a 3rd 50% water change. At best, you'd be at .15ppm which would be acceptable.

Test the water tomorrow evening to see how quickly the ammonia is increasing. If it climbed back up to .5ppm, then start changing water again. If it's under .5ppm, then you can wait until the next morning before doing the next water change.

I'm tossing a lot at you at once so just take it one step at a time. For NOW, do TWO 50% water changes back-to-back. Tonight. Before bed.

[Complexity]

Vicki,

I took the molly out and put him in a quarantine tank. I added salt so he would be fine.

So you are recommending another 50% now?

Whew! That's great to hear!

No, if the molly is out of the tank, then there is no immediate danger even with the high ammonia level of 1.2ppm. So you don't need to do the large water changes tonight. That was all to make the water safe for the molly.

When will your test kit come in?

[kevinly]

When will your test kit come in?

Should be here in a few days. For the meanwhile, I can go to Dan's or Unlimited to get my water tested.

[Complexity]

That'll be fine. As long as there are no fish in the water, there's no critical problem to worry about. You'll still want to keep on top of the water conditions, but at a much more relaxed pace.

[Mzungu]

Holy moly! That's some high ammonia! I'm glad the molly's safe now. And now you're safe, like Vicki said, to relax a bit on your water changes and such for the tank, since there are no longer fish in there. But I would still do water changes daily. And I hope the test kit arrives soon - it would be good to know as soon as nitrites start showing up, because then the ammonia will start to decrease and turn into nitrites, which are still quite harmful to fish but less so than ammonia. (Again, though, glad the molly's out of there!)

[kevinly]

Ammonia is slowly creeping down. I can feel it!! Tank is cycling.

[Complexity]

Did you get your test kit yet? What are the water parameters now?

[kevinly]

Test kit is not in yet. I think it should be in tomorrow.

[Complexity]

How's the molly doing?

[kevinly]

How's the molly doing?

Well I had the molly in another tank for a few days, but today I decided to throw him back in there. He seems to be doing fine. He's helping me eat all the algae. My ammonia level is under 3.0ppm, I know that is still high but the molly survived in 6.0 +ppm ammonia.

[Mzungu]

He might have survived, but ANY ammonia is VERY dangerous for fish.