Normal part of cycle?

[cizkaro]

I have been running this 10 gallon with 4 fish for 1.5 months now and the cycle seemed to be progressing normally... I have 2 Zebras Danios and 2 Neon tetras originally which is hardly overstocked for 10 gallons i will add more later if i don't give up first since both species are schooling fish. For awhile my nitrites and ammonia stayed at 0 but as per the norm my nitrates would go up before water changes occurred. Today I tested my water as I do every 3-4 days right now. My ammonia levels are off the charts all of a sudden even after regular 20-25% water changes every few days. I have not changed my filter elements as there is no need they aren't clogged or falling apart. mY live plants are healthy and decay free. All ive done recently was add some algaecide about 1.5-2 weeks ago. i have discontinued feeding and will for a couple of more days. I did 2 50% water changes today. The first water changed killed one of my tetras and I think that's my fault because I failed to temperature match in a half panic over my ammonia levels. The fish are not acting stressed as far as i can tell. The danios are hyper and swimming in circles as usual and I have used API Ammo Lock alongside my SeaChem Prime when changing that water and i have vacuumed the gravel. The water going into the aquarium is 0ppm ammonia. Once it goes in however its sky high 8 ppm+ even after both water changes there is no reduction. Is this possibly part of my cycle ie the ammonia spike? I understand my ammonia levels will still read high after neutralizing it to ammonium but I am just really confused what Is wrong if anything or of this is normal in a cycle? I really enjoy fish keeping but im getting ready to give up after numerous disasters trying to establish an aquarium. Any ideas anyone?

 

[Delapool]

Hi, I would suspect you have a mini-cycle going on (although fairly extreme!). Perhaps the algaecide killed of the established bacteria, as far as I can see that looked to be the only possible change? What is you ph? Water changes I'm afraid until the bacteria can get going. I've done that with something like 5+ ppm ammonia (and then high nitrites) and all fish lived through a min-cycle so it is possible.

 

[threnjen]

I have some terrible news which is that algaecide is REALLY terrible news It probably killed the algae, which then decayed and caused a huge ammonia spike.

We're here to help! I want to figure this out. Have you done any more water changes? The ammonia is just so high it is maybe unreadable. Danios can survive almost anything. I would do 2-3 50% changes per day, every day, until you are at .5 or less

You are doing ok. Tetras are wussy. That algaecide stuff is also very poisonous to your fish. Stay far, far away from it. Reduce your lighting to 6hrs per day if you have algae problems and then once it goes away, gradually increase by half an hour a day until you reach an equilibrium where you don't grow it anymore.

 

[cizkaro]

I wound up going back to square one and draining and resetting up my aquarium and going through the painstaking process of matching water temperature treating all the water making a mess of my house and finally re acclimating the fish in the bag i placed them in. i will follow your advice and reduce my lighting this time around. its at 12 hours a day at the momenti will reduce it to 6 for awhile and see if this keep the growth down. Honestly I was more stressed out about it then then the fish seemed to be. I scrubbed all the decorations down with aquarium salt water as well. there seems to be some residual algae left on some of the plants in a few days when i change my water again i will rub it off the leaves with my fingers and net the loose algae out. So I guess its back to 25% water changes every 3 days until this cycles again hopefully in 2 weeks or so sinve my gravel and filter had bacteria in it already.