Ammonia in established tank???

[Robin_42]

Hello everyone, I could really use some information. Here is my original post, to give you the back round of what has been going on...

{Hello everyone. I am hoping I can get some advice from the pro's. I have a 55 gallon tank that has been established for well over three years. I have 2 goldfish in it. I had been dealing with a green algae bloom for quite awhile. It started when my light blew and it took me a few days to get it replaced. I tried covering the tank and it cleared it up for a few days only for it to come back. A couple of weeks ago, I began to do small water changes to try and rid the tank of the algae bloom. I done this every other day for over a week and the water was looking great. The numbers in the tank were fine. I vacuumed the tank and did another small water change and had a power loss right after. A couple of days after the power loss, I noticed my smaller goldfish, just sitting on the bottom of the tank. Not being active. I tested the water and got a ammonia reading of 1 ppm.The nitrites were 0 and nitrates 0 also. I immediately done a water change (about 50%) and it brought the numbers down to .50 ppm. The next day I done a smaller change of about 10%, it came down to .25 ppm. I haven't done anything today and I got a reading of around .25 ppm of ammonia. The nitrites and nitrates are still reading 0. I am not sure what I should be doing at this point. Should I do another water change? I think I (and the power outage) may have gotten rid of too much beneficial bacteria. I am not sure what to do in this case. Do I clean the tank (as in vacuuming) I know goldfish produce a lot of waste or do I leave it be? I am really at a loss in this situation. I have never really dealt with a mini cycle and not sure what to expect. HELP me and my fish???}

I have continued to do small water changes to keep the ammonia down. I placed an order for Prime (the one pet store near me did not have it) The ammonia has been staying around .25 ppm with the daily water changes. Nitrites and nitrates are still 0. I decided not to do a water change yesterday and see what happened. This morning the ammonia is back up to .50 ppm. Here is my question. If my cycle was interrupted by the cleaning and the power outage, how will it ever regain beneficial bacteria if I keep the ammonia down? Sorry, I am not familiar with this problem in an established tank. I want to protect my fish. I have had them for years now. I am not sure what to do in this situation. I feel like I am doing "too much" one minute and "not enough" the next. Advice??

 

[Delapool]

Did you get an answer?

I'd keep doing water changes. In a cycled tank the ammonia will be 0 (ie everything is in balance) so any ammonia over that will be enough to get the bacteria going. 0.25 should be fine and for me that is the most you want it. Do you know ph?

Did you clean your filter or was the power off for a long time?

 

[cfosgate]

It almost sounds like your tank is no longer cycled. When doing water changes did you even once forget to dechlorinate? I made this mistake once and had to recycle my tank.

 

[Robin_42]

It almost sounds like your tank is no longer cycled. When doing water changes did you even once forget to dechlorinate? I made this mistake once and had to recycle my tank.

No, I know I have never forgotten to dechlorinate, but I am beginning to wonder if I have lost my cycle due to the power outage. I have no idea what to do to keep my fish alive. This would be new territory to me. I am still doing water changes, but I really need help. I used the Safe start and I cannot see that anything different has occurred in the tank.When the ammonia gets back to.25- .50 ppm I do a water change. Here is my BIG question.. If I have lost my cycle, how will I ever get it back if I keep doing water changes to lower the ammonia? I really need help!

 

[Robin_42]

Did you get an answer?

I'd keep doing water changes. In a cycled tank the ammonia will be 0 (ie everything is in balance) so any ammonia over that will be enough to get the bacteria going. 0.25 should be fine and for me that is the most you want it. Do you know ph?

Did you clean your filter or was the power off for a long time?

The power was off for 6-7 hours . I did not clean the filters, but I had already cleaned the tank and had been doing water changes every few days for the Algae bloom. I think my cycle may be lost and I am totally clueless as to how I can cycle it without an ammonia spike. I really don't want to lose my fish. I have had them for years. I don't know what to do. So I keep doing water changes to try and keep the ammonia down.

 

[OwduaNM]

As long as you keep doing water changes and dose with a product like prime (dechlorinates and locks ammo), that is the best you can do. You will likely have to do this every say for a couple weeks

 

[cfosgate]

Yes, you will get your tank cycled again. Water changes are the most beneficial thing that you can do. Very little bacteria is in the water column as it attaches itself to anything solid like your filter material and gravel. There will always be enough ammonia to keep your cycle moving forward as fish will keep doing their thing.

 

[Robin_42]

Thank you all for responding

 

[Robin_42]

As long as you keep doing water changes and dose with a product like prime (dechlorinates and locks ammo), that is the best you can do. You will likely have to do this every say for a couple weeks

I have a question. I am not really familiar with prime and how it works. I have started to use it today. I have only put it into the new water when I have done the water changes . I am doing smaller changes as needed. Should I add more to the whole tank or just dose the new water as I change it. I have to admit it was VERY scary adding just a few drops of something when I am used to adding a cap full of start right, lol. Ok, I am going to admit I used them both. I hope there is no problem with that as they are both dechlorinators. Also, should I be vacuuming very much during this period? Thank you so much for responding. I really appreciate the advice.

 

[jwh0818]

Have you tested your tap water for ammonia?

 

[Robin_42]

Have you tested your tap water for ammonia?

Yes, I have and it showed none.

 

[jwh0818]

Just take it easy then and test daily. If ammo gets above .50 then do a pwc (partial water change) I recommend 25% then let it settle and retest and do another 25% if needed. Just stay on top of things while it's going through a cycle. It should be over soon being that it's been cycled for years.

How do you perform your weekly water change and maintenance?

 

[Robin_42]

Just take it easy then and test daily. If ammo gets above .50 then do a pwc (partial water change) I recommend 25% then let it settle and retest and do another 25% if needed. Just stay on top of things while it's going through a cycle. It should be over soon being that it's been cycled for years.

How do you perform your weekly water change and maintenance?

To be honest I have never done "weekly" water changes. I usually do it every 2 weeks. It seemed to have worked for all these years without a problem. I usually take out some of the decorations for cleaning (I never clean them all at one time) and do anywhere from a 15-20% water change. Then Maybe a couple of weeks later, I will take out the other decorations for cleaning (if they have algae on them). I vacuum lightly depending on what comes out of the gravel. When I replace my filter cartridges I do it one at a time. I have 2 cartridges per filter.I have always been afraid of losing too much beneficial bacteria.

 

[jwh0818]

I would start by not replacing the filters anymore. Just swish them in old tank water to preserve all your bacteria. That's the way that's the safest

 

[Robin_42]

I would start by not replacing the filters anymore. Just swish them in old tank water to preserve all your bacteria. That's the way that's the safest

That is really what I do.. soak them in a bucket of the tank water. I don't replace them very often at all until they look pretty ancient, lol. When I do I only replace 1. Should I not replace them at all?

 

[jwh0818]

I would only replace them if they are falling apart and have holes