API Test/Interpretation HELP!

[tharge26]

Okay this may be a long one, please stay with me.

Got my 30 gallon early December. Upgraded from a 10 gallon. Used 10g biomedia to seed 30g and let run with Aqueon 75 filter, air bubbler and temp at 75' for two weeks. Went through the whole bacterial bloom and cleared. At this time I didn't have API master kit so couldn't test. I put a couple zebra Danios in from my 10g and left them in for a week with once a day feedings. At this time I was doing 30% WC once a week.

Water went through another bloom of some sort. white cloudy, then cleared. At this time I did a NO,NO and added the rest of my 10g stock. ( I know I should have added them more slowly now)

By this time my API master kit arrived from Petco and I did my first tests. I was at about 4 ppm ammonia and freaked out. So I began doing 50% WC daily along with siphoning all uneaten foods at bottom. I've been struggling with ammonia for about 2 weeks now (awaiting my order of Seachem Prime along with Colony bacterial booster and Ammo Lock). My ammonia slowly began coming down to now I am at my current API master results as follows:

pH = 7.6
NitrAte = 3 ppm
NitrIte = .50 ppm
Ammonia = .50ppm

So what is going on here? Did I not cycle fully the first time and rushed my fish in? If so what is the best course of action going forward?

Thanks for any help

 

[jlk]

Unfortunately, just letting a tank run for a few weeks will not cycle it until you add an ammonia source to start the process. You added a few fish then stocked your tank before the cycle really had a chance to progress resulting in high ammonia readings.

As you are fish-in cycling right now, just continue to test daily and do water changes with Prime to keep your toxin levels in check. The amm lock product is not necessary- Prime accomplishes the same thing but also will help detox nitrites, too. Please check out the link below for more information as well and ask any questions!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

 

[Sambo7475]

jlk is correct, and I just wanted to add that you did the right thing by using seeded media, but the bb probably died off without an ammonia source from which to feed.
I would proceed as a fish in cycle at this point, you could take some media from your 10g (if it's still running with fish in the tank) and add it to your current 30g filter, it will help speed up the process now that you have more than an ample supply of ammonia and nitrite for the nitrifying bacteria to feed.
Prime will definitely make ammonia "safe" for up to 48 hours, but when I've had a spike I've dosed every 24. Read the bottle when it arrives, it will also render nitrite non-toxic to the fish, but you have to use significantly more per dose (around 5 times recommended dose as I recall).
Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[tharge26]

Thanks guys. I should be getting my Prime and Colony Bacteria tomorrow. I'll let you know how if effects the tests 42 hours after dosing.