Bacteria problems? Or still cycling?

[Scottishscales]

Ive had my tank going for a few months now and i just got my algae problem under control [with blackout] but my ammonia is high of 2.0 and nitrates are through the roof again [>160 ppm] but the nitrites are zero.

Am i still cycling or am i doing something wrong?

"There's always a bigger fish." - Qui-Gon Jinn

 

[icydeath]

Hmm... that just means you don't have enough bacteria as of yet. Is it possible a fish died or you over fed, or changed a cartridge? What is your stocking and what filter are you using along with media?

 

[Scottishscales]

I still have all my fish. I feed them and watch them eat and stop feeding when they become disinterested. I rinsed the filter pads in my eheim 2211 filter in tap water [ive tested it and there is no ammonia nitrites or nitrates] and i rinsed the bio media gently with fishtank water by pouring them into a small bucket while i rinsed the coarse and fine pads. I believe the bio media is the eheim substrat pro that came with the filter, and there is coarse ceramic media in the bottom that i rinsed as well.

"There's always a bigger fish." - Qui-Gon Jinn

 

[NigelK8485]

I still have all my fish. I feed them and watch them eat and stop feeding when they become disinterested. I rinsed the filter pads in my eheim 2211 filter in tap water [ive tested it and there is no ammonia nitrites or nitrates] and i rinsed the bio media gently with fishtank water by pouring them into a small bucket while i rinsed the coarse and fine pads. I believe the bio media is the eheim substrat pro that came with the filter, and there is coarse ceramic media in the bottom that i rinsed as well.

"There's always a bigger fish." - Qui-Gon Jinn

I'd say don't wash anything in just tap water. It's not ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates you're worried about in tap water, it's the chlorine and chloramine that will kill off anything. I'd keep doing large water changes to get the nitrates and ammonia down and just monitor it, sounds like either a mini cycle was started up or you're not completely cycled. What's your pH and temperature of the tank and what's the stocking? Any new additions?


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[Scottishscales]

Temp of the tank is set to 72. I have 3 black fin tetras 2 tiger barbs and a common pleco about 4 inches long. I just put some plants in the other day but no new fish till i get the tank finally settled in. [Had a bad algae problem for two months till about 3 days ago after i blacked it out] I have a well where i live so i don't have chlorine in my water either.

"There's always a bigger fish." - Qui-Gon Jinn

 

[NigelK8485]

What size is the tank? I'm sure you know, common plecos get huge and have a large bioload.

And the pH?
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[Scottishscales]

I havent yet checked the ph today. I planned on checking it and the other stats again around the same time i did yesterday. The tank size is about 18 by 12 by 18 or approx 20 gallons. I just recently learned they that get huge and have a bigger bio load. Wish i had known when i bought him id have kept the bigger tank i had. Since i do have a canister rated for 40 gallons wouldnt that compensate for the heavier bio loading?

"There's always a bigger fish." - Qui-Gon Jinn

 

[NigelK8485]

It's more about the turnover rate rather than what size the filter is designed for. But, I would look at rehoming the pleco since they can grow 18" long. It'd reduce the amount of waste the bacteria are having to process and probably give you a cycled tank a lot quicker. Then you could look at upping the number of the other fish since they prefer to be in larger groups.


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[NigelK8485]

Also, how long ago was your last water change and what's your water change schedule?


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[Scottishscales]

Ive been changing the water every 3 days or so. my last was a 2/3 change on sunday so today would be another change of about half. Im trying to get the tank straightened out then i will probably do a change once a week once it stabilizes. I know that my pleco can get big but right now i dont have a bigger home for him so i have to work around him for now. Id love to have a bigger tank i just dont have the space in my house at the moment.

"There's always a bigger fish." - Qui-Gon Jinn

 

[NigelK8485]

I meant like selling him to a pet store or finding someone who could take him. But if you don't want to rehome him then I'd say look at adding additional filtration, pack it with biomedia, and just keep doing what you're doing and waiting it out.


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[jrc0528]

Nitrates are the end product of the cycle, so having high nitrate numbers means your cycle is working fine. A heavily planted tank would help with the nitrate levels, but not enough to keep up with 160+ ppm! I read somewhere a while back that if the water parameters get too out of whack the bacteria slow down their conversion rate. I think your 2.0ppm of ammonia is due to the excessive levels of nitrates in the tank.

As for rinsing filters, whenever you do a partial water change, fill a 5G bucket with the old water and rinse all your filters in that. This will prevent killing of the bacteria. Also, rinse only enough to clean, don't get crazy and scrub all the bacteria out too.

Do a couple 1/2 WCs two days apart and keep testing the nA levels.

Also, as you just came off a algae kill (the blackout), that is why the levels spiked. The dead algea remains break down and will increase the A, nI, & finally nA levels as they decay. It's the same as having a few dead fish rotting away.

 

[Scottishscales]

Thanks jrc0528 :] I've been doing 1/3 water changes ever 3 days so ill start doing half instead of 1/3 and every two days instead of three. And the nitrate level was almost under control until the blackout so that makes sense. I will start rinsing my filters in my water change bucket every time i do a change. I didnt think i was being too rough on the filter pads but ill be gentler i already did a water change today so ill do another partial change tomorrow and rinse my filters gently

Luckily my fish arent showing signs of distress. Should i keep adding the prime ive been adding to lock up the ammonia?

"There's always a bigger fish." - Qui-Gon Jinn

 

[jrc0528]

If your ammonia levels are still high you can, otherwise there isn't a need to. I'd be using a gravel vac when draining the water during the WCs to help eliminate waste from the fish and the dead algae.

I wasn't implying you were being too rough with the filters, but some people may try to wash them like a pair of dirty shorts!

Rinsing the filters isn't necessary every water change unless they are somehow getting loaded up that quickly! I usually leave mine for a couple months at a time. When I notice decreased flow I rinse them out.

 

[icydeath]

Prime can help bind some of the ammonia to reduce the stress your fish are getting from it. It isn't a solution, but it can give you some time to find one.