Ammo spike, big PWC...help?!

[KimmiA]

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I noticed my 3 guppies being lethargic in my 10g. Checked the params and the ammo was high! Yikes!

So I did a 75% PWC, twice in one day, and my fish and params were back to normal.

However this morning the water was cloudy and the fish were once again lethargic. I'm assuming the cloudiness happened because I may have done too big of a change? I only did a 10% PWC today for fear that my ammo spiked again (i was running out the door when i noticed so i had no time to test but knew i had to change at least a bit) but is all of what I'm doing the right thing to do...or am I making some fatal mistakes here??

 

[jlk]

Your right on track with testing and water changes while your tank cycles. Sometimes it will be necessary to do more than one water change in a day to keep toxin levels under control. Just make sure you temperature match and properly condition all new water.

Do you have another cycled tank or know someone with a healthy cycled tank or pond? Adding some cycled media will be the quickest way to speed up the process. Some people have had success with bottled bacteria products (Dr Tims One & Only or Tetra Safe Start) but they generally are hit or miss at best. Angelsplus also sells cycled "active" filters if you are in the US and are interested in purchasing some cycled filter media. Please ask if you have any questions!

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

Aquarium Sponge Filters

 

[KimmiA]

I thought my tank had cycled Already, but this new development has me second guessing.

I do have another established tank, but if I take out the media in that filter, will I put that tank in danger of going through a mini cycle?

 

[Oceangirl]

Not if you only take half the media, and put a spare piece of media in there. Have it colonizing with BB.

 

[KimmiA]

Great. I have AquaClear HOBs. Would it be better to put the foam from the established tank to my newer filter, or the Bag with the mini stones?

 

[Oceangirl]

You can cut your old Filter Sponge in half with scissors, stick a new filter sponge in the established tank, and you can also throw your new bio media ceramic beads in with your old filter. Then let nature take its course. Letting the beads cycle, plus adding half the old sponge will almost instantly cycle your tank. Make sure to test. This is what I did, I had 2 filters running, and had the old filter media in the new housing and new filter media in the old housing. I had no cycle. I was using a 29 gallon to cycle a 20 high.

 

[jlk]

I would cut off a piece of the foam sponge and add this to the small tanks filter. You can also sqeeeze the foam in a small container of tank water and pour the dirty water over the small tank's filter media.