ammonia control filter help

[kotenok]

I just bought an aquatop cf300 canister filter with ammonia control, carbon and bio rings filter. After i installed it my ammonia level went up to 0.5. What could cause this? please help... thank you

 

[LyndaB]

I've never heard of a canister with ammonia control..... what is that? What does it look like?

 

[siva]

Did you put seeded filter media from your old filter into the new one? If not you're tank will re-cycle.

 

[kotenok]

Did you put seeded filter media from your old filter into the new one? If not you're tank will re-cycle.

No, I through it away. it was really dirty. my water was cloudy and greenish. What should I do now with fish tank full of fishes?

 

[siva]

Uh oh. In the future remember the filter media holds the vast majority of the beneficial bacteria keeping your tank cycled, you never want to remove it all at the same time. Especially if you're switching the actual filter itself as well. Do you have any other tanks? If so, you can take some of their seeded media for this tank. If not, you're going to be doing a fish-in cycle. Have you done that before?

 

[kotenok]

Yes, I have another fish tank. So should I just mix tub water with original water? I have never done this before, since the aquarium was given to me with everything being set up from the previous owner...

 

[siva]

Ok. No, you don't need to do anything different with the water, besides a water change since you currently have .5 ammo. I'd do a 50% water change. Then it's just the actual stuff you put inside the filter that you need. You need to take some of that filter media out of another filter and put it in this new filter. It could be floss, rings, a cartridge, fiber ripped off of a cartridge, whatever you can get. Is this making sense?

The bacteria you bring over in the seeded media should be able to eat up that ammonia that's left after your water change, but keep testing your parameters daily for a while. The tank may still mini-cycle. Here's a link on cycling with fish: I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Good advice from siva. I just want to add that if you have any ammonia removing filter media you should remove it ASAP. It will 'steal' the ammonia away from the bacteria colony you are trying to reestablish.

 

[kotenok]

Thank you guys!!!