HELP! Cycle has definitely restarted!

[Anna94]

Not sure if I posted this already, but if I did sorry that it's a repeat, but it's only to give you all a backstory. Please no judgmental or rude comments.

My cycle restarted! What do I do? My last water change was Thursday. I gravel vacuumed and drained water and then added new gravel to existing gravel. While I did that I spread it around and the tank did get cloudy because of it. Also while doing that I had everything in the tank off, including the filter, but I kept adding water to my filter to keep my biological media wet. However, the water I used was the water that was already in the tank plus the new dechlorinated water that went into the tank via the pitcher with the gravel in it.

After all the gravel was added I refilled the tank, but added Prime before the new water went into the tank and I turned everything in the tank back on after a few minutes. I do weekly 50% or larger water changes and always leave my filter on during those water changes. I did another 50% water change an hour ago and dosed with Prime and Stability and will continue to dose Stability for 7 days as per the directions. Are weekly 50% water changes too much? I was told to start doing only bi weekly 25% water changes from now on. My tank is a 20 gallon long and I have 17 fish, including a horseface loach and an oto.

 

[Potluck]

You have posted this already but I answered you on the other post, 50% is to much especially if you're doing filters and gravel every week also, you shouldn't touch the filter except maybe every month month and a half and that's just to squeeze out the sponge, and lightly swish the media in tank water, yes you have recycled, I would do changes every day and double up on prime do not touch the gravel, i would also do the water changes manually so you can treat the water before it goes in the tank, but I know you have a disability so that's not going to happen, I think you said it's a 20 gallon so I would take 2-5 gallons out a day and use 1ml of prime it will not hurt the fish, use the stability as directed usually live bacteria additives say to double dose for a few weeks, Idk if stability recommends the same if it does follow those directions, I don't know why the tank cycled unless you killed the beneficial bacteria in your filters with tap water treated with prime as that should never be done that way.... only in tank water, you have A Lot of fish in a 20 gallon I don't even have that in my 55 so your bio load is huge I would actually suggest you get another AC 50 to help with filtration and to keep up with the bio load, also with that many fish you should do smaller more frequent water changes per week like 2 25% a week, but I will let someone else suggest something better if I'm incorrect, but the second filter is a must with that many fish I run 2 AC 110'S on my 55 with 12 fish, hope someone comes along with more in depth help for you.

 

[Potluck]

EDIT only use 1ml of prime if you take out 5 gallons which is just a double dose, if you take out 2 gallons use .4, 3 gal .6 etc etc

 

[Anna94]

I do have a sponge filter rated for up to 40 gallons along with the AC 50

 

[Potluck]

I do have a sponge filter rated for up to 40 gallons along with the AC 50

The sponge filter is not going to grow the Bb you need for the bio load you have in the tank I wouldn't imagine