New Filter Cycling with Fish

[limojica]

I have three tanks, 90 gal, 75 gal, 10 gal (hospital)

I am having loads of issues trying to cycle since I've added new filters.

90 gal (40 african cichlids lake malawi)
75 gal Tilapia Buttokerfi (10 inch)
10 gal (5 fish) cycled (2 parrots and 3 africans)

I removed the FX5 from my 90 gal after it got clogged and I couldn't get it to recycle again after 4-5 months. Finally on the day I ordered a new filter (Eheim 3) there was no ammonia BUT the fish were full of fungus

New filters 406 fluval and Eheim 3 (160 gal) on the 90 gal for about 2 weeks. Ammonia level is high (4.0) everyday. I am changing the water daily.

New filter 406 fluval and (?) hanging 100 gal filter on the 75 gal for about 3-4 weeks. Ammonia level is high 4.0 everyday. Daily water changes.

Fish have no fungus and look healthy. I feed them twice a day (will vaccum the gravel after feeding) or sometimes on the 90 gal will skip morning feeding and only feed once a day.

I've had the 90 gal for about 2 years and the 75 gal over 6 months. The other filters I was using broke and the FX5 was a complete waste once it got clogged with debris and gook so I am working backwards to cycle with new filters and loads of fish. I used to have the Tilapia in with the african's (60 of them!) before the tank crashed so I was working with a much larger stock before all this happened back in Nov 2011.

Will the tanks ever cycle!

 

[limojica]

I got a bit paranoid this weekend and cleaned all filters. I probably lost the little bit of bacteria in there doing that. I've been adding bacteria once a week (stuff is expensive) as I change the water. I haven't had a cycled tank since last Nov 2011. I can't leave the high ammonia levels and have no place to put my fish. I've already given away more than 30 fish! They are surviving but I am tired of the daily water changes. If I don't they'll die so I have to. It's horrible to feel this way. How can I get the tank to cycle without losing fish? I know the filters being clogged is not the problem.

 

[librarygirl]

Water changes are the only thing that's going to help your fish. When you switched filters you tossed the filter media in them as well or just the filters themselves? If you tossed the media you're pretty much starting over again and with tanks full or even overstocked it's going to be a lot of work to maintain safe ammonia and nitrite levels. I wouldn't bother with the bacteria starters, most of them don't help. What dechlorinator are you using? If you can invest in some Prime it wiill help detoxify the ammonia between water changes (but not to be used in place of water changes). Also do you have an automatic changer like an Aqueon? For larger tanks it's a must, it makes water changes so much easier. Amazon.com: Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer - 25 Feet: Pet Supplies

 

[limojica]

Thank you for the response. I have the cleaner and clean the gravel with each water change. I did save the media but had to soak it in salt because it was so contaminated from the filter. I soaked everything, changed everything, the hoses...I just couldn't figure out what happened to the filter after I continued to clean it. I just changed the water again...sometimes twice a day. So I'll wait and monitor. Using Jungle Clear Holdex and Amquel Ammonia detox. Will invest in Prime (smells bad) but I'll try anything. Thanks again.

 

[librarygirl]

Soaked in table salt or aquarium salt? Did you use untreated tap water to rinse? The bacteria might not be totally wiped out, just depleted or stunned maybe. Hopefully they'll multiply again and the cycle won't last too long but daily testing and water changes are all you can do until things even out again. Yeah Prime does smell bad, just don't smell it

 

[limojica]

Table salt and I soaked in untreated water. I put the white media in both filters so hopefully there will be cycling soon. The fish look healthy, alert, and bright. They're swimming around and don't look stressed as when I had the FX5. There was all sorts of fungus growing on them. OK, I get it. It will probably take longer to cycle since the tank is stocked but it will eventually happen. I was just so worried for them. So happy you responded. I have hope Yes, I guess I don't have to smell Prime, lol

 

[limojica]

Well I added some Biozyme and old gravel from another tank that was sitting in a bucket in both tanks. Forgot I had it. I also added more of the old media to the 90 gal. Not sure what worked but the next morning the 75 gal had no ammonia and the 90 gal had very little. The 75 gal now has nitrites! so I am still performing partial water changes on it until no nitrites are present. The 90 gal will probably take longer since it has so many fish but at least there are no casualties or fungus. This is wonderful. My fish are always hungry it seems but I have to slow down on the feeding if I want to cycle the tank. I get it finally. Hard to walk by the tank and not feed them when they all run to you but the food also contributes to the ammonia levels which I don't need more of, I need less. Yikes...smh. So happy to see the ammonia levels come down.

 

[limojica]

Changed filters

I finally got nitrites in the 75 gal for about a week now. Ammonia 0 and Nitrites off the chart. The 90 gal is still high on Ammonia and 0 nitrites so I switched filters last night and added water from the 75 gal to the 90 gal hoping to seed the 90 gal. I did a 50% water change to the 90 gal and saw a good reduction in ammonia but still no nitrites. How long does it take to see the nitrites once switching filters? and will the nitrite tank (75 gal) lose nitrites since I removed the filter? I've been changing the water twice a day on the 90 gal but sometimes I don't have time in the morning to do a change. I think I lost a fish because of it...he was stressed and looked weird (had white stuff on him). Found him in the evening

Should I do water changed on the 75 gal since changing the filter? I checked the nitrites this morning and they were still off the chart.

 

[librarygirl]

So you swapped filters? Or switched out media? I'd leave it alone honestly; it'll take as long as it takes and continually making changes is just going to prolong things. Typically for a fresh cycle it can take 1-3 weeks for ammonia to stay at 0 and then nitrites rise and that can last another 3 weeks; given you have some seeded media you might not see nitrites at all, it's hard to say. Using water won't do much to seed the other tank. Both tanks are still cycling so you'll just have to keep testing, doing water changes and wait it out until it's done.

 

[limojica]

OK, I see my mistakes. I lost a few fish and got scared. I have to do the water changes but enough to get rid of the ammonia/nitrites...just not take off the top 20%. I did the daily huge water changes in the beginning and I need to go back to that and just be patient. Got it...I can't manipulate it, I have to let it run its course and just keep the water toxins low. Thanks so much. I feel better having a plan. It was so confusing trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.