Ammonia nightmare . Help !!!

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kingking1589

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Messages
5
Location
new Jersey
I was given a 5 gallon tank with 4 feeder goldfish . I learnt that it wasn't sufficient space so I bought a 29 gallon tank . After 4 days of adding safestart beneficial bacter I moved the golffish over . The goldfish all got ammonia poisoning so I had to return them to their original tank . They are fine now but they are still crowded. My girlfriend bought me a water heater and added 2 one inch pink kissers .
I thought I could let the pink kisser be an ammonia source and cycle it for me since I didn't have the heart to return the fish to my girlfriend.

I been monitoring both tanks daily and doing water change s to keep the ammonia under 2 ppm . After 3 weeks I have very high ammonia levels and I been doing water changes every 2 days . zero nitrites !!!!zero nitrates !! Shouldn't I have some bacteria yet ? Please with possible solutions

And as for the goldfish I m starting a fishless cycle on a 20 long tank for the crowded goldfish .
 
You didn't say if you have a filter and if it's brand new (clean). Liquid starting agents are notoriously slow at kick starting a cycle, despite the over rated claims of the manufacturers. IMO the best way is to use a starter culture from a old tank - a piece of dirty filter media is best. Without that any tank cycling is going to be very slow. Keep your ammonia below 2 to protect your fish but ideally lower but this will slow the cycling down even more, hence the reason fish less cycling is becoming a more preferred option.
 
Yeah it was a new filter. I lowered the fill line so more aeration occurs. I m doing a fishless cycle on my 20 long that I just hookep up yesterday . I'm using a slightly used filter and I added ammonia . I do not have a heater for the 20long . Will that slow down the process ?

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Welcome to AA!!

You honestly need to increase your water change schedule in order to keep your ammonia levels significantly lower. Water changes honestly should be performed anytime your ammonia and/or nitrite hit around .25ppm for the safety and welfare of your fish.

Unfortunately, four common goldfish in a 5g is not going to work, even short term. Four commons, assuming they are an inch or less, may work for a month or so in a 20g. Even a single common will have issues in a 20g as an adult. They should be growing at a rate of 1/2 to 1inch+ per month. Commons are really best suited to pond environments as they easily grow over 1ft very quickly and can live up to 40years.

Please read the link below and feel free to ask any questions!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
 
I wish they would have told my child that at the fair where he won them.
Does not having a heater slow down the cycling process .

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I wish they would have told my child that at the fair where he won them.
Does not having a heater slow down the cycling process .

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Such an awful practice! :(

Ideal temps for bacterial growth are in the mid eighties. However, as long as your tank is a reasonable temperature, it will still cycle without an issue. If its in the mid-60's or less, the cycling process will take significantly longer. I honestly would move the goldfish immediately and do a fishin cycle (after a few 100% wcs to remove all ammonia first). Please ask any questions!
 
I think when I added water with a bucket it stirred up the gravel . Now I'm putting a plate inside the tank to avoid stirring the gravel

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