cycling questions

[tinydancer5297]

Ok, here's the story. I've had my tank up and running for over a year. I had fish and never had any issues. About a month ago, all of my fish died from what I believe was Ich. Because of the deaths, the tank has been empty since. I have tried twice now to add new fish, but both times the fish died within a day. I recently purchased the api master kit. The first test showed ammonia at 1.0, nitrites 0 and nitrates 20. I tested today and ammonia is still 1.0 and the other two are 0.

After each of the recent deaths, I've done a pwc.

I'm just wondering what I can do to get the cycle back On track so I can get fish again. Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[Brookster123]

What symptoms did your fish display prior to dying? Did you add new fish at the time?

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[tinydancer5297]

My fish had the white fuzz, hung near the heater and gasped at the surface. I hadnt added anything new to the tank in awhile either, so I'm really not sure why it came about.
I didn't add anything for about two weeks because I had read that the ich will die off without a host. When I added fish, they didn't display any signs whatsoever before dying. They'd be fine, then dead.

 

[dalto]

Since your ammonia is staying constant at 1.0 with no fish in your tank it sounds like it is no longer cycled.

You may have to start the cycle over.

 

[tinydancer5297]

That's what I kind of figured. Thanks!

 

[ppo8820]

Its the ammonia. At that level it will kill them overnight. Its way too high, which is odd since you have had nothing in there. Is there something in the tank that is rotting? When is the last time you cleaned it or did a water change? You would think after that long, the bacteria would have grown and cycled, but maybe not with nothing to feed on.

I suggest not buying any more fish until you get your tank free of ammonia and the tank cycles itself. Start by adding some fresh water. Then toss in some fish food or an algae wafer. The ammonia will go up, but it should go down once the cycle starts again. Once you have no ammonia, no nitrites, and low nitrates, then you can think about adding fish again.

 

[tinydancer5297]

I think part of the problem was that after the ich, I did a major cleaning. I cleaned under everything very thorough and also cleaned the filter pretty good. I'm going to try to cycle the tank before I get more fish. I don't want to deal with anymore deaths!

 

[TomK2]

I think part of the problem was that after the ich, I did a major cleaning. I cleaned under everything very thorough and also cleaned the filter pretty good. I'm going to try to cycle the tank before I get more fish. I don't want to deal with anymore deaths!

I think you have figured it out. Your biological filter isn't adequate anymore. Water changes and sparse feelings are our only options, unless you can get some colonized media from a different established tank.