How to get Good Bacteria??

[jk315]

So I'm still having a problem with the ammo being too high. I got another tester, API, and its saying the ammo is .50. The last test kit showed .25. I talked with a guy at a fish store and he thinks the ammo isn't giving the bacteria a chance to catch up so he thinks i should stop feeding my fish for a few days. How long does it take for the bacteria to start eating this ammo? When the bacteria "catches up" will the ammo quickly drop to 0?

 

[jcolon]

The best way to get filter media from an established tank, but if you can get substrate and or decor from an established tank, that'll help seed your tank.

Once the "first" set of bacteria starts to use the ammo, you'll see that drop to near zero and your nitrites go up. From there you'll need the "second" set of bacteria to colonize.

 

[librarygirl]

How long has the tank been cycling?

 

[Convict2161]

The best way to get filter media from an established tank, but if you can get substrate and or decor from an established tank, that'll help seed your tank.

Once the "first" set of bacteria starts to use the ammo, you'll see that drop to near zero and your nitrites go up. From there you'll need the "second" set of bacteria to colonize.

Very true! That's what I did. I got decor, gravel and driftwood from a friends tank along with some rocks. Now I just obtained 2 filters from a very well established Cichlid tank.

 

[jk315]

I already cycled the tank a few months ago and have fish in it. The ammo was at 0 then all of a sudden shot up to .25 now .50. I do water change after water change and it doesn't do anything to the ammo.

 

[librarygirl]

If the tank was cycled the ammonia should be 0, so something upset the balance.

Have you removed/replaced anything in or on the tank (decorations, filter, etc)?
What size tank and what fish? Have you added any fish recently?

 

[jlk]

I already cycled the tank a few months ago and have fish in it. The ammo was at 0 then all of a sudden shot up to .25 now .50. I do water change after water change and it doesn't do anything to the ammo.

We need to figure out why your ammonia shot up in a cycled tank. Have you added any new fish recently or replaced your filter media? How often are doing pwcs and how much? Have you tested your tap water/water source for ammonia as well?

 

[e_tothe_lijah]

What causes the bacteria to grow? How do they form out of nothing?

 

[MrPillow]

They don't form out of nothing. They are ever present in the water supply, air, on everything we touch and see. Under the optimal conditions present in an aquarium they reproduce quickly and form colonies.

 

[jcolon]

What causes the bacteria to grow? How do they form out of nothing?

Take a deep breath, chances are you'll inhale a bunch of the Beneficial Bacteria. As MrPillow said, they're all around us, they just need the proper amount of Ammo, oxygen, lack of chlorine and time to colonize in your tank and filter.

 

[jk315]

We need to figure out why your ammonia shot up in a cycled tank. Have you added any new fish recently or replaced your filter media? How often are doing pwcs and how much? Have you tested your tap water/water source for ammonia as well?

No new fish. I was doing 50% water changes almost every day and it wasn't doing anything for the ammo, so I figure its a waste of time. Now I'm doing them a few times a week. No matter what I do to the tank it stays at .50. I think it started after I switched to Seachem Prime. I was using API water conditioner. I might try switching back to that.

 

[librarygirl]

Test your tap water for ammonia. The Prime shouldn't be the cause. Water changes, if doing enough of them, should reduce ammonia; if they don't the ammonia was either too high and not enough water changes were done or your tap water has some amount of ammonia in it. Can you test and let us know?