Tank going downhill

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RyanWMearig29

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jan 11, 2021
Messages
5
Hi friends I have a 16 gallon bio cube that has been running for 2 months now. I’ve put fish food in it everyday now and I even put a piece of table shrimp in the tank on the bottom. For 2 months now my ammonia and nitrites have risen but nitrates remains 0 for 2 whole months now. Now my tank has a bad smelly fish smell to it. The filter is making this really loud annoying sound. Tons of diatom algae in the tank and the water turned milky white cloudy about 2 days ago. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I did everything the fish store told me and apparently my tank is still not cycled after 2 months. The tank keeps going downhill even when I’m doing everything the fish store tells me and the forum’s tell me. What do I do? Drain the tank and start over?
 
Hi friends I have a 16 gallon bio cube that has been running for 2 months now. I’ve put fish food in it everyday now and I even put a piece of table shrimp in the tank on the bottom. For 2 months now my ammonia and nitrites have risen but nitrates remains 0 for 2 whole months now. Now my tank has a bad smelly fish smell to it. The filter is making this really loud annoying sound. Tons of diatom algae in the tank and the water turned milky white cloudy about 2 days ago. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. I did everything the fish store told me and apparently my tank is still not cycled after 2 months. The tank keeps going downhill even when I’m doing everything the fish store tells me and the forum’s tell me. What do I do? Drain the tank and start over?



That’s a bit! but it’s all been seen before and all tanks will cycle (eventually haha).

When did nitrates show up and what’s your pH? What are other tank readings? Also tap water readings to give you a base line.

Also what is substrate? The diatoms should burn themselves out but occasionally sand or the water gives problems.

I’d suggest a 60% water change (and then another one next day) to refresh the water of elements/ carbonates needed and get rid of that smell.


Bottled ammonia may be better.

Not ideal but have a look at filter and see if impeller is getting blocked. Sometimes a quick removal and clean of impeller seats it better. As long as filter pads stay wet they are fine. If badly gunked up I would shake them in some old tank water - not much, just to clear them a little so filter gets water flow properly.
 
The milky tank sounds like a bacterial bloom - will generally burn itself out as well. Just indicates tank is still stabilising / muck has been stirred up. Not uncommon.

Good news to have nitrites
 
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