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Thanks! I didn't know that could happen, but it makes sense.

API master test kit.

Hi everyone, I have a question about my nitrates disappearing. I've been doing a fishless cycle on a 10 gallon tank since 11/1. It's going to be a quarantine tank, so there's nothing at all in it, just a filter, heater, and air stone. I tested my parameters on 11/22 and my ammonia had gone...

My fish are all doing fine, actually. The Prime really seems to be making a difference. I did a 50% water change and knocked the ammonia back to 1ppm. I'll have to check it tomorrow to see what's going on. As far as chlorine, I dose the tank after removing the water then I start adding in tap...

Maintenance is cleaning it. I haven't touched it. I turn it off because my water is highly chlorinated and having it go through before the prime removes it all is the only reason for the crash that I can think of.

I don't, unfortunately, and I stopped doing filter maintenance when the cycle crashed. I also turn it off when I do a water change and wait a good 30 minutes with prime in the aquarium before I turn it back on. Does the fact that I'm actually getting nitrates mean anything? I feel like I have...

It's been 4 months.

I just read that having chemical media before biological media can deprive the bacteria of food. My filter has it first in the manual. Does anyone know if it matters?

Yeah, that's what I've been doing for four months. It's what made me think I was actually keeping the ammonia too low. The c360 is a canister that's supposed to be good for up to 100 gallons. There's a big sponge plus plastic and ceramic biological media. I'm not sure what else I could add to it.

No, and I haven't touched the filter since the crash. I think the crash came from accidentally leaving it on during a water change and the chlorine getting into it. I always turn it off and let the water sit with prime for a half hour before I turn it back on now.

It's no problem, thanks for trying to help. The bacteria was alive and not expired when I put it in. I even smelled it to make sure. I'm testing every day and I can track the ammonia as it goes up before and down after a water change, so it's not a false reading, unfortunately. I just don't...

Just once and the food is gone in a few minutes

55 gallon with 10 harlequins, 10 scissortails, a betta, and a pleco. I'm running a c360 filter and my heater is preset to 78°.

So, basic question here, but I feel like I'm in the weeds with this thing and I'm currently too stupid to find my way back out. I crashed my cycle back in June and I still haven't been able to get it back. I know there's some level of bacteria colony because I've been getting low amounts of...

Great, thank you both very much. You've been extremely helpful!

Great, thanks! That's all the reason I need not to do it. This just occurred to me, but if the live rock and sand are my biological filtration, does that mean that I don't need biological media in a filter?

Great, thanks for the input. I actually wrote the wrong thing with live rock. I know that's the filtration and that I need it. I mean to ask about coral instead. That's what I've seen as not being great for beginners and I don't know if an extra high tank would be good for it.

Hi, everyone, thanks for reading this. I just have a quick question and I'd appreciate any input you might have. I've had freshwater aquariums my whole life and I've been giving a lot of thought to starting my first saltwater tank. I'm still learning about running a marine tank, but a friend...

Yeah, I got it down to .25 that day with a change. Then the tank took care of the rest overnight and it was down to 0 the next day. I hadn't done any vacuuming or anything of that nature. I'm convinced there was something on the plants that did it. I took them out and repotted them and...

I'm not an expert by any means but I've always had 20 gallon tanks in my bedrooms and never had an issue with massive temperature swings. I'd really recommend trying to stabilize the room temperature first, though. Simple things like thick curtains could make a big difference. It's a lot easier...

A larger tank shouldn't fluctuate as much as a smaller one, but 98 degrees is still pretty high. Is there a corner with minimal sunlight that you can monitor for temperature?

Have you tested your ammonia recently? Adding four new fish may have caused a spike. The results from a 5 in 1 test would help as well.

Hi, I just noticed these light blotches on my plecco's side. I've never seen them before. He's eating normally and active. The only recent change to the tank was the addition of some Pothos plants to lower the nitrates. I actually just did a water test to ask about this and I have an ammonia...

One of the Harlequins was at the surface a day before he died. Oxygenation was my first thought and I installed a bubble bar that day before I went to bed. Is an 18 inch bar enough to keep the tank oxygenated in between monthly water changes? I'm new to cannister filters and used to a hang on...

The tank has been running since November. I cycled it and started adding fish in January, which is when I got the Harlequins. I monitor it very carefully and take ammonia every few days since its still relatively new. It may very well be 0, actually. The color just doesn't look exactly like the...