ammonia help

[Congoman]

Stuff your canister full of scrubbies they are an amazing surface for culturing bio, kind of like a cheap bio ball. You may want to look into using a UV sterilizer on the water and dosing it with special blend and or nite-out before adding it to the tank.My tank has no mechanical or chemical filtration strictly scrubbies and sponges for biological and my nitrate and nitrite levels are zero. A 30-50% weekly water change also won't hurt.

 

[Ochana25]

What's scrubbies

 

[Congoman]

What's scrubbies

Scrubbies are like a cross between a sponge and a lufa type it into google images to get a better idea. Honestly any sort of porous surface will work for culturing bio. I would deffinetly look into using Nite-Out. All it is BB in a bottle

 

[Ochana25]

This nite out u find more effective then prime or can both be used together

 

[Ochana25]

Where do you purchase this product I just read the reviews and everyone is giving it 5 out of 5

 

[Ochana25]

The colours look. It darker but here's the reading
Ammonia 1.0ppm
Ph 7.6
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
I did a 50 percent water change last night and while filling added prime I tested tap water before filling which was. . 25ppm
The results I just posted are current

 

[Ochana25]

High range ph 7.8

 

[Congoman]

This nite out u find more effective then prime or can both be used together

You use them together. Prime is a water conditioner it removes chlorine and other chemicals found in tap water and makes it safe for fish. Nite out is pure denitrifying bacteria your LFS will mostly likely stock it or a comparable product. Also look into special blend since you ammonia is spiking.Special blend is a cycling/bio boosting mixture if BB.Both are made by microbe lift and can be mixed. I would use a 5x emergency dose of the special blend to stabilize. After that use a mixture of the two for matinence. Best of luck.

 

[Quest84]

don't take out any media from your filters and add scrubbies. You will have to start all over again and start a new cycle. If your tank is cycled you should be showing some sort of nitrates. Keep doing partial water changes until your beneficial bacteria catches up.

IMO and many other on here, the bacteria in a bottle products do not work and are a waste of money. How does this good bacteria survive in a bottle without a food source?

 

[Quest84]

congo I too use scrubbies in one of my canisters, but in this case why start the cycle all over again

 

[Ochana25]

Can this all be done with the fish in the tank cause I have no where to move them

 

[Quest84]

can all what be done? only thing you should be doing is water changes and dosing prime until your bio filter catches up

 

[Ochana25]

Ohh Ok sorry I wanna try that nite out to reviews on it are really good

 

[Congoman]

All I was basically suggesting was adding some bacteria to help with the ammonia cycle. All the products I suggested are non chemical and can be added right to your tank.

 

[Congoman]

don't take out any media from your filters and add scrubbies. You will have to start all over again and start a new cycle. If your tank is cycled you should be showing some sort of nitrates. Keep doing partial water changes until your beneficial bacteria catches up.

IMO and many other on here, the bacteria in a bottle products do not work and are a waste of money. How does this good bacteria survive in a bottle without a food source?

Well in my experience the microbe lift products work good as a bio boost. There have also been times in my early days of fish keeping where special blend saved my tank from nitrate poisoning. Obviously nothing else is working in this particular situation just giving some suggestions based on my experience.

 

[Quest84]

I get what your saying congo, but they are a waste of money. ask around here..how do these LIVE bacteria in a bottle products survive without a food source? I tried these too when I first started in the hobby. I was just trying to save you some $$..if you would like to try it go for it

 

[Congoman]

And I don't want to sound defensive either I know a lot of people say you can artificially cycle with products which is deffinetly not the case. And a few min on google told me how the special blend bacteria stays alive.

 

[Ochana25]

Thanks guys for your replies I really appreciate it I still got a long way to catch up to you guys in knowledge lol

 

[Ochana25]

ok guys update im officially stressed more then the fish lol I tested my water ammonia has gone up to 2ppm and I don't know whats causing this spike how can I find out if my filter is working it seems like it working though but you never know, I just tested tap water before I did 50% change and tap water was .25ppm of ammonia put in the prime product while I filled and I have ordered the nite-out product unfortunetly couldn't find a store here that has it so I had to order online any advice am I doing something wrong I have never had this issue

 

[Quest84]

ur tank is cycling it can take up to a month keep doing water changes. Go to a local fish store and ask them for some used gravel or better yet buy a used sponge filter or sponge from a hang on back filter. Make sure its from a tank that doesn't have any diseases or anything. squeeze out that used filter into your tank or if it is an air powered sponge filter hook an air line up to it. I keep sponge filters in my tank at all time for this purpose. If i want to start a new tank I just place it in the tank and I am instantly cycled.