Help! Fish in trouble

[sjsuper76]

Okay so I made the worst noob mistake ever.

I got an older 5.5 gallon tank that was already cycled and put 4 little fish in there, with no problems. (baby tiger barb, baby pleco, baby fantail and a baby sword tail)

all of them are 2in or under in size I assume they are all babies.

So a few days ago I completely changed the old gravel substrate for new white gravel substrate, along with a 70-80% water change.

I noticed two days ago there was no cartridge in the filter...it was basically just circulating water this whole time. How did I not catch this? Apparently, I am a moron.

so now the water is cloudy and the nitrates are dangerously high.

I did a 40% PWC and threw into a sponge from an established tank filter into the tank in the hopes of re-introducing some good bacteria since I must have removed it all when I took out the old gravel and caused a mini cycle or something.

I took out all the fish except one, and put them in a different 10 gallon for the weekend.

So what do you guys think? did I do the right thing? will the tank recover?

 

[Coleallensmom]

The water may very well be cloudy because of all of the rescaping you did. If you removed the filter, all of the substrate, and 80% of the water...you're pretty much looking at almost a complete start over as far as cycling is concerned. What are your water parameters in both tanks? I'd be worried more about your ammonia and nitrIte levels than just the "dangerously high" nitrAtes.

 

[HN1]

Sad to say, but the tank is bound for failure. It is overstocked now and will be much worse as they grow. That is, if they grow and aren't stunted. The tank was cycled?

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html

 

[jsoong]

5.5 is really very tricky to manage, esp. with 2 "dirty" fish - the pleco & fantail ... Even as babies, they will overwhelm a 5 gal. That is one reason for the super high nitrates.

I would suggest you re-think the stocking in that tank, or you will simply have trouble to no end.