Help ! My tank has me baffled

[Katielou78]

Hi,

I set up my new tank a week ago and just added water conditioner and after 2/3 days I had a bacterial bloom which still hasn't cleared.
I tested the water on day 4 and it was showing high ammonia (no source) so have let it run on the ammonia has dropped right off but I still have the bloom going on. Don't know if the tank is cycling or not or what's going on help please !

 

[Byron]

Welcome to TFF.

The bacterial bloom is common in new tanks. There are organics in the tap water, and the bacteria that feed on organics are able to reproduce very rapidly (within 30 minutes) compared to the much slower nitrifying bacteria. So with food aplenty, the bacteria will "bloom." This can clear in a few hours, to a few days, to a few weeks. At the moment it is nothing to be concerned about. The ammonia may be the result of this.

How are you cycling the tank?

Byron.

 

[Katielou78]

Hi,

Thank you for the reply. Well I was intending to do a fishless cycle using a bacterial boost to speed up the process (inpatient children). But am not sure as I've only done fish in before. Wanted to try and get the tank in as good a balance as possible before starting off with fish. Now am at a bit off a loss as I'm not sure if the process has even started Now I don't know what to add !

 

[Byron]

Hi,

Thank you for the reply. Well I was intending to do a fishless cycle using a bacterial boost to speed up the process (inpatient children). But am not sure as I've only done fish in before. Wanted to try and get the tank in as good a balance as possible before starting off with fish. Now am at a bit off a loss as I'm not sure if the process has even started Now I don't know what to add !

If you have not added a source of ammonia, then the cycling may take some time, certainly not a few days. Have you added some form of bacterial supplement, and if so, which one?

 

[Katielou78]

I didn't want to add ammonia (was going to use fish food) while the reading was so high and now the level has dropped right down I don't know if I should bring it back up or not or if to add a couple of hardy fish and revert back to the method I know

 

[Katielou78]

No I haven't yet as wasn't sure I have tetra safe start

 

[Byron]

No I haven't yet as wasn't sure I have tetra safe start

OK, that is a very good product. Follow directions. I've never used it myself as I cannot get it locally, but I know who developed the formula (Dr. Tim Hovanec) and he knows about aquatic nitrifying bacteria.

Byron.

 

[Katielou78]

Brilliant thank you very much I will start tomorrow and see what happens fingers crossed at least my water will clear soon

 

[Byron]

Brilliant thank you very much I will start tomorrow and see what happens fingers crossed at least my water will clear soon

You're welcome. From the directions online, you add fish from the start with the amount of SafeStart. What fish are you adding/planning to add, and what is the tank volume/dimensions?

 

[Katielou78]

I will probably wait to add fish until the water is clear as you would struggle to see them was going to start with a few small hardy fish. It is a 52 litre tank.
I assume there is no harm in starting the safe start without fish?

 

[Byron]

I will probably wait to add fish until the water is clear as you would struggle to see them was going to start with a few small hardy fish. It is a 52 litre tank.
I assume there is no harm in starting the safe start without fish?

Presumably not. I asked about the fish because some are more sensitive than others in new tanks, aside from the cycling aspect.

 

[Katielou78]

I was thinking Danios or Platys unless you have any other suggestions

 

[Byron]

I was thinking Danios or Platys unless you have any other suggestions

This brings us to a couple other issues. First, water parameters. Do you know the hardness (GH = general hardness, or total hardness) and pH of your tap water? This data may be available on the website of your municipal water authority.

Second, this is not a large tank, 52 liters (roughly 15 gallons). If by danios you mean Zebra Danio, they need more space. Danios are also shoaling fish, meaning they must have a group, six is considered minimum but more will always be better for the fish. There are many other danio species, all are shoaling, and all are fairly active so larger tanks are best.

 

[Katielou78]

Okay noted in respect of the Danios. We are in a hard/very water area of the UK I haven't got my PH ph to hand

 

[Byron]

Okay noted in respect of the Danios. We are in a hard/very water area of the UK I haven't got my PH ph to hand

Platy should be OK then, maybe three males. No females or you will have fry to deal with in the hundreds before long.