Ammonia & Nitrite spike. What else can I do?

[BrandonJ21]

Hey everyone, new to the hobby...I have a 10gal freshwater tank(6 weeks old) with 5 tetra, 2 plattys, 3 mollies. I thought I was cycled after both read zero but the last 3 days I've got both too high. I know my tank is probably over stocked but wondering a fast way to cure this? I have a filter that hangs on the back and a sponge filter. I only feed once per day and not much on the pinch. Fish seem to not show any signs of bad health but I obviously don't want them dealing with any issues. Today I did my second 50% water change. I added stability and prime to the new water. I washed out the filter on the back in the old water today . It hasn't been replaced. I also have one live plant in there as well.

 

[Sgooosh]

umm,i think washing the filter does not help because it gets rid of all the nitrifying and ammonia bacteria, which gets rid of the ammonia. what is your water conditions basically ph gh? if it is high livebearers will do well in it and when its low tetras do good in it imo.

 

[Colin_T]

Washing the filter media/ material in a bucket of tank water and re-using the media is fine and what you are meant to do.

Don't replace filter media unless it is falling apart.

The easiest way to reduce ammonia, nitrite or nitrate is by doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate. Do this any day there is an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.