Biofilter Lost (probably)

[Corleone]

I've been dealing for several weeks with columnaris in my 29 gallon tropical community tank. My dealer suggested Jungle Fungus Clear, which has been working well (only one fish is still showing any clear sign after 4 days, which is when the box advises adding a second dose, but most of the rest were still showing some yesterday). I had more fish infected than I could take out, so it was necessary to find something that could treat them in the tank itself. He insisted he's used it for years and it won't kill the biofilter.

Well, after getting 0 amonia and 0 nitrite readings for months, my amonia's creeping back up today. Nitrite is still 0 and nitrate isn't going anywhere, so I'm pretty sure the biofilter got blown away entirely.

I just finished a 30% water change, but what can be done at this point, particularly when I have to finish treating for clumnaris, when the tank's effectively starting to cycle all over again?

 

[Tolak]

Besides daily water changes you may want to look at this topic to see if anyone near you would donate cycled filter media; http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ia-To-Newbies-/

You may have only damages your nitrifying bacteria, not completely destroyed it. Feeding about 1/3 normal until this clears up will help, as less food means less waste produced.

BTW, welcome to TFF!

 

[Corleone]

Besides daily water changes you may want to look at this topic to see if anyone near you would donate cycled filter media; [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ia-To-Newbies-/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...ia-To-Newbies-/[/URL]

You may have only damages your nitrifying bacteria, not completely destroyed it. Feeding about 1/3 normal until this clears up will help, as less food means less waste produced.

BTW, welcome to TFF!

It looks like you were right. I panicked a bit yesterday (I wiped out my biofilter twice in the first couple months I was keeping fish by forgetting dechlorinator, and thought I had finally quit doing stuff like that). The amonia's back down today (.25 ppm, as opposed to nearly 1 ppm yesterday). There was a trace of nitrite and nitrate was up today. Going to do daily chages until it settles down, and buy a second hospital tank tomorrow in case this happens again.

The infected fish that didn't fit in my existing 5 gallon hospital are getting treated in the 10 gallon bucket I usually do water changes with a spare heater. This probably isn't a good idea, so hopefully I'll have them out ASAP.