High Levels Of Ammonia/nitrates!?

[shadowangels27]

So I added 9 new fish on Monday...

And I guess I'm experiencing a "Mini cycle".

I have 2 filters,
A 5-15 gal and a 20-40 gal (which I recently fixed after it broke)and the 20-40 isn't cycled completely, but it's trying too while the other is cycled.

I am trying to cycle the 20-40 gal filter and then take the 5-15 out and replace it with an internal filter that can filter up to 40 gallons of water.
--

Anyways how do you get rid of high ammonia and nitrates??
I know water changes but I can't do a high percentage (like 75%) because of the 20-40 gal will stop sunctioning and basically break AGAIN. (for like the 3rd or 5th time)

So I was thinking I could unplug it but that would kill the beneficial bacteria...?!

I never have paid much mind to the ammonia or nitrate levels because with 6 corys it never was much and water changes helped it...

please help!!!!!!

 

[StandbySetting]

Do water changes, and buy a replacement filter.

 

[mattbleasby]

Do water changes, and buy a replacement filter.

Exactly what i was about too say

 

[shadowangels27]

replacement filter??? oh and i judy did 50% water change...

 

[StandbySetting]

What are your parameters exactly? And I wouldn't want a filter running on one of my tanks that is likely to break down, which is why I suggest you replace it.

 

[shadowangels27]

What are your parameters exactly? And I wouldn't want a filter running on one of my tanks that is likely to break down, which is why I suggest you replace it.

Oh well it's the only good one... Like it filters great!

And I have the 5-15 gal running along side of it and it's cycled. The tank has been cycled for over a year. And then... 9 new fish cause a mini cycle, ammonia/nitrate spike...

I actually didn't notice until my honey gourami fell ill due to it and he's doing better after I put him in a cycled 2.5 gal... and I'[m doing as much and as many water changes as possible I've done around two 50-60% water changes in the last hour... And I'm using 1 gallon ice cream buckets.

 

[Randi]

You really should unplug all of your equipment when you do a water change. Your heater could actually explode if turned on and not covered in water. Everything should stay wet during the time it takes to do the change and the whole process will go a lot faster if you get a bigger bucket.

 

[shadowangels27]

You really should unplug all of your equipment when you do a water change. Your heater could actually explode if turned on and not covered in water. Everything should stay wet during the time it takes to do the change and the whole process will go a lot faster if you get a bigger bucket.

No one ever told me that...

And I don't do more then 50% water changes.

I can add water and do more 50% water changes, add water, etc... Like that... But my filters and heated are usually half in water for safety precautions and if the filter broke again I'd be like... grr!! Because it takes a lot of time and patience to fix those things!

my parameters are

pH - 7.4 (which is good right? I mean it's neutral??)

Nitrates - 10 ppm

Ammonia - 0.25 ppm
-
Before they were
didn't test pH

Nitrates - 30 ppm
Ammonia - 4.0
-

And I'm doing a water change tomorrow and the next day...

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yikes! 4.0?!?! for ammonia!

What are you nitrIte readings?



I would suggest you use a surge protector for all your equipment... plug all the filters and heaters into that, then when it is time to do a water change, all you need to do is flip the switch off, and you are good to go. When you are done, turn it back on and prime the filters as necessary. My Penguin just needs a little pitcher of tank water added to the back to aid it in getting going again.



I think the problem is that you added 150% of your current stock level by adding 9 fish to a tank that only had 6. I believe the standard practice is to never add more than 50% of your bioload at a time.



BTW, I wouldn't trust a filter that seems so finicky. You said it works great, but that only is true when it is working, right? I would replace the non-working filter and upgrade the internal right now, if I had the money. Move the cycled and non-cycled media into the new filter and you will be just as well off then as you are now, without needing multiple filters.

 

[CrazyAirborne]

turning off a filter for a water change doesnt hurt a thing, just make sure its in water. i just let my internal float in the corner while i change water.

 

[shadowangels27]

Yikes! 4.0?!?! for ammonia!

What are you nitrIte readings?



I would suggest you use a surge protector for all your equipment... plug all the filters and heaters into that, then when it is time to do a water change, all you need to do is flip the switch off, and you are good to go. When you are done, turn it back on and prime the filters as necessary. My Penguin just needs a little pitcher of tank water added to the back to aid it in getting going again.



I think the problem is that you added 150% of your current stock level by adding 9 fish to a tank that only had 6. I believe the standard practice is to never add more than 50% of your bioload at a time.



BTW, I wouldn't trust a filter that seems so finicky. You said it works great, but that only is true when it is working, right? I would replace the non-working filter and upgrade the internal right now, if I had the money. Move the cycled and non-cycled media into the new filter and you will be just as well off then as you are now, without needing multiple filters.

I know, you know how many water changes it takes to get RID of all that?!

And I don't have the internal yet, ordered it. [it was on sale!] I got it for 23 bucks and it filters up to 40 gallons, I thought that was too good to be true.

I'm not taking the 5-15 gallon filter UNTIL I have another that filters MORE which is CYCLED.

And my gourami first alerted me to it, as it got a case of ammonia poisoning...
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Nitrites I'm not really sure. But wouldn't those be low too?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Well, the nitrites should be low now. But what about BEFORE your water changes?



When the new filter comes, if you move the media from the cycled filter into the new one, that one will be just as cycled as the old one.

 

[shadowangels27]

Well, the nitrites should be low now. But what about BEFORE your water changes?



When the new filter comes, if you move the media from the cycled filter into the new one, that one will be just as cycled as the old one.

Before I didn't test them. I was thinking that if ammonia and nitrates were high, so would nitrites. I was also thinking about the safety of the fish.

My gourami I found gasping for air, and I put him in a 2.5 gal (*which is cycled) and he got better. I tested my water. When I saw the high ammonia I felt really bad. To lose him would be horrible, actually to lose any of my fish would be horrible... but if I had to choose I'd choose the danios... Because they're not that social and interactive. (I'm trying to get em to be social.)
-
Anyways, I'm still waiting. Probably before Thursday I should get it. And I don't think after I get it I'd need another filter to run along side of it (it can filter up to 40 gallons) so i can stop using the 20-40 gal filter. And the 5-15 can go back to the 10 gallon.

[btw my gourami is back in the main tank]

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I would put whatever filter media you have in the one that stops running from time to time into the new filter. This will give your new filter the best chance of cycling quickly. The truth is that this process is going to take some time, so be prepared for lots of water changes whenever you get a non-zero reading for either ammonia or nitrite.


The reason I asked about the nitrite was that 30ppm nitrate isn't really that high. I was trying to get a gauge for how far into the cycle you are. Ammonia at 4ppm tells me that you don't even have many A-bacs processing the ammonia into nitrite. So, if you had a nitrite reading that was low, with ammonia that high, that means you are still in phase one of the cycle. Phase two is the nitrite spike. That's when ammonia is dropping, but nitrite levels start to rise. Then phase three is where they both start to stay low, but not zero. Finally, they hit zero and stay there for a week... That's when you are cycled.


I would suggest a couple things to help your cycle. I would increase the oxygen in the water as best you can, but creating as much surface disturbance as you can, and drastically cut back your feeding regime. I'm not sure how much you are feeding them, but my guess is that you could easily cut that amount in half safely. When you do the water changes, be sure to clean the bottom of the tank as well as you can, because any little bit of waste, whether fish waste or leftover food will raise your ammonia levels. Keep after it, test often and be prepared to do a water change at any moment.

 

[Miles_hot]

The reason I asked about the nitrite was that 30ppm nitrate isn't really that high.

Did you mean Nitrite there Eagle? I thought that Nitrites were toxic and should be zero and it was the nitrates which could be in the 30-60ppm without concern?

I'm just a begineer here so learning all the time

Miles