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DiscusKeeper403

DiscusKeeper403

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As some of you my already know, I just wiped out all my bacteria from meds, I really didn't think it would have any ill effects on my bacterial colony, but it turns out it did. For some reason it is only my Ammonia thats giving me problems. Ammonia reading today was between 1.0-2.0 before I another 50 percent water change, Nitrites are zero. I have added mature filter media into the tank yesterday night, and will pick up some Ammo-lock tomorrow. But I will be leaving for vacation in one week and I won't be back for one month. I was thinking of a few good cleanings before I left, but will this Ammonia problem correct it self? I can't get anyone to clean the tank, and I will be using a automatic feeder. My main concern is that it really doesn't have any bacteria except for the mature stuff I transfered in. What do you guys think? Will it be okay?


Thanks,

DL
 
I only have one more fish i'll be putting back into a fish store tank tomorrow, and i'm going to run that filter with other filter, it should help cope better with the bio-load, along with helping transfer some more bacteria.
 
If you added media from a mature filter, you may have enough bacteria in a week to handle the ammonia and nitrite but there's really no way of knowing. It's really going to be a coin flip as to what you come back to. You have several things going against you though.

First, if there isn't enough bacteria by the time you leave, the ammonia and nitrite will build until enough bacteria ae finally present. That could be another couple days or a week or more. Obviously, if it takes toolong, your fish could suffer from ammonia or nitrite poisoning. And if one were to die and not be removed from the tank, the ammonia created when it starts to decay could cause an even bigger spike.

Second, is the auto feeder. I have never used them but from all I have read, their performance is spotty at best. Almost every thread I've read has said that they either got water in them and didn't put any food into the tank because it turned into a wet clump of junk or they malfunctioned and just dumped all the food in which can lead to a huge ammonia spike. Neither one does your fish any good.

Unless you can find a bacteria product like Bio Spira or Bactinettes that are really said to work then the only thing you can do is get the ammonia and nitrite (if there is any by the time you leave) as low as you can via water changes and then hope the bacteria develop before the levels get too high for your fish.

If there is anyway you can get someone to come over and feed the fish, that would be the better alternative to the auto feeder. Even if they only came every 4 or 5 days, that would be fine. You could premeasure the food and put it in cups so all they had to do was pour a cup in each time they fed them. If you do use the auto feeder, I would set it up now and start using it to see how well it does so you at least have an idea of whether it is going to do the job or not.
 
Hey, thanks for the reply. The auto feeder is of a good brand (eheim auto feeder) and the piece it comes out of can be adjusted to suite how much you think should come out, so over feeding shouldn't happen. I really couldn't find anyone to come feed my fish, so this was my last resort. I hope nothing happens. At our store we don't have any of those brands, only Stress Zyme, I normally have to tell people to fish-less cycle with a piece of fruit or vegetable, or something that will break down. I will tell my co-workers we should get some Bio-Spira in. Anyways I will try to look for some ammonia removing filter media, at the store.

Thanks!


I've already tested the auto feeder it seems to work fine. I'll get in running tonight, and just keep it up till' I leave.
 
Bio Spira and Bactinettes both have to be refrigerated, including while being shipped from manufacturer to store, or they become useless so that may be the reason you don't have them.
 
I wouldn't trust the feeder either. And no water changes for a month? I can't imagine. Lucky you having that long for vacation though.

Have you considered hiring someone from the lfs to stop by even once a week to feed and do a partial water change?
 
B)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lynda B @ Jul 16 2007, 02:52 PM) [snapback]1693108[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I wouldn't trust the feeder either. And no water changes for a month? I can't imagine. Lucky you having that long for vacation though.

Have you considered hiring someone from the lfs to stop by even once a week to feed and do a partial water change?[/quote]


No, to be honest I don't make much only 5 dollars an hour, so paying someone is just a little steep for me, and it will be fine for a month, before I really learned about fish keeping I only changed my tank once every 3 weeks, and I had my ammonia, and nitrites tested which always came out zero. Also, I talked to my boss about the Bio-Spira, and thats exactly what he said, he is finding it hard to get in because of the refrigerator issue, along with some shipping complications, but he told me to get the name of the other bacteria you suggested, because it may be easier to get.

So, I am now running 40 gallons worth of filtration on the tank. I picked up some new activated carbon, along with some media called Nitra-Zorb. I got some Ammo lock also. I'm a bit confused about the Ammo lock. It says to use 5 ml per 10 us gallons every two days. It says if Ammonia still shows in 7 days do a partial water change. Should I be changing the water everyday while using the product? If I do, should I still use it every two days, with the 5 ml rule?

Oh an BTW, it's not really a vaction, i'm going to visit relatives :lol: fun fun...
 
Ammo-Lock won't prevent you from getting a positive reading for ammonia. It only changes it to a non toxic form, ammonium. It will still show in the water either way. Since they are saying to do a water change if it's still there in 7 days, I would assume that is as long as it locks the ammonia before it changes back into ammonia again and becomes toxic. You can use it as directed but it isn't actually helping with the cycling process (some believe it hinders it by binding the ammonia and making it unavailable to the nitrifying bacteria to process). I don't guess you have to change water every day but I just don't trust knowing that I am getting a positie reading for ammonia and wondering if it really is toxic or not.
 
rdd1952 said:
Ammo-Lock won't prevent you from getting a positive reading for ammonia. It only changes it to a non toxic form, ammonium. It will still show in the water either way. Since they are saying to do a water change if it's still there in 7 days, I would assume that is as long as it locks the ammonia before it changes back into ammonia again and becomes toxic. You can use it as directed but it isn't actually helping with the cycling process (some believe it hinders it by binding the ammonia and making it unavailable to the nitrifying bacteria to process). I don't guess you have to change water every day but I just don't trust knowing that I am getting a positie reading for ammonia and wondering if it really is toxic or not.
Click to expand...


Okay. I knew it didn't help with the cycling process, only that it made Ammonia non toxic. I guess I will put it in and change the water everyday for three days before I leave.
 
I would just shoot for having the ammonia and nitrite as close to zero as possible before you leave.
 
rdd1952 said:
I would just shoot for having the ammonia and nitrite as close to zero as possible before you leave.
Click to expand...


Yeah, thats what i'm trying on. I guess i'll just take 50 percent water everyday, and just stick to the 5 ml per 10 gallon Ammo Lock every 2 days also, unless you think otherwise?
 
Well thanks a lot for the help Bob. Although I did know a lot of the answers to the questions I asked, I like to post and get answers from other members, just to see what they would do in a situation like mine!
 
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