Nitrite/ammonia Problem

[Dieses Madchen]

Have you made sure you have excellent aeration? With such a high bioload that will certainly stall the cycle if insufficient.

Also if you have a large spare filter, you could run it in a container of tap water with purigen/zeolite and remove the ammonia before it ever enters the tank.

The aeration appears adequate, but I have some bubblers that I am not using if this may help. Unfortunately I do not have a spare filter. Is there another way to carry that plan out? That is a good idea.

I am sure that the filter is adequate as well. The current filter on the tank is a marineland emporer 400 that turns over 400g per hour. So its turning the entire tank about 8 times and hour. I was always told at least 5 times an hour, but with the messy factor of the oscars, is another filter advisable?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

As you have the bubblers, definitely get them into use, you've nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Do you have a spare powerhead? You could fashion a container for the purigen and put the oulet of the powerhead over the container so it trickles through it. That should work, given enough time.

An extra filter is a difficult one. It could be that the current filter is just not up to the job, as I think you're implying, in which case you're never going to win. Another cycled filter would obviously help but if you put one in and it reduces ammonia and nitrite to zero, you'll not know whether the original filter was ever up to the job or not. And you say you don't have another filter, let alone a cycled one, so the idea is moot really.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

It was more of a question on whether or not the filtration itself is adequate for the bioload. The filter should be good as it was on that I bought right after I got the tank. I have 5 other cycled filters in my house on my other tanks, but this tank has the highest bioload. It took media from all 5 of those tanks to get me this far. If I can just get this last little bit im golden. I may start calling LFSs to see if they would give me some matured media...

And the fact that I don't have a spare filter is moot. I can buy another filter for the tank and divide the media amongst the two if extra filtration will help.

I just dont have a spare cycled filter to carry out your proposed zeolite plant.

This is racking my brain. I have cycled 5 tanks and curently cycling and NEVER had this problem! GRR.

 

[Tizer]

is it close to another one of your tanks? can you drain 50% out the window then add 50% from another tank which should have zero ammonia?

 

[Prime Ordeal]

is it close to another one of your tanks? can you drain 50% out the window then add 50% from another tank which should have zero ammonia?

Sneaky.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Well, my hex is near by and its 40g. I might just have to do that. Thank you tizer. I hadn't thought of that!

 

[Tizer]

hopefully its up higher so you can siphon it over xD

 

[Dieses Madchen]

hopefully its up higher so you can siphon it over xD

I have a pump (usually only use it for my large tanks i.e. 65g and 75g) so I can pump it over.

Hopefully that will somewhat solve the problem. Maybe if I am lucky those pest 0.5 nitrites wont spike back up.

 

[Xraymark]

Maybe investigate a way to collect rain water.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

It needs to rain in St. Louis first lol