Hi guys. Relatively new fish keeper here (1 year). I have a 123litre (32.5 gallon) fluval mega-flex. I had this running for almost 10 months, fully cycled with no issues with water quality (Ammonia and Nitrates always 0 with 10-40 nitrates). I decided I wanted to change the tank a bit, because I was adding 2 bolivian rams and corydoras, so i switched out the gravel for sand substrate and also removed a large castle decoration for some wood as well as some plants instead (3 sword plants). Since doing this I have struggled with ammonia and nitrite reading (ammonia 0.25 but nitrite 0.25-1.0!). Nitrates remain around 20-30.
I have been able to keep the levels from doing any harm to the fish by using ongoing dosing of seachem stability but this has been going on for a number of weeks now. I am trying to decide if I have essentially re-started the cycling process with the changes or if my tank is overstocked to the point that beneficial bacteria will never be able to keep up and I need to return some fish?
In the tank I have: 5 corydoras, 2 bolivian ram, 2 honey gourami, 10 cardinal tertas, 3 guppies, 1 otocinclus and 2 hatchet fish.
I have the standard filer that comes with the fluval and instead of carbon in the second slot for the foam I have added two more packed of biomedia to try boost bacteria numbers.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Overstocked or can it take many weeks for the aquarium to restabilize and it is possible to get rid of all ammonia and nitrite without needed ongoing stability chemicals?
I have been able to keep the levels from doing any harm to the fish by using ongoing dosing of seachem stability but this has been going on for a number of weeks now. I am trying to decide if I have essentially re-started the cycling process with the changes or if my tank is overstocked to the point that beneficial bacteria will never be able to keep up and I need to return some fish?
In the tank I have: 5 corydoras, 2 bolivian ram, 2 honey gourami, 10 cardinal tertas, 3 guppies, 1 otocinclus and 2 hatchet fish.
I have the standard filer that comes with the fluval and instead of carbon in the second slot for the foam I have added two more packed of biomedia to try boost bacteria numbers.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Overstocked or can it take many weeks for the aquarium to restabilize and it is possible to get rid of all ammonia and nitrite without needed ongoing stability chemicals?