Should I Put This In My Filter?

[faildeadly]

So my friend has donated my half a filter sponge that has been in her filter. I drianed some of her aquarium water into a bucket and placed the media in there. I've just arrived home and I though I'd test the water to see.

My results are as follows:
Ammonia: 0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 80 ppm

I have 3 questions.
1) Is her filter media safe to use in my fishless cycle?
2) She hasn't had any fish deaths for ages, how is this possible?
3) How does this happen? Surely once the ntrate bacteria kick in, everything else should reduce to zero? Unless there's not enough of it???

I'd ask for advice to give to her but she's pretty stubborn and is of the 'I've been keeping fish for years, what do you know?' variety.

 

[cambojnr]

So my friend has donated my half a filter sponge that has been in her filter. I drianed some of her aquarium water into a bucket and placed the media in there. I've just arrived home and I though I'd test the water to see.

My results are as follows:
Ammonia: 0.50 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 80 ppm

I have 3 questions.
1) Is her filter media safe to use in my fishless cycle?
2) She hasn't had any fish deaths for ages, how is this possible?
3) How does this happen? Surely once the ntrate bacteria kick in, everything else should reduce to zero? Unless there's not enough of it???

I'd ask for advice to give to her but she's pretty stubborn and is of the 'I've been keeping fish for years, what do you know?' variety.

1. yes
2. because she must know what she is doing and do weekly maintenance
3. the media should speed up your cycle and you should be cycled soon proberly with the seeded media

 

[slimeneo]

yes, put in the filter media and you'll be cycled in no time. the reason why amm and nitrite aren't 0s is because there's not enough bacteria to convert it quick enough (but it's growing), just needs time! if you test again a little later, amm and nitrites should decrease.

 

[faildeadly]

yes, put in the filter media and you'll be cycled in no time. the reason why amm and nitrite aren't 0s is because there's not enough bacteria to convert it quick enough (but it's growing), just needs time! if you test again a little later, amm and nitrites should decrease.

I should re-explain myself. The water I tested was from her tank, which has been established for well over 3 years.

 

[slimeneo]

yes, put in the filter media and you'll be cycled in no time. the reason why amm and nitrite aren't 0s is because there's not enough bacteria to convert it quick enough (but it's growing), just needs time! if you test again a little later, amm and nitrites should decrease.

I should re-explain myself. The water I tested was from her tank, which has been established for well over 3 years.

OH, ok I see. Well since it's only half of her filter, that's probably why it's a bit slower than you expect. But it will definitely help you cycle your tank, no worries.

edit: wait, you tested the water in the bucket or the actual tank? Are there any fish in the tank?

 

[faildeadly]

I tested the water from the bucket that contained the water from HER tank, no other water source. Her tank has several fish in and is very much overstocked. The results I've posted are essentially results from her tank.

My tank is currently still cycling and has no fish.

 

[slimeneo]

Ah, well to be honest I'm not an expert but it does seem a little odd. The only plausible reason I can think of as to why there's so much ammonia and nitrite is probably the poop and gunk on the filter media itself. Just swish it in the bucket to get some of the dirt out (do not run tap water over it!) and it should be fine.

But, rest assured it will still help your tank cycle

 

[faildeadly]

So his morning Ive tested my tank (Day 12) and my results are as follows:

Ammonia - >4.0ppm but <8.0ppm
Nitrite - 2.0ppm
Nitrate - 10.0ppm

This is a massive jump from having 4.0 / 0.25 and 0ppm yesterday. Will this be a reult of adding my friend's filter media into my tank? Whilst opening up my filter, I did have it sitting in the bucket filled with water from her tank so it would have been filled with that.

Is it worth doing a large water change to see if I can get levels down and then re-dose the ammonia?

PS. I've just done a pH test too. It's dropped from 7.8 yesterday to 6.4.... eeeek!

 

[Aqua Tom]

So his morning Ive tested my tank (Day 12) and my results are as follows:

Ammonia - >4.0ppm but <8.0ppm
Nitrite - 2.0ppm
Nitrate - 10.0ppm

This is a massive jump from having 4.0 / 0.25 and 0ppm yesterday. Will this be a reult of adding my friend's filter media into my tank? Whilst opening up my filter, I did have it sitting in the bucket filled with water from her tank so it would have been filled with that.

Is it worth doing a large water change to see if I can get levels down and then re-dose the ammonia?

PS. I've just done a pH test too. It's dropped from 7.8 yesterday to 6.4.... eeeek!

Those stats are promising. Do a 25% water change to get the ammonia down to a reasonable lvl you want 3-4ppm.

The Ph is a bit of a concern, if it goes lower it will crash your cycle, chuck in teaspoon or 2 of bicarbonate of soda, this will raise it to 8 again.


Tom