Small Ammonia Spike After Setting Up A New Tank

[jrussuk]

Hi I set up my new tank yesterday and just tested the water and ammonia reads .25 nitrites 0.0 nitrates .30. The external filter is the same one from my old tank but was switched off for about 3 hours as I was swapping everything over. All filter media was in tank water. I havnt added any more fish but I have gone from a 80 ltr to a 125. The filter is a tetratec ex700 so should do the job ok. Any advise would be appreciated

 

[snazy]

It could be just a small spike. Test tomorrow as it could be(should be) gone.

 

[lloyd]

Even turning a filter off will kill bacteria slowly (so iv heard). so mybe its just the fact that you've damaged the amount of bacteria in your filter along with maybe stirring up all the cack and stuff from your substrate. ............but im no expert and its never happened to

 

[jrussuk]

That's what I was thinking. It's all new gravel in the tank which was washed really well. Fish seem all good. I'll give another test tomorrow. Fingers crossed

That's what I was thinking. It's all new gravel in the tank which was washed really well. Fish seem all good. I'll give another test tomorrow. Fingers crossed

 

[TraceyB]

That's what I was thinking. It's all new gravel in the tank which was washed really well. Fish seem all good. I'll give another test tomorrow. Fingers crossed

That's what I was thinking. It's all new gravel in the tank which was washed really well. Fish seem all good. I'll give another test tomorrow. Fingers crossed

Re- Killing off your bacteria.....Concerned myself about this matter, One good source told me " the biofilm in which the bacteria live, as side effect was discovered that chloramines (found in tap water) do not wipe out the nirtifyiers. In fact they have the opposite effect. The chloramine will cause the bacteria to shut down, but once the chloramine is gone they revive. because the breakdown of chlormaine produces ammonia, the chloramine is creating the perfect food source for the bacteria as soon as they revive."

Hope this reassures you

 

[lloyd]

That interesting

 

[TraceyB]

That interesting

Yes I thought so also.......

 

[CezzaXV]

The bacteria are said to die off at a rate of 10-12% every 24 hours, so it's unlikely to be that. It is possible that there was some bacteria contained in the substrate though which has now been lost. You might be in a mini cycle but nothing to worry about really. Just monitor the situation and do a water change if the ammonia gets any higher.

 

[jrussuk]

Thought I'd give a update ammonia is reading .5 so has risen nitrites and nitrates are the same so I have done a 50% water change. Any other advise would be great

 

[CezzaXV]

Treat it as a fish in cycle. Do a water change whenever you get a reading of 0.25 or above. Hopefully it won't last more than a few days.