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Hello Everyone. Nick here. Remember the weird prob with the filters and high ammo in my tanks? I asked for help the other day. Problem solved and for your future ref I thought I would share the finding with you. After an accidental od I could not get bacteria to re establish and I had had a problem for about 8 weeks before I found the answer. READ ON
Apparently when I overdosed my tanks with salt ( idiot ) I killed off the bacteria ( as you would ). I changed all the filter mediums did a huge water change and then restocked with bacteria. The ammo level would not go down though regardless of how many or how much water was changed. However, the bacteria were not getting to establish themselves properly due to high ammonia levels. This in itself was causing ammonia. On top of that my gravel was harbouring dead bacteria which in effect was adding more ammonia to the water. So, regardless of water changes and restocking bacteria the cycle was continuing!!!! WHY
Because of the gravel. There was no oxygen getting into the gravel at all. DEAD.
CURE I raked the gravel severely. A serious amount of bubbles emerged and a smell of rotten eggs. The water went black. After the tank water settled, I removed filter material from a different tank ( this one is ok ) and put it into my external filters of the afflicted tank. The following morning the ammonia had reduced by 1.0ppm. Today it is now 7.0ppm a big difference from the 10.0ppm that I had.
What is still a mystery is how I never lost fish and how my ciclids were still breeding SUCCESSFULLY. I hope this can help you help other people in the forum. I have been successfully breeding fish and caring for them for over 10 years. This problem nearly caused me to pull my hair out. For some reason though, plants were growing like no tomorrow....almost an inch a week on some.
Gravel Bloody important stuff!!!!!!!! My friend at Sea world in St Andrews found the answer eventually. Thanks for all your input though.
All the best.
Nick Finan. if you wish to reply or contact me.....maybe I could assist you one day, please email me at [email protected]
Apparently when I overdosed my tanks with salt ( idiot ) I killed off the bacteria ( as you would ). I changed all the filter mediums did a huge water change and then restocked with bacteria. The ammo level would not go down though regardless of how many or how much water was changed. However, the bacteria were not getting to establish themselves properly due to high ammonia levels. This in itself was causing ammonia. On top of that my gravel was harbouring dead bacteria which in effect was adding more ammonia to the water. So, regardless of water changes and restocking bacteria the cycle was continuing!!!! WHY
Because of the gravel. There was no oxygen getting into the gravel at all. DEAD.CURE
I raked the gravel severely. A serious amount of bubbles emerged and a smell of rotten eggs. The water went black. After the tank water settled, I removed filter material from a different tank ( this one is ok ) and put it into my external filters of the afflicted tank. The following morning the ammonia had reduced by 1.0ppm. Today it is now 7.0ppm a big difference from the 10.0ppm that I had.What is still a mystery is how I never lost fish and how my ciclids were still breeding SUCCESSFULLY. I hope this can help you help other people in the forum. I have been successfully breeding fish and caring for them for over 10 years. This problem nearly caused me to pull my hair out. For some reason though, plants were growing like no tomorrow....almost an inch a week on some.
Gravel
Bloody important stuff!!!!!!!! My friend at Sea world in St Andrews found the answer eventually. Thanks for all your input though.All the best.
Nick Finan. if you wish to reply or contact me.....maybe I could assist you one day, please email me at [email protected]
