Cycle Bloom high in ammonia and nitrates~should i get another plant?

[Angeltold]

Hi. So i just started to cycle my aquarium a few days ago with new chemicals (discussing that in another thread), realized that was bad. It only took 5 hours and my Corys have been going nuts. Changed my filter (realized that was bad). Got home from work yesterday. It was foggy!! I noticed the nitrates and ammonia had multipled! So .. I changed 5 Gallons of water that I couldn’t do that morning (realized that was bad but it did help) So i added some Java Moss that I’d been treating. But only a little bit.
So my question. Is… I’ve got $10 and the night off. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to get some plants. Theres a community pet store with some plants in an aquarium and they might be cycled.
Also! What can i add to my filter? I saw a nitrates cleaner add in for the filter? Do i buy that? Thanks everyone

 

[Byron]

Hi. So i just started to cycle my aquarium a few days ago with new chemicals (discussing that in another thread), realized that was bad. It only took 5 hours and my Corys have been going nuts. Changed my filter (realized that was bad). Got home from work yesterday. It was foggy!! So i added some Java Moss that I’d been treating. But only a little bit. I noticed the nitrates and ammonia had multipled! So .. I changed 5 Gallons of water that I couldn’t do that morning (realized that was bad but it did help)
So my question. Is… I’ve got $10 and the night off. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to get some plants. Theres a community pet store with some plants in an aquarium and they might be cycled.
Also! What can i add to my filter? I saw a nitrates cleaner add in for the filter? Do i buy that? Thanks everyone

From your earlier thread there are things going on here, and you donot want to be asking the same questions in different threads. Members will get confused over things, not see everything, etc, etc.

But we can answer the plant question. Get substantial floating plants, like Water Sprite, Water Lettuce, Frogbit; or a stem plant like pennywort which grows well left floating. Floaters are faster growing, which means they take up more ammonia and faster. They are fast growing because they are close to the light and they have the aerial advantage--floating leaves can assimilate CO2 from the air which is four times faster than from water.

Do not start messing with products that supposedly help with nitrate or whatever. Before we look into those, we need to know the actual numbers for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate; also the pH.

 

[Angeltold]

Ok I’ll get some plants brb
See u on my other thread

 

[Angeltold]

Hi people! Thank you for all of your help!
My tank water has now been clear for a few days. This is the second time I’ve experienced bacteria bloom after adding new fish to my tank, without the knowledge of quarantining them first, and this time I fast acted. I lost hours of work, and days of sleep, not to mention a chunk of my paycheck! But i wasnt going to let it take over my fish if I could stop it! Heres the final results.
They’re happy and my corys are calm
P.s. i noticed fast results after adding the bubble stone with a CONTROLLED air tab.
I am still using chemicals but i have to.
Api quick start did seem to help
Along with aqui essentials
Ammo lock shows poor results
Ph balance works great
I am using api water conditioner drops
I am using melafix it seemed to help cure my Cory and you can add it to any aquarium water just like conditioner
And i am using stress coat
I would like to not need to use all of them in the future but the melafix seems essential because it cures diseases before they get started
The aqui essential helped remove ammonia from my water from .5 to .1
Thanks thanks!

 

[jaylach]

Whew! I would stop using all these chemicals as they can, over time, adversely affect your fish If the tank is properly cycled these chemicals are not even needed.

Let's take Stress Coat as an example. It contains 'free' aloe which will build up in the fish's gills and can dramatically shorten their life span.

I don't understand your statement that you 'HAVE' to use chemicals. The only reason I can possibly see for this is that you are trying to maintain a tank that is not cycled and have a large population of fish. Could you please explain why you must use chemicals.

 

[Playsander]

If you want some fast growing plants the two fastest I know of are duckweed and hornwort. Duckweed will multiply like mad and you will be stuck with it for ever. Hornewort can be either grown as a floating plant or weighted down with a plant weight to resemble a stem plant, it grows amazingly fast. It also looks pretty.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I agree with Byron. I would not put Stress Coat into any of may tanks even if I was offered money to do so. I do not want any Aloe vera in in my tank water. API quick start will do nothing to help, it was coincidental that you saw an improvement. The desired bacteria will colonize no matter what useless starter product one adds. There are only two which contain the proper strains of live bacteria. This is due to there being patents involved.

Using the wrong bacteria will help foster bacterial blooms. Ammo lock will just slow a cycle or if you use enough, stop it entirely. No ammonia in the water means no bacteria will colonize. Aqua Essentials also will slow a cycle because it detoxifies ammonia. While the bacteria can still use it, they do so much less efficiently than ammonia NH3. So again, this slows a ccyle to some degree.

You normally do not have to use chemicals unless it is dechlor or fertilizer for plants. You can balance pH by working with KH and, if needed RO water for lowering parameters. Ypou can raise them using natural substances like crushed coral or other acid reducing minerals etc.

About 22+ years ago I bought a bottle of Melafix. After about 8 years it was thrown out unopened. It is only good for minimal problems and there are better ways to treat fish, IMO.

What I would suggest you do is to have a read here. It is pretty decent although not 100% accurate. For the most part it is on the mark but not enough for the truly advanced aquarist. I have only suggested this section. but the site has more info.
Beginner FAQ: Practical Water Chemistry
Main site is here F I N S : T h e F i s h I n f o r m a t i o n S e r v i c e

 

[Angeltold]

I agree with Byron. I would not put Stress Coat into any of may tanks even if I was offered money to do so. I do not want any Aloe vera in in my tank water. API quick start will do nothing to help, it was coincidental that you saw an improvement. The desired bacteria will colonize no matter what useless starter product one adds. There are only two which contain the proper strains of live bacteria. This is due to there being patents involved.

Using the wrong bacteria will help foster bacterial blooms. Ammo lock will just slow a cycle or if you use enough, stop it entirely. No ammonia in the water means no bacteria will colonize. Aqua Essentials also will slow a cycle because it detoxifies ammonia. While the bacteria can still use it, they do so much less efficiently than ammonia NH3. So again, this slows a ccyle to some degree.

You normally do not have to use chemicals unless it is dechlor or fertilizer for plants. You can balance pH by working with KH and, if needed RO water for lowering parameters. Ypou can raise them using natural substances like crushed coral or other acid reducing minerals etc.

About 22+ years ago I bought a bottle of Melafix. After about 8 years it was thrown out unopened. It is only good for minimal problems and there are better ways to treat fish, IMO.

What I would suggest you do is to have a read here. It is pretty decent although not 100% accurate. For the most part it is on the mark but not enough for the truly advanced aquarist. I have only suggested this section. but the site has more info.
Beginner FAQ: Practical Water Chemistry
Main site is here F I N S : T h e F i s h I n f o r m a t i o n S e r v i c e

I am really excited now. Now that ive finally learned how nitrates and ammonia works, ill be able to move onto more things like neautralizing my PH naturally.
I wont have money to buy more in a few weeks, because ive been in between jobs and i was out sick, but once im done quarentining my fish , (constantly checking for any ammonia spikes, and i have to constantly adjust the tiny air filter to get the air flowing through it etc), but! That is my new next exciting fish aquarium project!
Thank you ^~^ i will get started on it right away.
Im on my way to my sisters right now to help her set up her new 55 gallon tank. We've been learning together and I cant wait to help show her a trick or two I’ve learned.
I do believe the bubble stone did a-lot of the clearing, but i also was about 2-3 weeks in when the water cleared, which I read is appropriate time. But i hear what you guys said about the stress coat.
Ive been filling up 5 gallon buckets and treating with only aqui essentials for now, and a couple drops of de-chlorinator. i let them sit over night, they come in handy for any immediate cleaning that needs to be done. Im trying to learn how to neutralize the water with that (lowering the amount of add-ins etc, also because my ammonia is naturally .5mm in tap, id love to get a gallon jug with a filter, for fresh water ~ thats what my friend does)
I will talk to you guys soon! Thanks!
~Skippy