Emergency - Tanks Uncycled After Treatments

[amazon]

Ive been trating for white spot and fungus over the last 2 weeks. To cut a long story short I gravel cleaned I think a bit too thoroughly as the info on the web tells u to on some sights to get rid of the tomites from the whitespot. Ive knocked out my tank now. I didnt realise that all the beneficial bacteria is mainly in the gravel and not in the filter having read up about it. Lessons learned. Ive added some ammo lock to take the stress off the fish but i need a bit of help.

By the way i have been doing massive water changes and the ammonia reading is not changing so ive stopped now

126L tank
Amm - 8 !!!!
NI - 0.25
NA - 1 or something pretty low
PH 6.4

Ive got some ceramic media from an established tank this morn and filter floss aswell as gravel and 20Litres matured tank water for what its worth. Its all gone in now

But I put the ceramic media and floss in my filter - is this ok or would it be better to take the extra media out of the filter and put it in the actual aquarium

It does look like ive Ballsed up my tank now. I will never ever gravel clean again be it white spot or not.

Can someone just quickly advise please as to where is the best place to put the extra filter media seeing as the bacteria in the gravel is so important?

I'm desperate please feel free to email me [email protected]

mandy

 

[WILDER]

Put the media in the filter it need constant water flow over it to keep going, don't do large water changes it will take for ever, smaller one's are best.

 

[Arfie]

Ammonia + 8 Keep doing water changes, I'd do a 50% now, then 25% every day.

Most of the bacteria is in your filter, though there is some in the gravel as there is on the surface of pretty much everything in your tank.

Do not stop doing gravel vacs!! especially with whitespot, as you know you have to do this to get the damn horrible stuff out of the tank.

Make sure the ceramic media and maybe the floss is in your filter, the bacteria form your other tank will then spread rapidly through the filter.

Good luck
Arfie

 

[amazon]

Is it ok to do a big water change - wont it mess up anything?

 

[seanc]

Big water changes are OK if your tap water parameters are not too diff from the tank. Ie ph, kh, sg (brackish/marine). A big temperature or ph fluctuation will cause more problems than removing the amonia will solve. Ammolock will screw up your amonia tests also.

 

[amazon]

More emergency methods now - just got friends 2nd fluval 204 filter straight off his other matured tank as hes running 2.

I'm desperate and i hope this extra mature filter is gonna make a difference??

any comments anyone??

 

[Arfie]

Yep, that should work a treat so long as the filter media was kept wet whilst being transported form his tank to yours and that it wasn't out of the tanks for too long.

Arfie

 

[amazon]

yes - i put the extra mature filter on within 30mins and never touched it just left all his media and water in it and raced back to my house - phew

still no different readings tho - but i only put it on at 13.30 today ---- how long does it take do u think to notice a difference. Can beneficial bacteria still grow with what my readings are showing below???

amm 8 (i would say)

Ni 2

NA 40

ph 6.4

and i have used ammo lock cos i dont want to stress then fish more than they have to be

I had a reply form API women who confirmed that ammo lock does not interfere with the cycling process it just puts it in a non toxic form

Theres so much blurb on the web and conflicting reports on everything its blowin me head off


Fish now not fed for 3 days - i'm a bit concerned

Ive had my tank fully matured for 9 months now and am so mad with myself doing the damn gravel clean too thoroughly - or maybe it was a combination of the meds aswell

oh dear tears