High Ammonia Despite Repeated Water Changes

[luckyd]

Interesting. What happens when we have to change the filter in a month? Do we somehow have to transfer the bacteria over? I read somewhere we should wash it out in the water. Is that correct?

 

[Tolak]

Rinse the dirty filter media in old tank water. There is no need to replace it unless it is actually falling apart.

 

[OldMan47]

Replacing the filter pad after a month is for filter sales people. It is not a good idea for fish. As Tolak said, just rinse it out in your water change used tank water and put it right back where you got it.

 

[luckyd]

Thanks.  That's good to know.  If we ever did have to change it, would the cycle have to start over again?  For example, after we treated for ick, the directions said to change the filter after 48 hours, and we essentially ended up starting over again.

 

[OldMan47]

If you actually remove your filter media, you get to cycle the tank all over again, with fish in it. If you want to do an ich treatment, try the salt and heat approach instead of medications that require that you change the filter media. There is a link to ich and its treatment and life cycle in my signature area that is called Ich Info. It gives the whole life cycle of the ich parasite so that you can understand what will work and how to best use the methods.

 

[luckyd]

Thank you for all your help. I'll check out the link. Here's hoping I'll never have to use it!

 

[fatheadminnow]

The ick parasite live in the substrate. When they infect the host, the fish, they are protected by all meds because of the fishes slime coat. When they are done with the host they will travel back to the substrate. When they travel they are vulnerable to medications. This is the only time to kill the ick parasites. This whole process takes about 14 days. So, when you treat for ick, you treat for 14 days, well after the sings of ick have vanished.

There is no need to replace the filter media after and ick infection, but there are exceptions.

When you replace the filter media, when you absolutely have to, you do not want to replace more than 1/3 of the filter media, and of course replace what you took out with new filter media. Also, give the old media, the one you are taking out, a good squeeze into the filter, this will transfer some bacteria.

-FHM

 

[drobbyb]

Oops! Well, I didn't really think about the possibilities. Fair enough.