High Ammonia Levels And White Spot. Help!

[KittyKat]

I really recommend getting some sort of ceramic bio ball or filter rings to go in your filter because it seems to help speed up bacterial colony growth and promotes a good strong, resistant to adverse conditions, bacterial colony.

I also prefer to use predominantely porous ceramic (aka "bio") media, but I don't think they do anything more than provide a high surface area for the bacteria

This morning the rummynose appear to have no white spot on them at all and looking extremely happy. So hopefully the treatement will catch them in there free state!

that is the idea!

 

[Gidge]

Have tested the water about an hour ago, and the ammonia is a solid 0.25! We're getting there! Thanks again for all your help.

 

[KittyKat]

So once your have finished treating for whitespot, you're gonna have to up those water changes to 2* per day, to keep ammonia and nitrite below 0.25 ppm at all times and as close to 0 ppm as possible, ok?

 

[Gidge]

My filter/bacteria should be able to handle the ammonia by itself soon though?

 

[KittyKat]

My filter/bacteria should be able to handle the ammonia by itself soon though?

At some point in the future, but no one can tell you when. Fish-less cycling usually takes 4-6 weeks, fish-in cycling 6-12, but seeding the filter usually reduces both by 1-2 weeks. It is possible for fish-less cycled to take a lot longer and for fish-in cycles to take slightly less time.

 

[Gidge]

I have tested the water today. Have not performed a water change just yet. The results are as follows;

Ammonia: 0-0.25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates 0-5.0

Does this mean that the bacteria is starting to do its job? Taking the ammonia and turning it into nitrates?

 

[KittyKat]

I have tested the water today. Have not performed a water change just yet. The results are as follows;

If there is any ammonia reading, you should still do a water change.

Does this mean that the bacteria is starting to do its job? Taking the ammonia and turning it into nitrates?

This means that the bacteria are multiplying: they have always done their job, but there just wasn't enough of them to keep up with all ammonia. There are two groups of bacteria in the filter, one which converts ammonia to nitrite and another which converts nitrite to nitrate. It is common for the latter group to be more abundant and able to keep up with the growth of the first, which is why you are not seeing a nitrite spike.

 

[Gidge]

If there is any ammonia reading, you should still do a water change.

I will still be doing a water change.

Im glad the bacteria is multiplying! Looking forward to getting this tank on the right track

 

[colleen0309]

Good job getting that ammonia down! Keep up with the water changes until to test 0 for ammonia before a water change. Keep an eye on the nitrite. And please get the salt useage down to 0. The rams will be much happier.

 

[Gidge]

So you'll never guess what happened at 2am this morning. The tank cracked! I was just dosing off to sleep when I heard this loud CLUNK and water trickling.
Worst nightmare ever.

We bought the tank on the 10th September. Not even a month and it has cracked! If we don't get a refund for this, safe to say I'm going to be prettty grumpy!

We've taken all the fish out and found a very large troph/bowl. Added some gravel to it and some rocks for them to hide in. Put the tank water in, the heater and air bubbles. Hopefully this should keep them going till morning! The place we bought the tank from opens at 8:30 and I will be on their door step!

Just can not believe this is happenning. Good bye sleep!

 

[KittyKat]

We've taken all the fish out and found a very large troph/bowl. Added some gravel to it and some rocks for them to hide in. Put the tank water in, the heater and air bubbles. Hopefully this should keep them going till morning! The place we bought the tank from opens at 8:30 and I will be on their door step!

It is important that the filter media is exposed to ammonia and water circulation, so pop the filter in there too, or at least the media from it!

Did you have the tank on a level surface and everything? Did the side or bottom crack?

p.s. if you can pick any tank when you go back for a replacement, try to get one which is 60*30*30 cm if possible!

 

[Gidge]

I have put the old filter in the new tank as well My first thought this morning when it broke was 'noooo my bacteria!'

The tank was on a level surface. On a solid jarrah table. My LFS also went through this with me. It crack on the back panel diagonally across. The guy said, that given the size of the tank, even if it weren't on a level surface, it shouldn't have cracked.

I ended up getting an Aqua One 500. 65L Dimensions are 50x52x35. I got the biggest tank that we could fit in the allocated space. It is alot taller and I have to say, all of the fish are looking really happy. Expecially the ram's and rummynose.

 

[KittyKat]

The guy is right and I'm glad you figured out what to do with the filter, and also that you got a larger tank! The height doesn't give anything for stocking, but the extra volume will mean that the water parameters will be more stable in the long term.

Have you moved the gourami and shark out yet?

 

[Gidge]

The height doesn't give anything for stocking, but the extra volume will mean that the water parameters will be more stable in the long term.

I didn't think this would be the case, but I have noticed that the rummynose and neons are swimming alot higher up in this tank, rather then hanging around the bottom. I can't get over how great they are looking, zooming around everywhere.

Have you moved the gourami and shark out yet?

The shark has been moved. I have a question about the Gourami. The 200L tank that I have mentioned previously.
Stocking:
1x frontosa
2x green texas
3x clown loaches
3x Johanni
2x bristlenose catfish

Will the Gourami get along with these fish?

 

[KittyKat]

Have you moved the gourami and shark out yet?

The shark has been moved. I have a question about the Gourami. The 200L tank that I have mentioned previously.
Stocking:
1x frontosa
2x green texas
3x clown loaches
3x Johanni
2x bristlenose catfish

Will the Gourami get along with these fish?

No, it won't get along with most of them, but as has already been pointed out, you will have problems keeping those fish together and at least the frontosa has already become stunted because of the aquarium size, as will the Texas cichlids and clown loaches.

On its own, a 200 litre (especially 4 ft) tank is a good environment for the gourami you have… just not with that stocking.