more nitrite problems

[tttnjfttt]

Instead of cycling my 20 gal, I put the old spounge in it from my 5 gal tank. As long as the spounge is in there, my water chemistry is fine. I have tried taking out the old spounge twice now, once about two weeks ago (I think) when I tried to give my betta a cycled tank, and now because a tiger barb has a mysterious sore. Every time when I take the spounge out, my tank goes into a mini cycle. The 20 gal has been set up for about two months, and these have been the only two times I have seen any nitrites. (ammonia is still 0). So question one is how long will it take for the bacteria to migrate over to the new spounge, where I can remove the old one, when necessary, without causing a new nitrite spike. I am almost tempted to give the injured tiger barb no filter but daily water changes and to do a fishless cycle on the other spounge until it can handle the bio load on its own. My hesitation with that is I am not sure if the sore is an ulcer that caused by a bacterial infection. any imput?

 

[WILDER]

If you only have them fish in the tank thats in your sig, it will take a very long time small waste producers, sorry didn't see the tiger barbs, what filter is it that you use.

 

[tttnjfttt]

I have a whisper 20 (atleast thats what the top says).

 

[WILDER]

Can't see why the tank hasn't cycled,do you think the filter is any good.

 

[tttnjfttt]

What I think has been happening is the bacteria have just multiplied in my old spounge, which has been handling the bio load. My old spounge was more of a DIY biospounge, wehre I found a cylindrical bio spounge, cut off 1/3 of it, and put it where the water flows back to the tank, so there should be plenty of room in there.

As of right now, the old spounge is in with a fish who has been in quarentine since sunday for a sore above his mouth, plus not eating. He still has the sore (looked like road rash, like a layer of skin was missing), i have been treating him with was salt and melafix. He is back to eating and swimming around the hospital tank. Do you think it was just from a fight? If so, do you think it would be safe to re-introduce him, and move the spounge back without risking passing anything to my other fish?

 

[WILDER]

No don't put him back with the sore as you have a high nitrite reading and it will burn it, does it look infected, if not the meafix has took care of it, as someimes you need an internal bacteria med.

 

[tttnjfttt]

I can't tell if it looks infected or not. It does look like it spread a little bit, but I am not positive. I also have primafix, so I added it to his water. My understanding is primafix is more a topical antibiotic, while melafix is more to help with open sores.

Do you think I could safely cut the spounge in his tank and put part of it into the main tank? He's got the old spounge at the moment.