Quickly Cycle A Tank To Combat Ammonia Poisoning - How?!

[MadameFizzgig]

Alright, I made a post a few days ago regarding my violet goby and he seems to now be showing signs of ammonia poisoning. I had him in an uncycled tank. I've done 2 25% water changes so far and attempted to add one of those fizzy ammonia tabs to lower the levels, but no luck. He's still gasping at the surface.

I plan on heading to PetSmart today so that I can get whatever it is that I need. So, what exactly do I need? I heard something about beneficial bacteria, or a water conditioner or something?

He's temporarily in a small tank because it's all I have access to right now. I tested the ammonia with a test strip and it showed up at "harmful". I was trying to acclimate him slowly to brackish water, but this has screwed everything up. Water temp currently is 77, and I have 2 water filters.

 

[Ch4rlie]

I would increase the water changes to at least 50%.
 
These fizzy ammonia tabs are not worth it and would do very little i think.
 
If you can get some Dr Tim's One and Only, failing that, Tetra Safe Start which are bottles of benefical bacteria are your best bets to try and cycle the tank quicker.
 
And you will need some water dechlorinator to make tap water safe from chlorine and other metals.
 
Lastly, the water dip strip kits are not very good or reliable. You'll be much better off with a liquid based kit such as API freshwater test kit.

 

[LyraGuppi]

One product I've heard of is Dr Tim's One and Only which cycles a tank quickly. (It contains the bacteria) You could order some of that, and see if an LFS could foster your goby until the tank is ready.
 
 
http/www.drtimsaquatics.com/treat-aquarium-nitrite-ammonia-levels
http/store.drtimsaquatics.com/One-Only-Nitrifying-Bacteria_c_97.html

 

[BiggTexx]

Also, please make sure to read the links I posted on your other thread. They have tips on what to do.

 

[MadameFizzgig]

Update:
 
I went to the store and bought the beneficial bacteria. Once home, I transferred Houdini to a smaller tank containing the old aquarium water. I then took his larger tank and replaced about 85% of the water. I added the amount of salt that we left off at when I was trying to acclimate him to brackish waters. I dechlorinated the water and added the bacteria. I then let the tank sit for a while to allow everything to dissolve and what not. After that, I added him back into the tank. 
 
So far, he hasn't been gasping. He did go to the surface and gasp a few times when I first put him back into the tank, but he doesn't seem to be doing that anymore. Hopefully this did the trick and he'll be okay.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Which beneficial bacteria did you purchase?
 
I would suggest you read the links BigTexx gave you, full of good information to make a informed decision on what you want to do.

 

[MadameFizzgig]

I used Tetra SafeStart Plus, and I'm reading through the links.

 

[Ch4rlie]

 

[MadameFizzgig]

Update:
 
He was fine all day, but I turned the lights off to go to bed and then turned them back on a while later because I forgot something, and he's back at the surface again. I'm not sure what else I can do, I guess I'll just continue doing water changes (25% per day?). Hopefully the bacteria will establish themselves soon, right?
 
Any advice? I'm worried about him. Could it be that he's just more active at night?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

I would suggest a ~95% water change pronto in the goby's current tank
 
One of the worse things you can do is put fish into a smaller tank, when the tank and its filter is not cycled. There is less volume to dilute the ammonia and nitrite, so levels will reach deadly toxic levels quicker.
 
"Fish in cycling" requires a lot more effort, above all else, you must keep the water safe for the fish. You have to be prepared to do 50-95% water changes daily for ~90 days, depending upon toxin readings for ammonia and nitrite with a liquid test kit.
 
You added a bottle of bacteria to the main tank, but have you been dosing that tank since with ammonia to "cycle" it?
 
 
If you have not got a dechlorinator such as Seachem Prime/Safe, that can detoxify ammonia dn nitrite for upto 24 hours by following the instructions for a safe overdose, get some.
 
I would also put the Violet Goby back in the bigger tank, after testing it for ammonia and nitrite with liquid test kits (and possibly changing ~95% of the water before moving the goby over).

 

[MadameFizzgig]

He is in the bigger tank, I had him in the smaller tank only while I was changing the water in the bigger tank. So you're suggesting I do a second 90% water change?

I have been removing chlorine from the water. Should I do something with the filter?

 

[MadameFizzgig]

It seems like no matter what I do this keeps happening. I'm running out of new things to try. I've gotten a lot of conflicting advice from here and other places.

I've changed the water about 95%, he was fine for the day but acted up at night. I put him in a smaller tank briefly so that I could do that. Should I have given him 100% new water in the temporary tank? I've been doing 25-50% water changes daily. Doesn't seem to be doing much. I've been removing the chlorine and adding the beneficial bacteria.

Throughout this whole time he has been eating voraciously. Which seems a little weird to me.

 

[Ch4rlie]

What conflicting advice have you had so far?

I assure you that we do our best to help any members who needs sound advice. I cannot vouch for advice from other forums.

Nobody of the Goat has given sound advice and agree with what's been said so far.

 

[MadameFizzgig]

I'm not saying people here aren't giving good advice, there just seem to be a lot of contradictions depending on where you look. So, what should I do at this point? Just keep changing the water?

If I'm doing large water changes it will require me to move him to another tank, so should I just put him in a tank with new water while I clean his tank? Will all of these cleanings make it harder for the bacteria to grow?

 

[kazfishdog]

If you can get some mature media from another tank it will at least jump start if not eliminate the cycling issues entirely.  If there's nobody local Angels Plus supplies mature filters; http/www.angelsplus.com/FiltersSpongeActive.htm