Think I Messed Up...

[Staxx]

thanks for all the help, its really really really appreciated!

 

[tomtomtom1230]

No worries, that's what the forums is for

 

[Staxx]

my water stats are even worse than yesterday now! yesterday i did almost a 50% water change.. im guna do another 50% in an hour or so. the fish seem fine aswell weirdly.

also got a 306 on order for £110 i know its a bit expensive but its the only place i could have ordered it from

 

[Staxx]

someone help mee

 

[Dazzler666]

Is your water test kit new & in date? Have you lost any fish or added anything new that may be toxic (without you knowing it ... Obviously!!) or have you used a cleaning substance near, in it on anything you use in the tank?
Just trying to think outside the box.
That aside, I'm a novice myself but so fad as I'm aware you can't hurry the bacterial cycle except get donor media from another fish keeper so, as far as I'm aware it's water changes everyday & let nature take its course.
Sorry couldn't be more help & can totally relate to where your at as been there myself & lost fish in the process too!! .
Stick at it & you will get there!!

 

[Dazzler666]

Oh, also ... Have you looked at All Pond Solution external filters? I bought a 1400lph with UV & media I think for £70 or £80 off e-bay which I think is a great bargain. Had it around 6 months with no problems whatsoever & my water on my 120l is kind glass!! (yes it over filtered but you can't have too much filtration and the APS filter flow is not that powerful so always go for the bigger one than you actually need!!!).
Hope you get it sorted soon.

 

[Staxx]

i added 5 mollies and 2 corys at once like a total idiot but i couldnt resist the corys.

my tank was fully cycled i believe. i got the tank and filter second hand and the person had the tank running for a year(they said)i had the tank up and running for almost 4 weeks before i put any fish in it

the filter they gave me broke so i had to get a new one. the tanks been fine until i added the mollies and corys! ive done 2 50% waster changes in the past 3 days cuz of the levels. in around 2 weeks il get the fluval 306 and hopefully it will catch up and settle the tank. until then i have no option but to keep doing water changes?

im a complete beginner and have no back up tank or money to get one.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Just keep up with your water changes daily and you will get through this. Basically adding as many fish as you did seems to have slighly overloaded your filter. If you filter was already cycled it should be over in a couple of days. Yuor nitrites seem to be the only thing elevated.

When you changed filters, did you add the previous media into the new one? If not, you are at the beginning of a brand new fish-in cycle. If you did, then its more than likely a small mini-cycle cause by the addition of new fish. Keep us posted. We will get you through this (we have ALL been there, I guarantee it)

 

[Staxx]

yeah i added the old media, squeezed the sponges and everything! i think it is just a mini cycle.... hopefully

 

[Dieses Madchen]

That's what it sounds like to me. Keep up on the daily water changes and your filter should catch up.

 

[Staxx]

how long should this take to settle down? the levels are even higher today so im guna do another big water change now. probs around 60-80% cuz im not guna be in the house all day tomorrow.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Leave the larger water change as late as possible if you're not gonna be able to do one tomorrow. cycling can take as long as it pleases - typically it'll take 3-8 weeks from the moment you begin to add ammonia to the water (which would be when you added fish).

 

[andspenka]

Just because no-one's mentioned it,

Are you de-chlorinating the new water you put in when doing your water changes?

Chlorine isn't good for your bacteria.

 

[tomtomtom1230]

Just because no-one's mentioned it,

Are you de-chlorinating the new water you put in when doing your water changes?

Chlorine isn't good for your bacteria.

This is a good point, if you aren't dechlorinating the water then that's where you need to start. Seachem's Prime, API's Stress Coat, Interpet's TapSafe and King British' Safe Guard all do the same job and detoxify the chlorine in tap water whilst removing heavy metals. Also, not dosing your dechlorinator correctly will also harm the bacteria, not to mention your fish - a little too much is always better than a little too little.

 

[Staxx]

yeah i used to use a bucket and dechlorinate the bucket full of water at a time before adding it to the tank, but since ive been doing these big water changes ive been dosing the whole tank then just adding the water of around the same temp as the tank.


so ive got to do daily water changes for around 3-8 weeks? my tank was already cycled cuz i already had 12 fish in it and the water was perfect. but since i added the mollies and cory cats its been all over the place.


will it still take 3-8 weeks?