I bought a new tank recently and set it up. It's about 65 gallons, and has an overhead wet/dry trickle filter filled with hair curlers and filter pad. It's got a brand new Jebo Odyssea canister filled with pads, ceramic rings, and carbon as well.
About a week before, I had a couple of expectant moms release their broods, and set up a Hex 5 nursery tank. So, when I set that one up, I purchased some Bio Spira...enough to do 90 gallons. Well, I used some of the envelope, then folded the envelope over, sealed it with a paper clip, and put it in the fridge. The nursery tank is cycled and doing well.
So, back to the new 65 gallon. With fresh water, fresh gravel, fresh rocks and fresh plastic plants, I treated it with Stress Coat, ran the filters overnight, then threw in some bio ball type media from an established tank ( I always have bio media floating around in established tanks to add to others when necessary). Around 24-30 hours later, I emtied the remainder of the Bio Spira envelope into the new tank and ran it overnight. In the morning, I moved a bunch of fish into it. The tank is crowded, and the fish range in size from 3/4" to about 5". It's been running with fish in it for about a week, and the numbers are scaring me. Ammonia is about 0-.1, Nitrites vary from 1.5-2.0 even with 50% water changes for the last 3 days, and Nitrates are staying right at 5.0. I add "Prime" to the water to detoxify the Ammonia and Nitrite. The fish are doing fine except for one. The one fish that's having a problem has something unusual going on. He seems to be coughing. All the others are happy, healthy and eating like pigs. In fact, a pair of Yellow Labs spawned.
In the past, I've had tanks cycle in 24-48 hours using Bio-Spira. What's going on? Did it go bad sitting in the fridge for a week after being opened?
I'm now running four filters on the tank, and doing 50% water changes daily to make sure the fish don't get sick. What else can I do?
About a week before, I had a couple of expectant moms release their broods, and set up a Hex 5 nursery tank. So, when I set that one up, I purchased some Bio Spira...enough to do 90 gallons. Well, I used some of the envelope, then folded the envelope over, sealed it with a paper clip, and put it in the fridge. The nursery tank is cycled and doing well.
So, back to the new 65 gallon. With fresh water, fresh gravel, fresh rocks and fresh plastic plants, I treated it with Stress Coat, ran the filters overnight, then threw in some bio ball type media from an established tank ( I always have bio media floating around in established tanks to add to others when necessary). Around 24-30 hours later, I emtied the remainder of the Bio Spira envelope into the new tank and ran it overnight. In the morning, I moved a bunch of fish into it. The tank is crowded, and the fish range in size from 3/4" to about 5". It's been running with fish in it for about a week, and the numbers are scaring me. Ammonia is about 0-.1, Nitrites vary from 1.5-2.0 even with 50% water changes for the last 3 days, and Nitrates are staying right at 5.0. I add "Prime" to the water to detoxify the Ammonia and Nitrite. The fish are doing fine except for one. The one fish that's having a problem has something unusual going on. He seems to be coughing. All the others are happy, healthy and eating like pigs. In fact, a pair of Yellow Labs spawned.
In the past, I've had tanks cycle in 24-48 hours using Bio-Spira. What's going on? Did it go bad sitting in the fridge for a week after being opened?
I'm now running four filters on the tank, and doing 50% water changes daily to make sure the fish don't get sick. What else can I do?
