35 cichlids in a 100g tank with 25% decoration ... please help!

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chicodelmar

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Sep 6, 2013
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San Francisco, CA
Hi,

I am new to this forum, and a SW guy, and have become somewhat of a "sustainable" aquarist obsessed with finding the "perfectly balanced" aquarium ecosystem. I have this buddy who went from a 45g with 35 cichlids to a 100g with the same fish. He has so much decoration that i am not even sure he has not created "dead" pool, where water has very little chance to flow.

Now, he has started his new tank about 3 weeks ago, cycled it with AquaBella but at the same time been using Prime regularly, like every other day. Seems like it is defeating the purpose of using a bacterial product that's supposed to limit water change. So here is now, after 3 weeks calling me and asking me how come his test shows ammonia and his nitrate level are in the red? At first i could not figure it out, but now, i think i know, but can't be really really sure. So i have to ask:
- Would a regular use of prime inhibit bacterial growth?
- I have read that Prime and API water test kit don't work together and will show false reading. I'm researching this topic but if you know anything, please tell me (I have another Q about this, i'll ask in another post)
- Finally, even with the best bacterial product and considering his setting, wouldn't it be normal that the bacteria cannot keep up with that much organic matter?

Trust me, if you agree with me, i have told him. If you guys know better, please tell me. In my opinion, he needs a 175g to host that many cichlids and he needs to stop dosing his aquarium with prime ...
 

ktrom13

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Feb 4, 2013
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boston
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Its true, the API master test and prime show a false ammonia reading. I dont know why though. And i deffinately think he either needs to rehome ALOT of those fish or get a way bigger tank and some serious filteration.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 

authmal

Pseudonovice
Aug 4, 2011
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Phoenix, AZ
If I recall correctly, it's because Prime binds ammonia into ammonium, which is safer, but the API tests reads the ammonium as ammonia as well. That said, Prime doesn't have impact on the nitrates like that. Your friend should probably take the filtration he had on the 45 and slap it on the 100. 1, it's already cycled/seeded with all of the bacteria, unless he's let it dry out. 2, extra filtration is never a bad thing. I don't know about AquaBella, but if you're supposed to not do water changes to an uncycled tank that you've added a large number of fish to, it just sounds like a really bad idea.
 

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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Gainesville, FL
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Josh
What cichlids does he have? I can think of many instances, depending on species, where that number would not be unreasonable at all. But cichlids are highly varied.

Prime-bonded nitrogen is apparently still available for oxidation. Ammonia/ammonium can pop up on certain test kits if chloramines are used in the tap.

I'd highly suggest weekly water changes as is...there's a lot that we cannot account for as hobbyists that bacteria wont take care of in large amounts either. There's nothing in a bottle that will replace water changes as far as I'm concerned.
 

Windy

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May 30, 2007
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Theed Palace on Naboo
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Lazaro
To many cichlids in the tank depending on the size, not enough water changes and filtration. I've heard those liquid cycling bottles they sell at LFS are no good. I have always heard that cycling a tank takes 4-6 weeks.
 
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