Ammonia and possible mistake

[captmicha]

I got a 3 gallon Eclipse and I've been running it for a few days now, since the 18th. It's the 22nd now. I used 50% used aquarium water from my main tank and put a used aquarium sponge in the filter. The goal was to get this to cycle fast. In the past few days, this tank is holding some stem plants that have a lot of algae on them that I took out from another tank.

Tonight I took my new zebra loach out of the 2.5 gallon quarantine with my two new peacock gudgeons and put it into the 3 gallon Eclipse. I assumed everything was going to be alright until the fish started swimming straight up. I checked my water conditions and sure enough, there's a low amount of ammonia in there.

I've done 4 water changes so I don't understand why this is. I did about 2 water changes a few days ago to get rid of the unclear water due to my adding pool filter sand, which I did make sure to wash before adding. Then today, I did 2 water changes to get rid of the ammonia. I even added Prime but it didn't seem to make the fish feel any better so I took it out of there. Why is there so much ammonia when all the other water tests came back great? Maybe something the former owner used to clean it? I sent an email to ask and will post when I get an answer.

This is where the possible mistake comes into play. I'm running out of tanks here. I can't put him back into with my gudgeons because one is very berried and I'm not sure when she's going to lay. I couldn't put him in with my cloud mountain minnow because that tank is too cold and that fish is healthy and clean of any illnesses. I couldn't put him in with my blackworms because that's not filtrated and it's gross water. I can't put him in with my shrimp because he'd have a buffet. So I kind of panicked and put him in my main tank. His colors look somewhat faded but he otherwise looks ok. I understand I may have possibly infected all the fish in my main tank. Should I treat them with anything as a precaution (like Nitrofuracin Green) or just keep a very close eye on everything?

 

[bradlgt21]

This happens to me all the time with my QT tank. you can seed a tank with a old sponge filter but sometimes it's just not enough. One thing I learned is you want to move the filter media over right before you add the fish, in those few days the bacteria can start to die off. The bacteria need fish waste to do there jobs effectively. I have seen it myself, setup a QT tank test the water and it's at 0. Come back a couple days later without fish still and it skyrocketed.

 

[captmicha]

I don't understand. So what I need in there is waste material?

 

[bitbot]

Yes, as bradlgt21 suggests, with no fish in the tank, the bacteria have no food source and can die off.

 

[fishorama]

3g is awfully small, they may have been reacting to low oxygen along with the ammonia. API tests show ammonium (safe) as well as ammonia (not). Do you use Prime? That should detoxify ammonia but it will still test positive.

What was the fish load of the media you used? Say the gudgeon's filter, half the media = enough BB for 1 fish, maybe 2 but maybe not 3. According to Dr Tim, the bacteria doesn't die fast but may go dormant.

 

[captmicha]

3g is awfully small, they may have been reacting to low oxygen along with the ammonia.

I use an even smaller aquarium with no problems for temporary housing for quarantine and medication. Plus, I always use an air pump.

Do you use Prime?

I even added Prime but it didn't seem to make the fish feel any better so I took it out of there.

Who's Dr. Tim?

 

[fishorama]

Dr Tim Hovenac (DocTim) was 1 of the developers of Marineland's bio wheel technology & is 1 of the sources of true beneficial bacteria in a bottle, he's a sponser here I think. here's a link http://www.aquariacentral.com/forum...eria-and-rehoming-fish/page2&highlight=DocTim post #15 explains bacteria "die off". Tank water is virtually useless as a source of beneficial bacteria.

Prime, some meds also can reduce oxygen in the water, airstones can help but it's all about surface area & gas exchange. A 3g doesn't have much. I asked about Prime because it changes ammonia to ammonium (safe) but it'll still show up on API type tests.

 

[Cerianthus]

"Tank water is virtually useless as a source of beneficial bacteria"
I guess all my fish shouldve been/should be dead or been sick/be sick or suffering/suffered from NH3/NO2 poisoning as ALL I use to set up/seed new tank is with water from well established tank, be it f/w or s/w. One just gotta know how to do it.

"Prime because it changes ammonia to ammonium":
Dont know if this is true or how true as I havnt gotten any confirmation as to this claim since it is their so called "secrets". I think these are just like any other binders in similar products, if any still on the market. If anyone with such info on Prime, please provide! thx in adv.
Regardless, no need to use prime if pH is close to neutral or lower as majority of ammonia is already in ammonium ions in such pH water.

 

[captmicha]

I think the 3 gallon has sufficient gas exchange. If my 2.5 gallon is fine, the 3 gallon should be even a little better off.

And I can use fish food instead of fish waste to feed the bacteria, right? Kind of like cycling a sw tank with a seafood fish.

 

[fishorama]

Yes you can use fish food. Botia are from rivers with a good bit of current & higher oxygen levels, that's why I thought it may be part of the problem. How much longer until he gets to move to your bigger tank?

Cerianthus, you can also use dechlorinated water to cycle, it's called fish in cycling. I've done it your way too, I think a little "used water" is nice but there are much better sources of beneficial bacteria. ... as for the Prime, my husband is a chemist & said once that the "complexed hydrosulphite salts" is a kind of a BS chemistry term to protect their product (my words), basically it takes NH3 (ammonia) & sticks on another hydrogen making NH4+ (ammonium), again my words. There are other similar products. We used to use sodium thiosulphate with chlorinated tap but that only breaks the chloramine bond. You're right, at 7 or less pH, ammonia formed is not harmful but many have higher pH & I like the peace of mind & lack of frequent testing using Prime. I did get a Seachem Ammonia Alert when I had ammonia showing in my discus tank using API test just to be sure it was really ammonium.