No param changes after introducing established filter?

Kaiyah

Kaiyah

AC Members
Mar 4, 2007
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I everyone, I've got another newbie question. :)

After introducing my sister's established filter media to my tank, I'm still not showing any parameter changes after four days. Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrates still at 0. Is this normal? I haven't been able to find any ammonia I can safely use in my tank, so a couple of days ago I added some food flakes to keep it going but still haven't seen any changes.
Does this mean that her filter wasn't established when I got it? Should I take out her old gunky filter then and just do a fishy cycle instead?

Also, my tank is turning out to be impossible to keep at a constant temperature. In the mornings it tends to be around 76 degrees, but by evening it's around 80, and this is with the heater turned way down. Will this be harmful to any fish that I get in the future?
 
Details please
(size of tank, type & wattage of heater, when did you add what to start cycle?)
 
how did you move the filter over? Like across the room, out of town? how long was your sisters set up with fish before this move?
 
Some have reportedly used Ace Hardware ammonia and that's what I'm using also.
 
Squawkbert said:
Details please
(size of tank, type & wattage of heater, when did you add what to start cycle?)
Click to expand...

Here's the info on my tank:

10 gallon, glass
Neptune 50-watt heater (water is around 78 degrees right now)
Top Fin power filter 10
Hood & incandescent bulbs
Air pump
4 fake plants (one of which is a ground cover)
1 "dojo" ornament & "bamboo" side ornament
10lbs gravel in a natural brownish coloring, sort of on the larger side.

I haven't added anything to start the cycle besides the borrowed filter media and a small amount of flake food as I haven't been able to find any ammonia without surfactants. (I did find the Great Value "clear" ammonia from Walmart that I read about here, but a vigorous shaking produced slight bubbling and the ingredients included surfactants, so I didn't buy it).

The borrowed filter was probably out of it's element for around 1/2 hour, maybe a little more and was kept in a ziploc bag until I got it home to my own tank, which had been set up (but untouched chemically) for around a week before that time.
My sister has had fish for years and says it's been a couple of months since she last changed this particular filter.

I hope that provides enough info. Let me know if you need anything else.
 
In my experience moving established filters to new tanks the bacteria are really pretty hardy and live for days as long as the media stays wet.. Get some clear ammonia with nothing else in it that doesn't foam when you shake the bottle, and add a few drops at a time until you get a result on an ammonia test, then test it again in 24 hours. ammonia and nitrItes should be at 0. If they are, you're ready to add fish (slowly!)... Ammonia doen't just appear from nowhere so if you put an established filter on a tank with nothing living in it the stats are all going to stay at 0. Hope that helps ya and good luck!:)
 
ChicoRaton said:
In my experience moving established filters to new tanks the bacteria are really pretty hardy and live for days as long as the media stays wet.. Get some clear ammonia with nothing else in it that doesn't foam when you shake the bottle, and add a few drops at a time until you get a result on an ammonia test, then test it again in 24 hours. ammonia and nitrItes should be at 0. If they are, you're ready to add fish (slowly!)... Ammonia doen't just appear from nowhere so if you put an established filter on a tank with nothing living in it the stats are all going to stay at 0. Hope that helps ya and good luck!:)
Click to expand...

i completely agree
 
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