Nitrogen Cycle and Bacterial bloom question...

[Jelesey]

Hi there,

I just went through my nitrogen cycle.... My ammonia already peaked and dropped down as my nitrite peaked and dropped down too.... it took about a week for my ammonia to drop to 0.25 and two weeks for my nitrite to drop to 0.25ppm. I have been doing daily water changes of 50% for the past 17 days and only recently dropped it to once in 2 days. I am also using RO water. But now am noticing a bacterial bloom. I don't know what's going on.

My tank is 200 gallons. I use a 4 layer 4 column trickle box filter w/ 100L/min pump, Hydra 50 , 35W UV pump in my tank.

Anything am doing wrong?

 

[duanes]

Bacterial blooms are normal in new tanks, give it a week or to reach equilibrium.
Just curious.... Why RO? are you planning on very soft water fish like Altum angels or Uaru fernadezypezi?

 

[Jelesey]

not really, I own a water refilling station, so it doesn't really cost me much, and well water here isn't that good.

Well my tank is 1 month old already... I have gone through the ammonia and nitrite spikes....I haven't added any new fishes so I was wondering why I am still having bacterial blooms

 

[DN328]

What's your tank population like relative to your 200 gallon tank? I don't think 4-5 weeks is that long for cycling that volume of water, so I think the blooms of "common" based on what I've read and my I experienced. Hang in there the bloom will clear up.

 

[Drstrangelove]

What are you currently putting in the tank? Ammonia drops? Food? Nothing?

And why were you doing 50% water changes each day?

 

[Jelesey]

I have 12 fishes in my tank, 1 red aro, 3 emperor blue, 2 silver dollar, 3 clown loach, 1 knifefish, 1 dragonfin and 1 flagtail.

I only put in the 11in 1 bacteria thing from azoo...

I only feed thawed, sliced and wash market shrimp and I don't get any leftovers except for shrimp shell when my aro spits it out sometimes.

On the cycling thing, I am not yet done but I should almost be... my ammonia peaked at 5ppm on the first week then dropped to 0.25ppm after a week and on the 2nd week my nitrite peaked at 5.0++ppm and now on the 4th week it's also 0.25. I have just tested my water and I have 0 - 0.25 ppm ammonia 0 - 0.25 nitrite and 0-5 nitrate.

Reason why I have done 50% water changes is because i feared for the life of my aro

Trickle box setup is.
1st layer = white filter pad + black foam
2nd layer = double layer of filter pad
3rd layer = 8 L of Good quality ceramic rings
4th layer = 8 liters of Seachem Matrix
Pump = 100L/min

If you guys have any suggestions on how I can improve my setup up, I'd be glad to get your advice. ( I know my tank is a bit too crowded but I'm trying to make it up w/ high biofiltritation)

 

[Yoimbrian]

Water changes are killing you man. You need those ammonia and nitrite levels to spike so the bacteria grow. By doing water changes you are removing the ammonia and nitrite so your bacteria can't grow. Just leave it alone man, leave it alone!


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[Jelesey]

well I only do a water change every 2-3 days now since my ammonia and nitrite level isn't so high anymore. I only used to do a lot of water changes since 5ppm ammonia doesn't seem right nor does 5++ppm nitrate, just wanted to lower it daily so it wouldnt reach extremely toxic levels

 

[Drstrangelove]

So, just my opinion...

I think your tank was never fully cycled and you are putting too much food in the tank. The bloom is from the food. You have leftovers, although you may not see it (you can't see items smaller than 40 micron and even larger if in the substrate.) Blooms that are not algae blooms are typically caused by heterotrophic bacteria (not the same as the BB we want.) These bacteria have exponential growth rates which is why we "see" blooms.

I agree with Yoimbrian. The bacteria that normally create blooms thrive on uneaten food and excess nutrients and compete with BB for oxygen in the tank. Doing massive daily WC was reducing the ammonia and nitrites that the BB needed to grow on, while excess food was favoring the bloom bacteria. The two factors would inhibit BB growth.

Reduce the feeding (a lot) and let the bloom die off and let the BB population catch up. Reducing the feeding will help reduce the toxic chems and control the bloom. Then, and only then, start feeding at a much lower rate until nitrites stay at zero and the nitrate counts start increasing. Then increase the feeding gradually.

Meanwhile, reduce the WC until the cycle is complete (that is roughly speaking until your nitrites are zero and your nitrates are growing past 20.)