Bacteria in established filter

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
N

nukeman

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 26, 2007
48
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North Dakota
Just wondering how long the bacteria in an established filter sponge could live for? I am having problems with high ammonia levels in my tank, so i got a sponge from one of my fellow MFKers and it was only out of the water for about 1 hour. I thought that it would fix the problem, but my levels are still going up. Any suggestions of what i can do? I cut feedings back to once a day, and i do a gravel syphon once a week with a 30% water change. I have a ten gallon tank with 5 zebra danios, 2 blue rams and a neon tetra that survived somehow when the other 3 didn't.

Any help would be great!
 
Try a big water change 50% abd do small changes every other day The ytolerate small ones better. You will not have to use chems. Just be patient!
 
2 questions: How long is the tank functioning ? what is your waters PH?

Nitrifying bacteria survive around 1 hour out of the water....
 
I don't know why you have amonia...do you tend to overfeed? o you do water changes regularly?

With 7.6 PH amonnia is highly toxic...so better watch out..
 
Sorry to derail, but my ammonia is at 5, and it has litterally has been at 11 just until I did an 85% w/c on tuesday. It has been like this for 3 months. Its been up for a year, filters are a emporer 280 and an eliete Hush 35. Feed pellets and krill daily. Not many fish loses either
 
high ammonia levels are usually caused by 2 things:
Lack of biological filtration (either not enough bio surface area/flow, or not cycled)
Overfeeding, which can be offset by more biological filtration.
 
So what should I do?
 
Amonia is not toxic in your case due to your low PH ( which should , needs to be sorted out anyway ). Increase biological filtration and feed less and be more atentive to the need of water changes, IMO. G Luck
 
Miguel;831279; said:
Amonia is not toxic in your case due to your low PH ( which should , needs to be sorted out anyway ). Increase biological filtration and feed less and be more atentive to the need of water changes, IMO. G Luck
Click to expand...

I do about a 35-40% w/c weekly and my ammonia is about 6.4.
 
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