Emergency or oversensitivity?

[abortedsoul]

Hey everyone! I'm having an issue with ammonia. It is strange, because my tank cycled completely once and I have had my ray in it for several weeks now and everything has been fine. I changed some (not all) of the filter media, added some aquarium salt (a bit below reccomended dose as general tonic) and did a water change and now my nitrogen cycle has reset.

I am not sure if it was the water change + filter media change, or the salt? This is my first ray and the ammonia is getting close to .50 ppm. I have been doing 25% water changes twice a day with slightly conditioned RO Water and it is keeping the ammonia at about .25.

I explained this to my LFS owner and he told me to just leave it alone and let the nitrogen cycle start. Is he right? I want to take the best possible care I can of my ray, and as any new parent may do with their kids, am I just a new raykeeper worrying too much about his ray?

-Matt

 

[keepinfish]

DO YOU HAVE A FILTER (CYCLED) FROM ANOTHER TANK YOU CAN PUT ON THIS TANK ASAP?

DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER TANK YOU CAN PUT THE RAY IN TILL YOU GET THIS TANK COMPLETLY CYCLED?

WHAT IS THE TANK SIZE AND TYPE OF FILTER>?

 

[abortedsoul]

I just moved, and this is my only established tank. No, I have no access to filter media from another tank (the lfs around here is pretty lame, and I wouldn't trust their filter media anyhow). I do have TurboStart coming in this afternoon, express airmail.

Here is my tank setup:
***125 gallon standard glass
Inhabitants: 1 3" Teacup Stingray, varying amount of feeder Ghost Shrimp
***Raised 10 gallon modified turtle tank spillover
Inhabitants: 12 misc water plants
Filtration: Fluval FX5, Fluval 205 (powering the overflow), Bucket full of Bioballs / filter floss
***Stage 1 Media: Prefilter, AmmoCarb, Ammonia Chips
***Stage 2 Media: Peat Granules, Ammonia Chips
***Stage 3 Media: Biomax, Water Polishing Pad, Softener Pillow
Secondary Filtration: Modified bucket in waterfall below

 

[DB junkie]

Spill the beans. You have to paint us a mental picture of your tank..... Size, filtration- model #s quantities all that jazz. Maintainance schedules.... Everyting.

Wow. Beat me to it.

Nevermind......LOL

 

[abortedsoul]

I clean filter media (half of it at a time, seperate bags) once every three weeks. Two heaters in the overflow tank above, nothing else but plants and a couple ghost shrimp that she hasn't eaten yet.

 

[vamptrev]

the chlorine in my water damages my bacteria every once in a while if i let my drip filters go too long. u have any chlorine in ur water?

prob with u doing filter, and WC at the same time damaged ur bacteria.

feed less until it starts cycling again. do u have any signs of nitrite or nitrate?

 

[abortedsoul]

Since I've done the frequent water changes (due to the ammonia spike), Nitirite is at steady zero, and only have a bit of nitirite left.

 

[abortedsoul]

So, just feed less until it cycles. Should I keep up with water changes, do them more often/less often, more / less volume? I'm just worried.

 

[vamptrev]

Since I've done the frequent water changes (due to the ammonia spike), Nitirite is at steady zero, and only have a bit of nitirite left.

u wrote nitrite for both.... which one is which?

So, just feed less until it cycles. Should I keep up with water changes, do them more often/less often, more / less volume? I'm just worried.

sorry... yes u deff need to keep doing water changes also to keep the ammonia down. i would do 25% twice a day.

 

[abortedsoul]

Sorry, the Nitrite was at nil and the Nitrates were only trace. I've got the turbostart in there, and I've done quite a bit of water changes. Wrestled the ammonia demon down to below .25ppm, and hopefully the tank will cycle again. I appreciate the help!