really hot water. if you're paranoid, you can bleach everything and then dechlor it.
High ammonia, please help thanx
- Thread starter Kevin911
- Start date
really hot water. if you're paranoid, you can bleach everything and then dechlor it.
I''ll do the hot water, but I'm a bit scare on the bleach. So the hosing, hot water is fine? do I have to clean all the brown residue inside the hose?
DON'T TOUCH YOUR BIO-MEDIA... Read up more thoroughly on the Nitrogen Cycle... rinse the filters in tank-water your tossing out if you see build-up, but NEVER bleach/hot water your sponges/bio-media unless you want to re-cycle your system for some reason. Keep up with those water changes... Tanks do not cycle over-night. The ammonia spiking in the 4 ppm range is deffinately deadly to your Beneficial Bacteria. I don't rip my filters apart ever... I just rinse the media good ( carbon and ammonia chips are exceptions and should be changed out religiously imo) Make sure your running some form of pre-filter floss/padding as this will help keep build-up to a min in your filter. Further info is in the Filter/set-up subforum and can give you some diagrams ect of people filtration set-ups as well as help in better understanding how filtration works.
It's hard to say weather it's the shrimp or not.. but I would deffinately hold off on feeding your fish for a few days until you have a game plan of attack. Then feed them very lightly for the next few weeks until your sure the system is running solid. Generally once the problem is corrected your symptoms should vanish very quick with the water changes. I would even suggest upping your water changes to daily. few other questions.
How long as the tank been set-up? what are the other water perameters? Nitrate/Nitrite/GH/KH ? what testing are you useing? is it a new test kit or old? what type/depth of substrate are you useing? any natural decor? ( ie real rocks/wood ect?)
It's hard to say weather it's the shrimp or not.. but I would deffinately hold off on feeding your fish for a few days until you have a game plan of attack. Then feed them very lightly for the next few weeks until your sure the system is running solid. Generally once the problem is corrected your symptoms should vanish very quick with the water changes. I would even suggest upping your water changes to daily. few other questions.
How long as the tank been set-up? what are the other water perameters? Nitrate/Nitrite/GH/KH ? what testing are you useing? is it a new test kit or old? what type/depth of substrate are you useing? any natural decor? ( ie real rocks/wood ect?)
I was only cleaning a wet dry sump because I just bought it but it was previously use for salt... tank is establish for 3months now.
I'm doing bare bottom, and I'm soaking the newly acquire sump right now in hot water... how long should I wait to use it? salt residue is very mimimal left so you think I be good hooking it up ?
salt will dissolve very quickly.. the hard white residue after a good rinse is generally calcium/carbonate build-up... White vinegar and a razor blade will get the job done removeing it if it's needed/for astetic issues. I've never had a problem with it effecting my water dramatically. over time in softer water it will dissintigrate and harden your water slightly.. but w/ regular water changes it's not a big deal for most fish. Once it's cleaned up, and you've checked all the mechanical stuff ( ie the pump itself, build-up should not be inside it. If there is... I would soak it in a 50/50 white vinger/water solution over-night). White vinegar works great on build-up and unless you're literally dumping it straight inot your tank traces will not harm your fish unlike other chemicals. But I don't bother with it if it's a very light coat, only when it's starting to actually build-up. I would split the bio-media in your other filter into the new one to get a "seed" going. this should help speed up your process and get the new filter running efficently. also leave the old filter running on the tank if you intend to run only the sump. Maintain water changes keeping the ammonia best you can under 4ppm and you should be good in approx 2 weeks.
If the coating is light, hook the sump up asap. The sooner you get it cycleing the sooner your water perameters will even out.
If the coating is light, hook the sump up asap. The sooner you get it cycleing the sooner your water perameters will even out.
