Insufficient filtration cause ammonia?

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How did you cycle the tank?
The average time it takes to cycle a tank from scratch, is about 8 weeks. And after that, you add a small amount of fish gradually allow the beneficial bacterial population to accomadate their ammonia output.
If you added all 22 fish at once, after the cycling process, you could have easily overwhelmed the bacterial population, causing the ammonia spike.
 
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How did you cycle the tank?
The average time it takes to cycle a tank from scratch, is about 8 weeks. And after that, you add a small amount of fish gradually enough to allow the beneficial bacterial population to accomadate their ammonia output.
If you added all 22 fish at once, after the cycling process, you could have easily overwhelmed the bacterial population, causing the ammonia spike.
 
Duanes, we cycled the tank using bacteria and 9 fish (5 black skirts and 4 Gold Platys). The other fish were added over time, about 1-2 weeks between each addition. I think the most we ever added at once was in the beginning. At some point, we bought a clown loach, then realized that he needs more space and friends - thus the purchase of the 300g (which is still cycling and is another problem/story on its own).

Couple of weeks ago we had quite a bit of cloudiness, which I assumed was bacterial bloom, but it passed. Most recent additions were the 2 mystery snails - last week. Week before that was the Bristlenose.

Ammonia readings began this week, which is why I thought maybe we finally reached the limits of our current filtration. At any rate, we've got the 406 running now, alongside the Aqueon, and we're doing daily water changes (about 25-30%) to keep the ammonia levels down.
 
Try testing your tap water for ammonia and post the results.
 
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LT Connell said:
having ammonia readings in our 75g cycled tank. .......Only explanation I could come up with is not enough filtration. Is this possible?
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Hello; My general take is that tanks can be established with sufficient beneficial bacteria (bb) with no filtration at all. I did so many decades ago. I have run tanks with only a bubble stone or only an air operated sponge filter. Some fish keepers keep multiple tank running with only sponge filters.
I will add a link to a decent article about cycling that I refer to often.

squint said:
decomposing matter" I don't mean just dead fish but uneaten food and fish waste which can accumulate almost anywhere
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hello; Not sure how long you have been a fish keeper but overfeeding is the single most common problem I have encountered among fish keepers in my over 50 years of keeping fish. I did overfeed for several years myself.
I now feed only once a day and skip all feeding at least two days a week.


Aquarium cycling link


http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/nitrogen_cycle.html
 
skjl47 said:
Hello; My general take is that tanks can be established with sufficient beneficial bacteria (bb) with no filtration at all. I did so many decades ago. I have run tanks with only a bubble stone or only an air operated sponge filter. Some fish keepers keep multiple tank running with only sponge filters.
I will add a link to a decent article about cycling that I refer to often.


hello; Not sure how long you have been a fish keeper but overfeeding is the single most common problem I have encountered among fish keepers in my over 50 years of keeping fish. I did overfeed for several years myself.
I now feed only once a day and skip all feeding at least two days a week.


Aquarium cycling link


http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/nitrogen_cycle.html
Click to expand...
Thanks. Probably not vacuuming thoroughly. Learning more each day.
 
Adding that 406 should be good, maybe a sponge filter that would double for air stones too. Make your HOB pure mechanical and your can bio 50% water change weekly you will be in good shape
Can we get pics, that is always appreciated
 
celebrist said:
Adding that 406 should be good, maybe a sponge filter that would double for air stones too. Make your HOB pure mechanical and your can bio 50% water change weekly you will be in good shape
Can we get pics, that is always appreciated
Click to expand...

We also have an air pump with two bubbles in the tank.
 
Latonya, thanks for checking the tap water ammonia!!

Can you also post the results for nitrite and nitrate for the aquarium?

Which brand and type test kit are you using?
 
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