Tank seems to be cyclying again???

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I do not know all the answers, I just have a hard time believing my filtration is the cause of all this in a random, and sudden blast. I have to test the water today after I get a replacement API kit. I'm all out right now and haven't replaced the kit yet.

I am looking for suggestions to why my tank is out of whack, and I grow weary of seeing people not really reading the OP's problems completely and just randomly spewing out incomplete answers, when it is hardly a thought out solution to my problem. If he had originally read my post clearly, I have a difficult time believing a proper solution would be "getting a bigger filter like an FX5 to handle the bio load" that's all. I wasn't trying to be a dink either, in fact quite the opposite. I'm looking for help, not trying to pick a fight. Sorry Owain4 if it came off that way man.

Could the extra Atinic lights have caused this? I have turned off all lighting and will test the water around 9pm tonight and post results.
 
It can never hurt to add more bio, it does sound like you have plenty of filtration. I was just saying that when you look for advice, the first thing most people on here are going to ask
Is your water parameters. If your parameters are ok, then we go to the next step. Sorry if I came off a little rude.


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Parameters:

pH: 7.6-ish
Ammonia: Super close to 0 ppm, not quite super yellow, but def. not green (0.25 ppm)
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: super close to 0 ppm. Not the bright yellow of 0 ppm, but no where near the orange of 5 ppm.

Now what guys?

To the HOB filters I added:

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And:

p3763056t300x300.jpg

There was enough to place generous amounts of the bio media into each of the chambers of my two Emperor 400 (4 chambers total) The ammonia remover came with only 3 bags of so I chamber went without, not a biggie.

What can I do now to help the water? Would a 30% water change be good or bad for the tank right now? I have heard two schools of thought.

1. Doing a water change can't hurt

2. I might be changing the water too often and the "good" bacteria keeps getting removed.

How can I tell which scenario I fall into?

91DDBtBKLKL._SL1500_.jpg

p3763056t300x300.jpg
 
There is very little to no bacteria in the water itself so it's probably not due to changing too much water. How often and how much do you change? Only reason why I ask is because that's a very low nitrate level for that stock. The fact that there is any ammonia likely means it's a bacterial bloom. Did you add another fish recently or change anything at all other than the water? I would do a 30% wc in the mean time and treat the water with Prime or some equivalent.


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I added the two motoro's in the past week.

Prior to that the week before I wasn't paying attention and I did about a 50% - 60% water change rather than my usual 30%-ish

I have also added more atinic lighting over the past week as well.

I am doing a 30% as we speak and will be treating with about a capful of prime 30% = 60 gal. so roughly one cap ful of prime I suppose.
 
Those rays are definitely the cause of the bacterial bloom. They're huge waste producers so the bacteria is trying to catch up to the bio load. There's nothing wrong with 50% water changes, I do them twice a week on weds and Sun. Keep up with the water changes for the next week
Or so to keep ammonia low and with the added bio media you should be good in a week.


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are there any dangers to the fish in the current scenario?

I will continue to do 30% w/c every 2-3 days as time permits, until this clears. I am just concerned for the rays which I just added, and cost me a freaking pretty penny and don't want them to be in danger cause of water parameters.
 
There is always danger when dealing with ammonia but as long as the level doesn't go much further than .25ppm and you treat with prime to detoxify it, you'll be fine. Just do water changes whenever you have time, even if it's only 10-20%, it's still better than nothing. Keep us updated.


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