Zeolite or more bio

[akmzero]

So I have a FX5 and I'm currently struggling with Ammonia at .25ppm. My current setup for media is 1L of Seachem Matrix, 200mL of Purigen and 1L of Zeolite (I think the containers are 1L each?) I did not properly cycle the tank. Kind of rushed the tank and I'm now kicking myself for doing so. I'm currently doing about a 25-50% water change every day to every other day.

Suggestions for media if I should swap any?

 

[Rayne]

Just give your tank time to cycle and keep doing water changes to dilute that ammonia.

Try using Seachem Stability to help it along

 

[PDRed302]

Just give your tank time to cycle and keep doing water changes to dilute that ammonia.

Try using Seachem Stability to help it along

X2

This sounds more like a cycling issue and not a media issue. I'll back the stability comment up as well, that stuff comes in handy.

 

[akmzero]

ok, so do you recommend using seachem prime or tetra aquasafe as well? I have a container of it.

 

[Reedmaster16]

Seachem prime is a dechlorinator and should always be used when doing water changes or adding water unless your source water does not contain chloramines and you were aging it allowing chlorine to gas off before hand. Were you not using prime before with all the water changes you've been doing every day?

Water with chlorine/chloramines can kill off bacteria especially if the colony is not well established not to mention damage your livestock.

Seachem stability is an over the counter bacteria in a bottle type product to help aid the reproduction/seeding of bacteria and speed up the cycling process.

Adding more media will do nothing unless it is already seeded from running on another tank. The media just provides surface area for the bacteria to grow.

 

[David R]

Some fairly obvious info that would help provide an answer;
How big is your tank?
What is it stocked with?
How long has the FX5 been running?
Is it the only filter?
Is the entire tank new or just the filter?

Without knowing that, I'd suggest you cut back on feeding as much as possible (perhaps even relocate some fish if possible, especially if they're sensitive to ammonia) and give your filter time to establish properly. The best thing to do would be to borrow an already established filter from another tank to help with the ammonia while your fx5 establishes, or even borrowing/swapping some of your media for some from an established tank will help. Buying new media will do nothing as it won't have any bacteria on it. Maybe talk to your LFS and try buy some media out of one of their established tanks if you can't get it from a friend or another of your own tanks.

You can use all the bottled products you like, but IMO there is nothing that competes with time when it comes to cycling a filter. Patience is a virtue...

 

[akmzero]

I've been using tetra aquasafe every water change and before turning the filter on I run a power head/circulator for about 5-10min before firing it up.