Thanks, I checked this morning 0 ammonia, but the nitrite and nitrate went way up so I did a 100% WC w/ vacuum. Since I am new to siphoning, I caused a mini flood in my kitchen. It has been a 3-hr cleanup :(.
Now 0 Ammomia & Nitrite, but still has 20-30 Nitrate. Could it be the liquid fert. that is causing the high nitrate after the 100% WC? Will check again tonight and may need another WC.
Checked again tonight, 8 hrs later. 0 Ammonia, 0.25 Nitrite, 40 Nitrate. Did a 60% (3g) WC, down to 0 Ammonia, 02.5 Nitrite, and 20-30 Nitrate.... This is too weird. I will check again. Maybe my tank is crashing??
You have to have a cycle established before it can crash, Otterfun. Your ammonia and nitrite are increasing fast but not unusual so. Ah, Flouromax substrate? I'd stop fertilizing. You won't need it for a while.
I'd cut back on feeding, too. Make sure you clean up all waste and food particles. What kind of filter are you using?
Mushumouse, I think the filter your have is the Tetra 3i, the one that uses an airpump. If so, this is the most ridiculous excuse for a filter ever marketed. Tetra ought to be ashamed...or sued. Operate the filter in a bowl of water and remove the filter cartridge. You'll see that the water does not flow through the cartridge chamber only over the top. In other words, it does not filter or provide flow for the nitrifying bacteria. Get yourself a sponge filter. You already have the airpump it will need.
You have to have a cycle established before it can crash, Otterfun...What kind of filter are you using?
I am not sure, it came with the Fluval SpecV 5.5g tank. It is a light, and filter package. There is no foam in the filter in-take or out-take. I put a Fluval pre-filter cylinder sponge on the out flow jet to break the strong current.
Checked water agains at 9PM:
0.25 Ammonia, 2.0 Nitrite, 40 Nitrate
Did another 60%, 3g WC:
0 Ammonia & Nitrite, 10 Nitrate.
hallyx, i looked up that filter and it's not the one i have... the only documentation that came with it just says "tetra whisper micro filter", it's not very micro though. :p i assumed that was just their way of filing the model numbers off for the kit and it's really something else, because i couldn't find much info on it. it looks pretty much like this in shape, which i saw in the sticky about filter baffling, and seems to be filtering ok? definitely circulating through the chamber, the only annoyance is there's almost always a film of protein on the water that bothers me a little but i don't know that it's really the filter's fault. thanks for the filter suggestion, i've seen a lot of people recommend sponge filters but unless this one is extremely dire (?) it's unfortunately not going to be a priority for a few months, i can't afford too much more fish related stuff. :( note made, though!
levels update: yesterday's 2nd test showed .25 ammonia 0 nitrite- did 50% change, cleaned debris. today's test showed 0-.25 ammonia, .50-1 nitrite- did ANOTHER 50%. i guess i'm going to have to stick with two tests a day for a while. that will be fun to schedule around, lol.
Last edited by mushumouse; 01-21-2013 at 01:47 AM.
Otter and Musu, these are rather fast rising readings, but not unheard of. Keep the readings down as best you can with water changes. Use Prime or an ammonia-converting water conditioner at every water change to keep ammonia converted to harmless ammonium and to help detox nitrite. Make sure that your filter is producing bubbles or otherwise breaking the surface. This aeration is important to the bacteria.
Otterfun, what do you mean there was no foam in the filter? You have to have foam for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize. The more the better, up to a point.
Mushu, I've seen those in-tank semi-submerged filters. Believe it or not, they're not really that big. They could use more foam, especially at the outflow.
Otter and Musu, these are rather fast rising readings, but not unheard of. Keep the readings down as best you can with water changes. Use Prime or an ammonia-converting water conditioner at every water change to keep ammonia converted to harmless ammonium and to help detox nitrite. Make sure that your filter is producing bubbles or otherwise breaking the surface. This aeration is important to the bacteria.
Otterfun, what do you mean there was no foam in the filter? You have to have foam for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize. The more the better, up to a point.
.
Hi,
Sorry, there is a foam block in the tank partition that I have to put in. It has 2 partitions for a BioMax and a carbon filter bag.
I am not sure about producing bubbles or breaking the surface. I am just baffling the filter outflow opening. Water just drops less abruptly down into the tank versus being shot out like a stream producing a stronger current. There are some bubble on the foam the covers the outflow opening after WC but disappears later as shown. The Japanese Algae Eating shrimps (Amano shrimps) just sits on this foam and munch away, they don't work on the plants and rocks surfaces anymore. Also, the surfaces, including the tube that delivers the filtered water to the outflow opening feel slimy/slippery to touch.
thanks a lot hallyx, if it's supposed to be producing bubbles all the time then i have definitely been filling the tank too high! i took some water out so the waterfall has more of a drop. can i use any sponge for foam or is this those blocks of "biosponge" i've seen at the pet store, and can i just stick it into the chamber of the filter with the filter material? i've been meaning to baffle it a little at the outflow with some sponge, is that the kind of thing you mean?
Any surface disturbance enhances gas exchange and promotes aeration for your bacteria.
Using foam to baffle a filter encourages bacteria growth. Fill up the compartments as much as it can take.
I wouldn't trust any old dishwashing sponge. Filter sponge/foam comes in two densities. Either works fine for bacteria. I like the denser stuff myself. There's also stuff called filter floss, but I've only seen it in ridiculously large pieces.
Any surface disturbance enhances gas exchange and promotes aeration for your bacteria.
Using foam to baffle a filter encourages bacteria growth. Fill up the compartments as much as it can take.
I wouldn't trust any old dishwashing sponge. Filter sponge/foam comes in two densities. Either works fine for bacteria. I like the denser stuff myself. There's also stuff called filter floss, but I've only seen it in ridiculously large pieces.
Hi,
Mine is a Fluval Pre-Filter sponge cut short to fit the outflow jet.
Is it ok to have it submerged or should I lower the water level to just a tad below the sponge, to let the flow drop down like a mini 1/2" waterfall?
The shrimps just grazed over the sponge and would move to clean the algae on heater, the substrate/deco rock, and on the plants like once every 2-3 days for a few minutes.
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