In speaking with my petstore about my ammonia problem...I somehow have managed to destroy the good bacteria in two of my tanks I'm thinking...Whole other story...

Anyways one of the guys I normally speak with about goldies suggested that I just toss a few extra ammonia remover filter inserts directly into the tank.

Because my goldfish seem to nibble on everything in my tank I'm skeptical if this would actually be safe. He also suggested I could just float some ceramic rings.

At this point I am back to cycling both tanks again...One of my other tanks barely has any (less then .1ppm) ammonia readings and the bacteria seems to be fine and thriving. Can I add some water/gravel to my other two tanks with the high ammonia spikes to help reestablish bacteria? I'm using prime and stability as well.

Thanks for reading the ramble after over an hour of scrambling with both tanks I'm shot.

If your fish don't seem to be sick from any infections or parasites, I think transfering some decorations/media that contains bacteria would be fine.

Do you have any room in your filter to cram some media into? It's the best place to establish bacteria. If not, then go ahead and try putting some media directly into the tank. Just keep an eye on your goldfish for the first hour to see if they try to stick anything in their mouths.

I would also recommend some Stress Zyme or Bio-Spira to help jumpstart the bacteria:



I've had a lot of luck getting my cycle completed with my fish with this product.

Thanks Nenn I've been using stability to add bacteria to my tank and at $23 bucks a bottle its getting a little too expensive for me to keep going through every 2 weeks. I've gone through a bottle of prime this week and I'm going nuts. By adding media to my filter do you mean adding some gravel from the healthier tank to my filter?

Because all of my fish were in a pond together and when I first brought them home were all together they are all on antibacterial ich meds. At the moment it seems to have cleared up and I"m still medicating all three tanks for a few days longer anyways.

I'm going to check out both your stress zyme suggestions and bio spira.

Thanks for taking time out to help!



Kat

As far as media, don't put gravel into your filter, it might mess up the motor. What I meant was the filtering material such as the sponge or ceramics can be transferred to another filter. Gravel from one tank to another should be put directly into the tank.

Also, if you're still medicating, it's going to be very very hard to establish your cycle. Many medications can kill the cycling bacteria and if you plan on continuing the treatment, you're going to have a hard time cultivating that bacteria. In this case, you may have to stick to doing the water changes. Using ammonia-removing media such as zeolite may absorb your meds as well.

Do you have any friends or neighbors who keep fish that may be able to lend you their old filter media as soon as you finish medicating? If so, that may be a better option than spending more on bio-starters.

Keep us updated on your situation. Good luck!

I wish I did...I just moved to Canada...All of my family and friends are back home in NY.

[quote name='Katalyst' date='Nov 3 2006, 06:54 PM' post='595777']
[quote name='Nenn' post='595686' date='Nov 3 2006, 03:26 PM']


Do you have any friends or neighbors who keep fish that may be able to lend you their old filter media as soon as you finish medicating? If so, that may be a better option than spending more on bio-starters.

Keep us updated on your situation. Good luck!
[/quote]

I wish I did...I just moved to Canada...All of my family and friends are back home in NY.

I've added gravel and I just ran out and got an extra filter for each tank as well and hope that helps some. My poor little guys...I also picked up some stress zyme...

Good luck on everything then! Just remember the water changes and I'm sure you and your fish will make it out just fine.

Depending on what meds you are using, you should not have any problem in resetting your biological filter. I would not - REPEAT - NOT use any ammonia removal filter pieces. This is zeolite or a zeolite combo that binds and REMOVES the ammonia. It will take all the ammonia from the tank, yes, but will -prevent it from feeding the beneficial bacteria. They cannot grow and live without the ammonia.

If you were to transfer gravel from one tank to another to seed the tank, just bag it into a stocking or media bag. This can be stuffed into just about any type of filter. If it is contained in a bag, it will not get into the impellor of the filter - no harm done. As the water flows by it, it will feed the bacteria. The best solution would be to mix the media you eventually want to use with the gravel or old media in the filter. When they are in contact, it will seed faster than if the bacteria have to travel through the water to another surface.

The top surface of your gravel is the only surface with much bacteria in it.

StressZyme does not contain any beneficial bacteria. It will not jump start a cycle. BioSpira does - it is expensive. Remember, when adding a liquid slurry of bacteria to the tank, it takes upwards of a week or more for it to attach to your media. Until then, it is floating in the water. IF you change your water to protect the fish, you are pouring that expensive bacteria slurry down the drain. It is a fine dance between wasting too much BioSpira and keeping your fish healthy.

If you are treating all the fish for the same problem, it should not hurt too much to use one tank to seed another. Poor water is much worse than ich - and poor water will make it nearly impossible to treat the ich successfully.

Aw... But the packaging is so promising.

Daryl

It wasn't the meds that detroyed the media..It was boyfriend trying to be helpful while I was at the store he decided to clean 4 of 5 of my filters that to him looked dirty. He thought he was doing me a favor. He rinsed them out under hot tap water and wiped them with a sponge. I walked in as he was lifting the last filter out of my last tank. And screamed bloody murder when I found out what had happened.

At this point I have one filter that has been running less then a month. Meanwhile he doesn't understand every time I get mental when he goes near one of the tanks. I've tried to educate him as much as I can but he's not really all that interested either.

I have a clean stocking with gravel inside a new bio wheel I just purchased, gosh there's so much room in the bio wheel I love it. And I am using Prime and Stability by Seachem to establish bacteria. Which is also pretty expensive I can't seem to find Bio Spira here in Canada but keep hearing good things about it. I'm going to pick some up over the holidays when I go home to the US for Christmas.

As far as pouring expensive water conditioner/meds down the drain I'd rather keep adding the meds then give the fish ammonia burn or kill them with cruddy water params. So for now water changes 2 times sometimes 3 if necessary until everyone is ammonia/disease free.

At this point none of my tanks are cycled I'm getting small hints of nitrates in one tank but still have small amounts of ammonia so I'm hoping soon at least one of my tanks will be cycled.

That sounds promising! Awwww..... I am sure he was trying to be helpful....

I understand about the meds. I am currently changing 1005 of a tank every day and adding new meds as necessary. I want the meds but have an uncycled tank running (in this case the meds DID destroy the cycle -but I figured they would).

The BioSpira is very expensive. EXCESSIVELY expensive. And it takes at least a week for it to attach to the media. So ANY water change means you are dumping it down the drain - and at $28. a treatment, I am not prepared to add that everyday!!!!!

It almost is worth starting a filter running in a bucket with ammonia and the BioSpira (or some of the ammonia laden water you are getting from your tank every day) and run that for a week or so, then transfer the water from the bucket and the filter over to your tank. ....



Good luck. It sounds like you are on your way.

I don't know if I would ever speak to my boyfriend again if he did that to one of my tanks. He is so lucky you keep him around!!

Hey - lack of knowledge does not mean lack of caring. He obviously was trying to do something kind and loving for her - cleaning the tank meets that criteria perfectly. The fact that he did not understand the finer points of the nitrogen cycle are forgivable. I did not know them, either, before I started......

Give the guy a break. And a hug. And an education on fish tank cycles.....

Besides, if you treat him with "honey" you will have a willing companion that can carry heavy buckets of water, move large tanks and buy you fish! Treat him with "vinegar" and he will dislike your fish - something that may eventually lead to the end of your fish keeping days........

Moderation in all (most) is the best course in life.....

Maybe it's just my boyfriend then, he likes my "vinegar."

Right on Daryl, though I will admit when the fish or any animal is concerned its more like venom then vinegar. lol

But the honey routine did get me a new python... And god do I love that thing!