Ammonia problem!!

dolfans

Member
I think I screwed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!I have a 40 gal tank powered by a 330 bio- wheel and a cpr pak pak with 30 lbs of dead rock. I took some rock out ( had 50 Lbs.)and rearanged the tank do to my flame hawk was harassing other fish. I also took out the bio -wheels and filter media. Well my ammonia levels are high (0.25) And my fish are stressed. I recently added some ammonia detox and put the bio- wheels back on which were off for about a week.I still can"t get my ammonia down. I did a water change today (25%). Still no luck. I think my biological filtration is screwed up. Is there anything I can do???What about anding some bio booster to the tank ? Please help!!!!!!!
Thanks J.
 

bang guy

Moderator
Keep up the water changes and the Ammonia detox. Ammonia will still show up on most test kits after the detox so don't be disuaded. it's working. It'll take a few - several days for your bio filter to get up to par again. Live 7 learn :)
Guy
 

kev

Member
You can add a live bacteria product called Cycle. I don't care what anybody here says about it, ITS GOOD STUFF. Its not a chemical, it just has the wanted bacteria(i forgot what they're called) in it and thats it. I've used this stuff on all of my tanks, and they all were completly cycled in 2 weeks. If your LFS has it try it, you won't be sorry bro. Also, I wouldn't add the ammonia detox. Its just another unneeded foreign chemical in the tank(which isn't a good idea.) HTH
:D
 

fshhub

Active Member
Forget those products, IMO they are nothing more than a band aid for a 15 stitch wound. I have used it before, and the stability it provides is almost nil. I do realize it is nothing mroe than bacteria in a bottle, but I have had little luck with the stuff. and the luck I did have, i question, b/c I have been able to achieve the same results naturally and not had to follow up with more treatments doing things without it. Where as the times I had tried using such products, we have had to dose it more than once.
(AGAIN, even IF it does work, then it did nothing more than would happen naturally)
One thing to remember is PATIENCE.
THERE IS NOTHING GOOD THAT HAPPENS FAST, in this hobby. NOTHING

Probably what happened was teh detritus got mixed up when moving the rock, and the removal of the bio wheels at the same time only compounded things. Since it happened at the same time. Ater it all settles then remove the wheels one at a time.
I agree, more aggressive water changes are definitely in order.
 

bunk97

Member
I am dealing with the same problem I left my fluval 404 unplugged for about a week (i think) and on top of that I probally overcrowded my tank so all my bacteria has died. My ammonia is testing off the charts I tried water changes bacteria boosters everything I can not get it to go down so i am just going to let it go and hope that eventually it will cycle it selft through. It has been like this for weeks no trace of nitrites(0) and high nitrates (60) Good Luck with that If you have any luck please let me know what you did.
Peace to ya
humahuma
 

dolfans

Member
I tested the ammonia today and it had droped a little (between 0.25 and 0). Should I keep on doing water changes? When should I do another water change? A few days, a week? I don't want to stress out my fish anymore than they already are.
 

blueberryboomer

Active Member
I totally agrea with fshub. I believe the best way is the natural way. I think those things are made to cover up the problem, not fix it. I think (personally) the best way to deal with it is doing water changes. Lisa
 

ocellaris_keeper

Active Member
Remember when you pulled the bio-wheels out you removed your bio-filter. Your tank was already cycled when you removed your filter media.
Be patient - you added the biowheels back to your tank and all things will even out. I just hope you don't lose your fish in the process.
good luck
 

kev

Member
I agree with you too fshhub, nothing good happens fast in this hobby. I was just saying my personal opinions on the stuff, from what I've seen with my own two eyes. Its a really good product though. :D
 

jmesmcm

Member
Went through a very similar experience recently, my wife and I had gone away for the weekend a few weeks back and while we were away the tank lost power causing the biological filter in our wet/dry to die off, the ammonia went off the charts and no sign of trites or trates. We had live sand but did not seem to be helping anything so we added 15 lbs of live rock adn the next day the ammonia was down significantly so we added more live rock and parameters came back into line over the next few days. Now we are suddenly moving at a rapid rate from our fish only system to a reef. Can anyone say snowball?
 
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