conlee121

50 gal tank is going on 5 weeks old. Cycling with fish (4 gouramis, a coryat and a pleco) Only have high ammonia readings. No nitrite, no nitrate. Doing daily water changes. We bought a new pump and filter system about 3 weeks ago. the pump system we bought has a bio wheel and is meant for a 75 gal tank. We thought this would be more effective. Were we wrong? We are still trying to figure these things out. We are using ammo lock and API stress zyme to help with the cycling. Also, when we do water changes the water continues to get cloudy. We are so confused. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

juwanil

Tha cloudyness is a bacteria bloom due to the ammonia. Im not sure about using ammo lock to cycle because doesnt that neutralize ammonia? If your doing daily water changes im not sure i would worry about that because that will keep the ammonia low enough. just my .02 im new to this whole thing though

jdhef

I would stop using the Ammo Lock and just do daily water changes with Prime as your water conditioner. The Prime will make the ammonia non toxic for the fish for 24 hours (which should be your next water change).

The cloudiness is usually due to a bacteria bloom. I would venture to guess that it's the bacteria in the Stress Zyme that is causing the cloudiness.

Shawnie

when you changed filters, did you get rid of the old filter media also? because if so, thats probably set you back just a bit..so you have been cycleing for 3 weeks if thats the case I agree with jd and the prime and daily changes..that will be your best friend..took me 9 weeks to cycle my 75 gal with fish ...so frustratiing but your fish will appreciate you! most of us have been there so goodluck!!!

conlee121

Thanks, So not sure...does it matter if our filter and pump was meant for a 75 gal tank. Also, what causes fish fungus and what does it look like?

Thanks so much.

jdhef

You'll be fine with that filter. You really can't over-filter. Generally fish get a fungus due to being stressed. Fungus usually looks like a white cottony patch on the fish.

Shawnie

you can never over filter so the more the better...depends on which fungus..can you get a pic? we are very visual ppl ...it helps much more

Edit: jd beat me LOL

Alessa

The ammo lock is locking the ammonia so it becomes unavailable to the bacteria, then it starves and dies off, In result the cycle never starts.

at this point your cycle probably hasnt even started due to the ammolock starving the bacteria. The only thing you can do is stop using the ammolock and use prime as water conditioner with daily 50% water changes.

or you can use Tetra Safe Start which is bottled bacteria.

also the changing of filters probably got rid of whatever bacteria you might have had.

here is my article covering all of the topics like ammo lock... prime... tetra safe start... hope it helps:
http://www.fishlore.com/aquariummaga...um-startup.htm

Christian Patti

Great article you have there Although I have been using Prime with Safe Start and its working fine. The bacteria is already producing nitrates and getting rid of ammonia 4 days after I added it.

Alessa

Thanks Christian

yes, thats why I mentioned that it didnt make sense to me both didnt work... but I just wanted to be on the safe side! thanks for the heads up

FishFolk

I have also read several places that when one uses ammo lock or the like, the ammonia still registers as ammonia even though it is "locked"/bonded so it is no longer harmful to the fish in the tank.

Alessa

yes but thats not the problem, the problem is that it becomes unavailable to bacteria, destroying the cycle.