Daniellee's cycling journey

Sounds good I'll keep an eye on it. Definitely scary though, I wonder why it spiked up so bad?

 

I don't think it did? I am assuming you tested wrong? Prime wouldn't change the test results.

 

Ammonia is back up to 2 ppm and tested this way with 2 tests and Nitrite is 0 still (I didn't test nitrate because my roommate is asleep and the shaking would be rude). I'm doing a large water change of close to 70% when I get home and I might even take him out while I do it and thoroughly clean the gravel. I'm also detecting a gross smell but not eggy. I'm also dosing prime.

Is it possible I lost my cycle? And should I still wash my media with the old tank water even if the ammonia is high?

 

I guess yes you lost your cycle, at least the ammonia oxidizers. After your water change and thorough cleaning I would add in TSS+ tomorrow since you have the bottle.
You're dosing prime either with the new water or right before the new water right?

You should be fine rinsing your filter in old tank water because it has been treated with prime.

 

I dose the new water with prime and do a little in the actual tank. I'm going to take him out and then stir up the gravel and make sure that I get all the waste out from under the gravel. I can't dose tss+ today?

 

You have to wait 24 hours after using a dechlorinator before adding TSS+.

 

Sunds good ill keep an eye on it. Can I still dose prime while I cycle after I add tss+? Sorry for all the questions

 

That's the thing with TSS+, no, you can't for a week. I think you'd probably be fine after 4-5 days personally as by then the bacteria will have long established and clung to the media in your tank. TSS+ usually works pretty fast though.

Can you thing of anything you've done to lose this part of your cycle? Anything added to your tank? You're not topping off with untreated tap water right? Just throwing out anything that comes to mind.

 

Nope I treat the water before I put it in. I didn't add anything to the tank I just removed the snail after the fish had issues with it. Maybe it's because I didn't have the filter flow strong enough so waste built up?

 

Usually then you'd be seeing high nitrates, not ammonia. You actually seem to have lost part of your cycle.

You don't think anyone is feeding your fish while you're not there do you?

 

My roommate's friend might have when she came to visit this weekend, otherwise I don't believe my roommate touches it ever since we don't get along.

edit: okay I did about a 70% change and ammonia tested for 0.25 now which is normal because my tap has that naturally in it before its conditioned. Water is still fairly cloudy so I'll watch it later and make sure it's cleaned up. All media was washed in the gallon bucket with old tank water that I use for water changes.

I plan to do another 30% change tomorrow since i'm going home thursday and won't be back until monday around noon. I will add TSS+ around 1 pm tomorrow.

 

Ok sounds good.

 

I put a sign up on the tank saying that he has been fed already and not to feed him. The tank did indeed clear up so that's good. I do recall seeing something looking like a clump of uneaten food or poop in the filter cartridge slightly above the water level so maybe they did indeed feed him without me knowing. With me going away this weekend, I'll make it clear not to feed him and fast him for a few days...or maybe I'll say only 3 in the morning and that's it no snacks or dinner or anything because clearly something was tampered with as i've never had my ammonia go up that high ever.

 

Okay I jut tested ammonia twice this morning just to make sure it's not just a fluke and I got 2 ppm for both tests........so unless someone fed him again? I'm honestly not sure what's going on because I washed my filter and cleaned the gravel well. I did put a sign up saying not to feed him so unless someone thought it would be funny to feed him anyway. He is also glass surfing a lot in the front now and he's never done that before, at least not for like 30 minutes straight so is he stressed from the ammonia?

edit: just spoke to my mom and she recommends I either hide the food or take it home this weekend so no one can tamper with it unless they buy their own food. it's pretty sad that they're messing with it because there's no way he should have made that much ammonia all by himself in a span of 18 hours

 

I tend to agree, that is high. I would just leave out the amount of food they can give him while you're gone. I'd make it half of what you normally give him though or fast him like you said.

 

I'm just going to fast him. I hid all the food and most of it will be going home and staying home. It was dumb to leave it out. They probably put in 20 pellets at least. There's just no way it should be 2 with me feeding him 3 pellets in the morning and 3 freeze dried bloodworms after the water change. He hardly gets dinner anyway.

edit: I just got back and the biofilm is back on the surface so I upped the filter flow again. Idk why this is happening. Filter cartridges have no poop or food on them