Need help with Cichlid tank!!

Hello,

To start I have pretty good knowledge of the Nitrogen Cycle, but I am not so knowledgeable on helping a cycle along with fish. My African Cichlid tank was cycled for over 5 months little to no spikes in ammonia/nitrates. However my only filter I had took a dump and by the time I got my new one up and running I was not thinking and threw away the old filter and everything with it, so I had to start fresh with the filters. I have been struggling for about 3 weeks with my ammonia at or above 2.0 ppm. I can not tell the shades of greens apart with the API Master freshwater kit. I recently added a new Fluval 407 and been doing water changes every other day (40-50%) and the ammonia does not even drop. I have been dosing Seachem Prime and Stability every day to help with the stress and diluting the ammonia. Once a week I dose with Seachem Pristine. I added 4 Amazon Swords, 2 Java Ferns, 1 Drift wood with a type of sword plant and moss log that has suction cups to help with the ammonia and to help the cycle along. These plants are from a cycled tank as well. I have lost 3 fish in 2 weeks, but I am unsure if it is Ammonia poisining or if my other Cichlids did not cooperate with each other. The only sign of I can see is my fish do not eat as much and I have been vacuuming the gravel to get the excess food out of the tank, keep in mind I have never had to do this, usually is always ate before 5 minutes. Could someone please help, its hard watching my fish go one by one for something that is my fault.

Info:
Tank 75 gal... 48x18x21
Ph: 7.8-7.6
Ammonia: 2.0 or more
Nitrate 40
Nitrite: 0

Fish:
6 African Peacock
4 Uknown bread of african cichlid
3 Pictus catifsh
2 Rubber nose pleco

 

Nitrites are 40 or nitrates?

 

Your ammonia and nitrite really are dangerously high. I’m guessing your African bread cichlids are causing it (sorry I had to make the joke) along with the pictus. I’m not sure African peacocks and rubber nose plecos have a large bioload.

 

Correction it is 40 nitrates

 

Okay, that’s a little weird then. It means you still have beneficial bacteria converting nitrite into nitrate. Is there anything dead in your tank? Dying plants could even contribute to a rise in ammonia levels.

 

You should have had some existing bacteria (in your substrate etc) that would help seed the new filter, and as per the post above it does appear that you have some converting nitrite into nitrate. Aside from anything dead, you mentioned having to vacuum food waste from the gravel, is it possible you are over feeding?

 

Okay, that’s a little weird then. It means you still have beneficial bacteria converting nitrite into nitrate. Is there anything dead in your tank? Dying plants could even contribute to a rise in ammonia levels.

Besides the fish I removed no. The plants are green and well.

You should have had some existing bacteria (in your substrate etc) that would help seed the new filter, and as per the post above it does appear that you have some converting nitrite into nitrate. Aside from anything dead, you mentioned having to vacuum food waste from the gravel, is it possible you are over feeding?

I don't think I am over feeding. Usually they all school up and make bunch of movement when I get ready to feed them. Now the food just falls to the gravel. Usually I does not even make it to the gravel. It may be possible I may be feeding them too much. I can try cutting back on the feeding to see if that helps.

 

I don't think I am over feeding. Usually they all school up and make bunch of movement when I get ready to feed them. Now the food just falls to the gravel. Usually I does not even make it to the gravel. It may be possible I may be feeding them too much. I can try cutting back on the feeding to see if that helps.

They are not going to feel like eating with those ammonia levels. I would stop feeding altogether until you get the levels under control and the fish start acting hungry.

 

Okay, that’s a little weird then. It means you still have beneficial bacteria converting nitrite into nitrate. Is there anything dead in your tank? Dying plants could even contribute to a rise in ammonia levels.

Would this be the last step of the cycle? then it should start to lower then?

 

Would this be the last step of the cycle? then it should start to lower then?

Your cycle is already complete. To me it sounds like something is overloading what the ammonia eating bacteria can break down. This would be the simplest form of waste like dead plants, dead fish, lots of new fish pooping, or too much food. Actually, have you added any fish recently?

 

Your cycle is already complete. To me it sounds like something is overloading what the ammonia eating bacteria can break down. This would be the simplest form of waste like dead plants, dead fish, lots of new fish pooping, or too much food. Actually, have you added any fish recently?

The only thing I have added was the plecos and that was 3 weeks ago. It may be a good possibility. I will cut the feeding down and see if the Ammonia will start dropping. I did notice as I was cleaning my tank, there was a lot of food breaking down. The more I remove them, the more that come back. guessing out of the gravel from being buried.