Question about parameters

This morning I checked my tanks parameters and here’s what I got..
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10 or 20 (colours are so close it was hard to tell)
I did a 50% water change and checked parameters again 10 hrs later and this is what I got
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates same as this morning 10-20

do I keep doing daily water changes until I have no ammonia? The fish seem to be ok. This is a new tank (almost 4 weeks old). I sped up the nitrite cycle with eco bio blocks and TSS and for 3 days straight I had zero ammonia/nitrites and 5 nitrates then today’s parameters happened.

 

Sounds like you had a spike. You should keep doing daily water changes until the tank parameters stabilize by themselves, not with the help of chemicals.

Also did you cycle first with fish?

 

Also be sure to test your water source. a 50% WC will cut the Ammonia in half like you noticed but the Nitrates staying the same suggests to me you could have some in your water source.

 

This morning I checked my tanks parameters and here’s what I got..
Ammonia 0.50
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10 or 20 (colours are so close it was hard to tell)
I did a 50% water change and checked parameters again 10 hrs later and this is what I got
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrites 0
Nitrates same as this morning 10-20

do I keep doing daily water changes until I have no ammonia? The fish seem to be ok. This is a new tank (almost 4 weeks old). I sped up the nitrite cycle with eco bio blocks and TSS and for 3 days straight I had zero ammonia/nitrites and 5 nitrates then today’s parameters happened.

Since your profile shows you know the nitrogen cycle, I’m assuming your tank is cycled. Did you recently add fish? You may have gone into a minI cycle. Something cause the ammonia to spike. New fish added, a build up of uneaten food, a dead carcass? I don’t know if you have to do daily water changes, but definitely test everyday.

 

Sounds like you had a spike. You should keep doing daily water changes until the tank parameters stabilize by themselves, not with the help of chemicals.

Also did you cycle first with fish?

Yes I cycled with fish. I only use prime

Since your profile shows you know the nitrogen cycle, I’m assuming your tank is cycled. Did you recently add fish? You may have gone into a minI cycle. Something cause the ammonia to spike. New fish added, a build up of uneaten food, a dead carcass? I don’t know if you have to do daily water changes, but definitely test everyday.

That would make sense since I did add more fish

Also be sure to test your water source. a 50% WC will cut the Ammonia in half like you noticed but the Nitrates staying the same suggests to me you could have some in your water source.

I checked the water source... nothing in it at all

 

I checked the water source... nothing in it at all

hmmm interesting. Anything new added recently plants fish decorations? any big filter cleaning or deep substrate vaccuming done and is everyone in the tank accounted for?

 

That would make sense since I did add more fish

It is possible then it is a minI cycle. The added ammonia from the new fish may have been more than the BB was able to handle. I am in the same boat. My 55 gallon is a month into a cycle with fish. I test everyday and do regular water changes. But even after a 50% WC my ammonia is always at .25. 0 nitrite and 5 nitrates.

 

hmmm interesting. Anything new added recently plants fish decorations? any big filter cleaning or deep substrate vaccuming done and is everyone in the tank accounted for?

Nothing new added but more fish. Everyone is accounted for as well. I haven’t touched the filter or even swept the sand.. just removed 50% of the water and refilled

Well I guess I’ll just continue to test and do WC..sounds like it’s a minI cycle. I likely added more fish than the BB could handle :-(

 

I checked the water source... nothing in it at all

Since your tank is less than 4 weeks old and you are doing a fish-in cycle, it's unlikely that your tank ever got solidly, fully cycled. Adding fish to a newly fish-in cycled tank will almost always cause a minor ammonia spike. So, no, you don't have to get the ammonia to 0 with water changes, just treat the tank like you are still cycling it. Start adding Prime every other day again until the nitrosomonas colony catches up with the new amount of ammonia being produced. Do water changes weekly as usual and to keep ammonia at less than 1ppm-- just like when you were cycling. It shouldn't take long.

 

you haven’t had to clean your filter at all in a month? I’m just curious because my filter clogged after a week and a half. Does your filter have an overflow back into the tank? When the filter gets dirty mine has a float that indicates the water level is getting high in the chamber. I just rinse the cartridges once a week in old tank water. Also... let’s see your tank. Post some pictures

 

I didn’t want to disrupt

you haven’t had to clean your filter at all in a month? I’m just curious because my filter clogged after a week and a half. Does your filter have an overflow back into the tank? When the filter gets dirty mine has a float that indicates the water level is getting high in the chamber. I just rinse the cartridges once a week in old tank water. Also... let’s see your tank. Post some pictures

I didn’t want to disrupt the BB so I’ve left the filter alone for now. When I did a 50% water change it was flowing nicely and I really didn’t think that it would need to be cleaned this soon

Since your tank is less than 4 weeks old and you are doing a fish-in cycle, it's unlikely that your tank ever got solidly, fully cycled. Adding fish to a newly fish-in cycled tank will almost always cause a minor ammonia spike. So, no, you don't have to get the ammonia to 0 with water changes, just treat the tank like you are still cycling it. Start adding Prime every other day again until the nitrosomonas colony catches up with the new amount of ammonia being produced. Do water changes weekly as usual and to keep ammonia at less than 1ppm-- just like when you were cycling. It shouldn't take long.

That’s perfect. It’s what I’m figuring has happened. Thanks for your thoughts

 

I didn’t want to disrupt

I didn’t want to disrupt the BB so I’ve left the filter alone for now. When I did a 50% water change it was flowing nicely and I really didn’t think that it would need to be cleaned this soon
That’s good. As long your filter isn’t running the risk of overflowing your good. Just goes to show... everyone’s tank is different. Lol

No that’s good. As long as your filter isn’t running the risk of overflowing. Just goes to show... everyone’s tank is different.

 

I didn’t want to disrupt

I didn’t want to disrupt the BB so I’ve left the filter alone for now. When I did a 50% water change it was flowing nicely and I really didn’t think that it would need to be cleaned this soon


That’s perfect. It’s what I’m figuring has happened. Thanks for your thoughts

One other thing, rinsing filter media vigorously in dechlorinated water won't disrupt the bacteria colony. Nitrifying bacteria attach themselves firmly to objects with a sticky substance they secrete so are virtually impossible to remove from porous filter media.

 

One other thing, rinsing filter media vigorously in dechlorinated water won't disrupt the bacteria colony. Nitrifying bacteria attach themselves firmly to objects with a sticky substance they secrete so are virtually impossible to remove from porous filter media.

Good to know . Thanks!