Water Change Or Activated Carbon Harming The Fish ?

Hi,

29 gallon tank
3 gold fish , 3-4 inch
70 F temperature , not using a heater yet

About 6 days back I did a water change , as there is always some ammonia when I test the water about 0.25 ppm to 0.5 ppm, its a bit hard to differentiate from API kit color card ...

Since then one of my fancy gold fish seems to spend a lot of time in a corner sitting there , she is eating fine ...

Now since the last 4 days I reoved the activated carbon as well, since it had been there for one month , and for the last 3-4 days again I suspect ammonia going up , the fish seem to rub themselves against gravel ...

I have added stressguard and also prime after 6 hour gap, still fancy fish remains dull ...

What can I do , also was it activated carbon that never allowed the tank to cycle ?

Kindly guide how to make things better ...

Have a great x-mas ...

David

 

The ammonia could be from your overstocked tank. I would only reccomend 2 goldfish at the maximum with at least double filtration capacity because goldfish poo a lot. I would reccomend dwindle the pack down to 1 goldfish and have excellent filtration.
What is your filter right now?

 

75g Discus Tank - I am using aquaclear 70 and a sponge jumbo filter , below is my latest ammonia readings .5 ppm , should I add more prime ...

I think the carbon was stalling the cycle consuming ammonia as well, now that its gone the ammonia spikes ...

Kindly suggest ....

David

 

any suggestion please

 

I don’t think that the carbon stalled the cycle. Also, the carbon probably had some beneficial bacteria so taking it out will decrease the bacteria amount.
Did you do a fish in cycle?

 

75g Discus Tank , yes I had some zebra danios that I returned later, I had added some prime some 10 hours back, should I now wait for 2 days and do some partial wter change again ...thanks

David