Filter media for bacterial bloom??

S

space1210

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Nov 22, 2013
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My 10 gallon is an Established Aquarium for quite a while now. No matter what, it doesn't go away. I'm positive that is a bacterial bloom and not anything else.

Yea yea, I've tried everything.
-water changes
-blackout
-waiting (and waiting and waiting)

I'm running a Penguin 100 in it. (love it btw,)

AMMONIA READING: 0.25 ppm (is this a problem?)


My real question is, IS THERE A CHEMICAL OR ANY OTHER FILTER MEDIA THAT SOLVES MY PROBLEM?

and if not how do i solve my problem some other way.

thanks
 
What's your stock? How long have you been running the penguin 100? And yes if established you should read 0 ammonia. What water conditioner are you using?
 
My stock is just a small angel and a small minnow/danio.

The Penguin was just put in, however it was like this with my aqueon too which i didn't like.

Before the filter was changed was when i saw the 0.25 ppm ammonia and it was like that for a long time, no idea why.

My conditioner is Aqueon water conditioner. I also occasionally use API Quick Start.
 
Okay, my best advice is now that you have a filter you like, leave it alone for a few weeks and let it establish beneficial bacteria on the biowheel. Continue to do partial water changes every 3 days (depending on your water parameters, may need to do more often). Also try to get us a nitrite and nitrate reading using a liquid test kit if available. Also, only feed at most once a day and be careful not to feed too much at once. How long have you had the tank? Do you have a gravel vacuum?
 
I think you are in a rush....

Starting several threads on basically the same issue can often be misleading to the folks that are trying to help you, space1210.

In your first thread, dated 11/22, http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?275105-Diatomaceous-earth-question

You basically wanted to know if adding diatomaceous earth to the Aqueon filter would clear up an algae bloom. This was the same date you joined the forum, and you gave no other info about the tank. You got one answer that informed you of needing a special filter for the use of it.

In your second thread, dated 11/23, http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?275121-ALGAE-BLOOM-help!!

You start by saying you have had it for months (though the exact time frame was never specified) and you "I've tried water polishing filter pads, carbon, different chemicals, and of course water changes. NOTHING's working." It gets recommended for you to use a flocculent and you almost instantly reply "I have already attempted using such chemicals, with little to no luck". Some other folks respond and about 12 hrs later you state " if I use a flocculent, do you have a brand/product recommendation? " Somewhat confusing since your first statement that you had tried chemicals but now want to know which one to use.

On the afternoon of the 24th, you state "I have no idea of my water parameters, I hope to get it tested very shortly and when I do I'll post the results. I do regular water changes, usually replacing about 35-45% of the water. "

On the night of the 24th, you state "I just did a 85% change, and now it is covered in sheets. It looks a little better I guess. Also I must say that I never properly "cycled" the tank."

On the afternoon of the 25th you state "ok thanks, but i think i'm just going to start my tank over the right way. When I did the 85% change it got rid of the algae bloom but now its just hazy i can't really describe it. "


In your third thread on the 25th, http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?275138-Hard-to-explain-cloudiness You complain about a "bacterial bloom" after waiting 24 hrs from a 85% water change, and mention flocculents don't work but the last we heard you were asking what one to use.


So now we are 48 hrs later from thread #3 and you are basically back at the beginning of thread #1, except the water change got rid of the green algae temporarily. It will come back though.

Your reason for not cycling the tank is because you had fish sitting in a bucket waiting to go in....did you purchase this tank from some one or was it given to you? When exactly was that? I am trying to understand how you have an established tank for "months" but need to get fish in right away.

There were lots of recommendations in the one thread. A 24 hr covering the tank isn't a blackout, btw. You need a test kit...not taking your sample to a fish store. What was your photo period for your lights...it never really was answered in the other threads.


I think you need to sit back and let time take its course. You seem to want an instant quick fix to the normal issues of setting up a tank...you need to let the system respond to its natural cycle, observe the changes and identify the causes, cure them and not shotgun a dozen different approaches.
 
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One of the best statements I heard when I started keeping fish 12 years ago: Nothing good happens fast.

Take it easy - let the tank cycle, let the bacterial population stabilize... If necessary, you can take the fish to an LFS for store credit. (This is preferable to watching them die.) There are lots of products that claim to help speed these things up, but they rarely actually do. The one thing that really can help speed this up is to get rocks, filter floss, or similar from an already established tank - most LFS will freely give you a small quantity of substrate from one of their tanks. Even then, it's still not fast enough for fish you already own.

Ammonia: A reading of any amount greater than zero is not okay, and indicates either your tank isn't cycled, or something nasty has happened. Ammonia is highly toxic.
Nitrite: A bit less toxic than ammonia (hardy species can tolerate small amounts), but the same deal applies. Any amount greater than zero is not okay.
Nitrate: In a freshwater tank, this is the end-product of the bacterial cycle, and it will slowly build up. That's where water changes come in. (In Saltwater, there are bacteria that will break this into free Nitrogen.)

Water changes (and hazy water afterwards): Water changes help when things get out of whack. The water getting a little hazy after a really big water change is normal - you just introduced a bunch of nutrients (your water is not perfectly pure) and are seeing a harmless bacterial bloom as a result. It'll go away in a few hours. Be careful of really big water changes - the water going in is probably cold, which the fish won't appreciate much.

How long does cycling take: It can take a couple months for a tank to cycle. This CAN be made faster by adding material - rock, filter floss - from an already cycled tank (these things contain small bacterial populations that can then spread to your tank). Even then it'll still take a few weeks. How you know when it's done: test kits. Test yourself carefully following the directions in the kit, don't trust your LFS to do it for you. At a minimum you'll need to test Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. Kits for testing these things are readily available and inexpensive. A cycled tank can hold fish but still isn't really stable. It can take upwards of a year for a tank to really become stable. This is not a hobby for the overly impatient.
 
I'd re-home the angle. They shouldn't be kept in a 10g tank. Keep the danio and wait for a proper nitrogen cycle. I'm surprised you're still measuring ammonia given the tank has been setup for awhile and there's only two small fish in it. The dechlorinator Prime has caused false positive ammonia readings for those who use API Master Test Kits. I have not had this phenomena effect me.

Regardless, it sounds like your getting ahead of yourself. Like said, first things first; You need to establish a proper nitrogen cycle in the tank, such that it reads nothing but nitrates, with nitrate level being controlled by water changes.
 
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