Ammonia

[Firebird86]

So I got up my 55 gallon tank up running. Put white sand subrstraite in it. Got two bubble walls, set up the filter, yada yada yada. So then i took some of the filter water and put it into my 55 to get some ammonia in it. I let it cycle for a while, then went out to buy ammonia testing strips. When I tested it, it tested as danger -> hazardous. I was wondering maybe if I put too much in the 55 gallon tank and how would I fix this problem.

How long should I wait to transfer my fish from my 20H into the 55 gallon. I set it up the other day.

 

[Mahamotorworks]

It would be nice to have specific number so we can help you out. You are doing a fish less cycle rught?

MAHA

 

[f8fan]

I don't think that water from the old tank will help the cycling all that much as bacteria lives on surfaces and it's not free-floating. Perhaps you could take the actual filter pad from the old tank and put this in the new filter to give it a jump start? Or maybe cut the floss from the old filter pad in half, leave 1/2 in the 20gallon and take half and put it in the filter chamber of the new 55 gallon.

Did you add salt to the new tank water yet? The bacteria from brackish is different from the FW bacteria, so in order to get it going, make sure you have the right water conditions.

Could you also take some tank ornaments from the 20 gallon and put these in the 55 gallon to help the cycling? Plastic plants, etc?

I'd wait until your test results in the new 55 gallon are preferable before you add any of the fish to it yet. Jump starting your bacteria colony will help a lot. How many fish do you have that you are looking to transfer over? Once you get some good dirty filter medium in there, I wonder if you could slowly add a fish at a time to the new tank to keep the new bacteria fed with waste. Keep up on water changes to keep the levels comfortable, and maybe add a fish at a time every 4-5 days or so to let the tank stabilize.

I bet you can't wait to get them all in their new larger home, huh?

 

[nealio]

^^^^^^^ Yeah what she said ^^^^^^^

I noticed that you have gravel in your 20H, if I were you I would get a stocking and take ¼ of that gravel and put it in stocking and let it sit for a couple days. That would be the best way to “share” the bacteria.

I wouldn’t add any fish until your ammonia levels go to 0. This could take up to 6 weeks. If you start to add fish you will see ammonia spikes which could end up killing your fish if you add them all at once. I would stick the gravel in the new tank and let it sit a week, then test for ammonia. If you have really low levels, and some very low nitrite levels and some nitrate, your tank has started to cycle. You can wait for the tank to really catch up and sustain or you can add fish slowly. Every fish you add will increase the bio load. Once the bio load catches up, then add some more fish. Patience is the key when starting a new tank.

 

[Firebird86]

Thank you all.