cycling new tank issues

[rsulliv3]

I have a 120 gallon freshwater tank that was recently set up things are going fine but having a little more of an issue bringing ammonia and nitrite levels down. So I have a few questions on not just what could help but also what affects the increasing levels I have been starting to get here and there. Also what could help in a new tank in the future. Any advice anyone has would be great.

1.) I have a biotower and a sump with filter socks, does changing filter socks while trying to get the nitrogen cycle increase or decrease the ammonia or nitrite in the tank. I also don't have a lot of biological filtration in the actual tank due to this being just a pitstop for the fish while they until they get to another tank.

2.) When establishing this new tank I used a fish cycling process but also added bacteria (lower than recommended on bottle) to the tank after each large water change. Would doing it this way help, take longer than it should, any advice.

3.) When adding bacteria there is the recommended dosage on the back, any advice on this, should I have used the recommended dosage, less than the recommended dosage???

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a 120 gallon freshwater tank that was recently set up things are going fine but having a little more of an issue bringing ammonia and nitrite levels down. So I have a few questions on not just what could help but also what affects the increasing levels I have been starting to get here and there. Also what could help in a new tank in the future. Any advice anyone has would be great.

1.) I have a biotower and a sump with filter socks, does changing filter socks while trying to get the nitrogen cycle increase or decrease the ammonia or nitrite in the tank. I also don't have a lot of biological filtration in the actual tank due to this being just a pitstop for the fish while they until they get to another tank.

2.) When establishing this new tank I used a fish cycling process but also added bacteria (lower than recommended on bottle) to the tank after each large water change. Would doing it this way help, take longer than it should, any advice.

3.) When adding bacteria there is the recommended dosage on the back, any advice on this, should I have used the recommended dosage, less than the recommended dosage???

What affects numbers are-‘;
Amount of fish
Amount of food fed/over feeding
Lack of filtration
Poor filtration
False readings from test kit
Food decaying within tank

 

[brandon429]

please post a full picture of the tank. it will be the most important part of the whole thread, entire diagnostics ride not on the test numbers you might approximate, but on what this upcoming tank pic will show regarding:

plants vs nonliving surface area like rocks or filter bioballs etc.

degree and placement of inert surface area/

placement and # of fish in the picture (whereas fish panting at the top in unison have a problem, even distro= no problem)

other details like detritus accumulation vs hospital clean...all this factors in assessing your cycle and it's pic based, it's not reliant on how you estimate the readings to be off kits

# of days the tank has had water in it is a big, big deal. more or less than 30 days is key detail to uncover in cycle troubleshoots, even for freshwater. for example, if you post a pic of a 60+ day tank stacked with about 40 amazon sword plants anchored in place, I don't believe a single measurement posted I'd only believe all your params are fine.


but if it was several goldfish in a no substrate, all plastic scape setup/packed in/that w stand out in pics and I'd believe there could be a problem.