Can you still cycle a tank, when the filter has carbon in it to remove Ammonia?

Question

I have a Penguin with Bio-wheel and just put in new filter sheets (or something like that) and it said that they contain carbon to help remove ammonia. I keep trying to do a fishless cycle, but as soon as i put ammonia in it, the filter removes it! i think right now the ammonia is at 4ppm ( it was at 7 last night) Is that normal when trying to cycle a tank for the first time, or is it because of my filter?

Answer 1

Yes, it will still cycle, just a bit more slowly. Be sure they are carbon sheets and not zeolite which is an ammonia remover, that will slow it even more. To keep the ammonia under control until the cycle takes care of it you will need to do frequent water changes. Every other day is not too often, but use your test kit and change 1/2 the water if the ammonia gets close to the dangerous level. This will need to be done for abut 2-3 weeks or until the ammonia drops to 0 from the cycle.

MM

Answer 2

Be careful to replace it every three weeks, and don't use salt. The carbon is called zeolite and should only be used temporily to rid the tank of deadly ammonia. Its locks it up, but its no substitute for a good water change. Your tank might take longer to cycle with zeolite in there. The reason you should never ever use zeolite and salt is that it exchanges ammonia for salt. It can release all that ammonia back into your tank if you salt it. I have gotten my 55 gallon to cycle in three weeks just by changing 25-50% of the water two to three times a week. I left the filter to get dirty and I use a bio-wheel as well. That way I naturally kept the ammonia and nitrite levels very low. I did not use zeolite. There is no substitute for water changes. After the tank is cycled I change 50% of the water once a week and clean the filter monthly. When the tank goes so green I cannot see the fish I do 100% water change. Now I have 4 large goldfish and they are real messy. You may get away with doing a little less if your stocking density is low or your fish are small (under 2"). I know some people think to never change more than 25% at a time but I will tell you a 25% change will do very little when you have high ammonia. When you get high nitrites and low ammonia I would take out the zeolite and add a teaspoon per gallon of non-iodized rock salt (aquarium, ice cream or kosher) because it blocks the nitrite from harming the gills of the fish. After its cycled (when nitrates appear and ammonia and nitrite disappear) then salting is not necessary unless you have a disease outbreak. If that happens always try salt first, at a rate of 3 teaspoons (or 1 table spoon) per gallon and heat it up to 83 degrees (make sure you have plenty of bubbles going), this will kill about 90% of anything that will harm your goldfish and does not entirely kill your filter. I also opt for feeding a good medicated anti-biotic food since it does not kill the filter or stress the fish. I just don't like chemicals and I believe they should be avoided. No matter what the package says meds will very likely kill your filter. Then you have to recycle all over. Remember cycling the tank is not cycling the water its in the filter. Keep your water as close to ideal at all times. That means no ammonia, no nitrites, and <20 ppm of nitrates. Ph should be stable, not going up or down. I like to keep mine at 6.8 which is only slightly off of neutral. I also keep my tank heated. Asking many people who knew how to keep the fanciest of show fish what they did and the answer I got was to keep your tank heated in the mid to high 70's. I keep mine at 77 (nice number) year around for years. It seemed to me the fish had more problems when the temp dipped below 70. They also seem to be more active and grow better at tropical temperatures. Hope this little novelette helps!

Answer 3

The popular goldfish you're finding out to purchase are feeder goldfish that have been shipped to the save in a bag with 500 to 1000 fish crammed mutually. they are under pressure and offered to be eaten by using different fish. it is not any longer your fault that they are loss of life in some days. purchase your self a heater and a thermometer and a few colourful tropical fish. save the tank at seventy 8 - eighty levels fahrenheit and feed them tropical fish nutrition flakes. Your tank is probable cycled by using now so which you mustn't could do lots. once you do a water substitute, the hot water could be dealt with with a water conditioner until now you place it into the tank. some human beings placed the faucet water into the tank and then upload the water conditioner. that's no longer the ideal thank you to do a water substitute. bypass away the carbon in the filter out for no less than the subsequent six months. If the water bypass in the process the filter out slows down, you could wash the carbon yet then placed it decrease back into the filter out. in case you do not have a cover with a mild on your tank, you need to purchase your self an entire hood with a fluorescent mild fixture geared up into it. it is going to save the fish from leaping out and that's going to be extra handy to savour looking at your fish as they advance and advance their person coloring.

Answer 4

Yes. In cycling the ammonia goes up because the bacteria haven't grown yet. As they do, the ammonia is going to go down as the nitrites go up. Then the third stage is the nitrates go up as the nitrites go down. To keep nitrates in check, you need to do 20-25% water changes with a gravel vac every one to two weeks. You could do one now to know down the ammonia and give relief to the fish, without slowing down the cycling process.