Emergency goldfish help, water chemistry changed alot!?

Question

I have 2 telescope goldfish both 4 inches tail included in a 29 gallon tank. And about 200gph filteration upgrading to 500 gph this friday. Well 2 weeks ago i had no ammonia no nitrites and 30ppm of nitrates and ph of 7.4. And just 3 days ago i started removing gravel day by day and doing 35 percent water changes each gravel reduction until its all gone because im converting to barebottom. And i have just finished the barebottom today. I checked my water chemistry and Ammonia is now 0.25-0.50 and nitrite is 0.25 nitrate is like 15ppm. ph is 7.2 or 7.3. What do i do now i think i just started a mini cycle!!!!!???????? help me

Answer 1

You replaced all the filter media when you changed your filter, didn't you?  If yes, you removed at least 1/2 of your nitrifying bacteria..... then you removed all your gravel which depleted all of your good bacteria.  You'll have to let your tank re-cycle.  Be sure to keep an eye on your ammonia especially.  You'll need to perform frequent partial changes for the next several weeks so you don't lose your fish to "new tank syndrome".

In the future, never ever change out all of your filter media at the same time.

Answer 2

With only a small filter in the tank then a significant amount of the cycle bacteria would have been living on the gravel.

Removing it might have taken away 1/2 of your total cycle bacteria.

So yes you have a mini-cycle going on.

I wouldn't panic about it though. Cut back on the feeding and keep up the partial water changes. Get your new filter in and let it cycle, things will come right. Make sure you run both filters together, dont change the filters over or you will remove the other 1/2 of your bacteria.

Just do enough water changes to prevent the ammonia and nitrite from getting any higher.

Ignore the pH change, it's not big enough to worry about. Tap water may vary that much from day to day.

Good Luck

Ian

Edit: Doing water changes will make the cycle take longer because you are removing some of the food (ammonia) that will feed the bacteria. But it will keep your fish alive during the process.

If you do no water changes, the ammonia would get high, the bacteria will multiply faster, but the fish die.

Keep the levels low like they are now, the fish survive and the bacteria will still grow, just a bit slower.

So some partial water changes are a better option.

Answer 3

well you've got what kind of filter media in that filter?

If you take away the gravel the good bacteria are going to have nothing to live in.

The readings are rising because you have taken away all their living spaces.

If your going to have a barebottom aquarium you need to make sure you have PLENTY of places for the microbes to live inside your filter.

I would do a water change since everything is so high but your going to have to let it reestablish, when you get your new filter anyway.

(ceramic rings, crushed lava rock, sand, even multiple layers of floss.)

Whatever you choose as your new 'substrate' you'll have to give your tank time to recycle. As now you dont have the bacteria you need to take care of the waste in the tank.

Also, you took out gravel AND did a water change, I bet you have almost zero good bacteria left in that tank.

Answer 4

ask a professional fish owner or store like petco

Answer 5

A lot of the good bacteria lives in the gravel so you have been slowly removing it.  You're now counting on all the bacteria your tank needs to be living in your filter.  It may take awhile for it to catch up or it may not be able to maintain good water quality ever if the filter media can't house enough.  With the amount of waste that goldfish make it will be a challenge.

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