# Over stocked and uncycled tank question



## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

If someone has over stocked and totally not cycled tanks that have ammonia off the charts just two days from a full water change, is there any hope in hell of correcting things?

It is my opinion that there is no hope, if very lucky, 1 or 2 fish might survive but not for too long because of permanent damage.

Anyone disagree with me or agree? This is the state I saw some tanks in today that some neighbors were given.


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## Blitzcraze (Dec 16, 2011)

50%watch change remove fish put fish in a bucket and get some used media from someone and throw it in your filter wait a few hrs than add a small amount of fish wait in. Day or two it should cycle lol  prime for extra measure 

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

I've read if guys using seachem stability and they've had success with it. 
I've used it but I'm not sure how much it helped but I didn't lose any fish.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

they don't even have uncycled bio media. I won't give them any used media because I think it would be a waste of time. I figure the fish are so damaged now that they are better off if I don't help so they die faster instead of a slower death. From the sounds of things the guy "cleaned" his filter if you know what I mean. He has no knowledge at all of the bacteria cycle. He thinks because he had good luck in the past with other tanks that he must be doing something right. I think he just got very lucky and happened to buy fish slowly and the cycle happened without him even knowing. He has been doing nearly 100 percent water changes and cleaning everything.

I gave his son the address to this forum and a local forum so at least he can learn a bit and keep his own fish alive, I tested his tank and no ammonia or nitrites, newer tank so didn't bother with nitrates. He also seemed eager to come to these forums to learn.

On one of the bad tanks I tested ammonia and my test goes up to 8 and Im sure it was much higher than that. Imagine about 20 2 inch cichlids in a 10 gallon tank.....


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

I have used Tetra Safe Start for a new tank and all fish live with no problems.
It was something that I needed to do to help someone that didn't know a thing about fish keeping similar to your neighbour.


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## Spicoli (Dec 11, 2012)

Never had an issue with cycling. Never really made an effort to do so. Common sense rules as with most things in life. Whenever i start a new tank it gets filled with water, sand, then a buttload of plants. I usually run 2 or 3 filters for the first week, usually one preused and never had a fish die or an issue. 

I don't usually stock it with 700 fish the first week either though. I'm guessing my triple filtration and plants do the work for me but i have no idea. Never tested my water. ever. Just started up my 20 gal again. full of plants, 1 sponge filter, fluval 305 ac 50 and an ac30, I don't anticipate any problems. And i've got about 10 small cichlid fry in there under 1.5 inches growing up. Maybe i'm crazy, but i just do regular maintenance and everything seems fine. Only time i've had an issue is with OD'ing melafix and that's only because i didin't have enough surface agitation.

Bottom line is one or the other is fine over stocked or uncycled, but together it's a disaster waiting to happen


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

I've had several tanks that I never cycled, or seeded from a pre-cycled tank. I've found that even in a new aquarium, if you add your stock slowly, they generally won't die unless very sensitive fish (angels, neons, etc.)

Mind you I haven't set a tank up like that for 5 years. and even then it was only 1 which was the 220gallon that held Koi at that point. I guess I did seed it though cuz I used some of the pond water.


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## snaggle (Feb 19, 2010)

I used to use the cycle additive all the time, not I just add fish. i will move around my sponge filters and plants as I see fit. Most important thing is don't feed too heavy for the first week or two and don't "fill" the tank, even with using cycled media from another tank it wont handle the shock of a full tank.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Does this person even condition the water ? If not, the fish have chorine burns as well as ammonia burns to the gills. But if it has only been a couple of days, some of them may be able to be saved. If it's been a week or more, I doubt any will live, even with remedial treatment, because the burns will be too severe.

The owner has to be willing to understand he has things to learn, then learn them quickly and do the right things. If he thinks he's fine as he is, the fish pay the price and there was likely not much hope for the fish.

It reminds me of a situation I ran into decades ago, but not about fish. Neighbours of mine bought a Shetland pony stallion at an auction, because he was cheap, cute and they thought he'd be great for their 8 yr old grand daughter.

He was 5, and had spent his entire life to that point in someones back yard all by himself. Like a dog. He was not even halter broken, and at the barn where I ran across him, he was spending all his time at the end of a rope, on his hind legs, yelling and trying either to fight with or jump on the other horses. He was seriously frustrated, due to social isolation previously, and the size difference between himself and the other horses at this barn. I just happened to drop by while the pony was out screaming his head off and trying to run off his rope. When I learned they planned to try and saddle this animal and have the kid ride it, I offered them five bucks over what they paid. $30... if they'd turn him over instantly.

They did not want to, but we were on good terms, and they knew I had a lot of experience with horses, [ an Honors Diploma in Horsemanship, among other things]. When I told them what they were risking trying to keep a stallion, not to mention the expense to keep him as a stallion, and the time it would take to train him, and the total unsuitability for a child, they let me take him. I had him gelded, spent the summer training him, and then gave him to a rescue outfit that took in ponies from those wretched little rides you used to see at fairs. So far as I know, he spent his days in peace with companions in a field. Most boarding stables will not allow a stallion. If they do it's very expensive, because they can be dangerous, even if well trained. Most stables don't have proper fences or stabling to keep a stallion safely.

If they had not been willing to to let me take him, there would have been serious injuries, likely to both the pony, the neighbours, the grand daughter and quite possibly any number of other people and property, but fortunately good sense prevailed that day. It cost me several hundred dollars over all, but it was worth it to me, to save the pony from the abuse he was bound to endure and the child from her grandparent's ignorance. He turned out to be a very sweet tempered little guy, once his hormones ran out and he learned some manners.

I'm glad it wasn't me that found this neighbour with his fish, I doubt I could have walked away without trying to intervene on behalf of the fish.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I decided that the best thing for the fish was for me to do nothing so they would die faster. I tried to explain things but it fell on def ears so I gave up.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Probably just as well. Some people just don't want to know, and there are limits to what you can do. I wish we had a law more like what they have in the UK, where you could have called the RSPCA and complained and they would have investigated.

They have quite strict laws on animal welfare and it applies to all animals kept as pets as well as livestock.


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## BJJBlackbelt (Jan 31, 2013)

I've run into this many times.

You try to explain things to them like weekly water changes and only keeping the light on for 8-10 hours a day instead of 24/7. But that's the end of you responsibility as a good fish keeper.

Many times I will offer them a few bucks for one or two of the fish and nurse them back to health in one of my tanks.

I actually have a 10" Albino Tiger Oscar that I saved from a 10 gallon mess. They all had really bad HIIT. The one I saved has a bad scar from the worst hole, but the smaller ones have all healed up. It only took 9-10 months in sub 20ppm nitrate water.


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