# Filter too strong?



## Jaysan (Dec 19, 2011)

Hey guys,
I'm new to the forum 

I have some experience in running a freshwater aquarium, around 55G but decided to try out some smaller tanks.

I picked up a 6.6G or 6G "trophy" tank that was on sale at Big-Als and also picked up a Marineland Penguin 100 filter.

I had asked the employees there which filter I could run on the 6G tank and they recommended that one.

Now, I've had this filter running for about 1 month now. It should be fully cycled. One question I wanted to ask actual "experts" is...is the filter I purchased too strong for the 6G tank? 
Should I have gone with just a simple sponge filter?

The reason I ask is because I notice a lot of current coming out of this filter and the fish doesn't seem to adapt to the current.

I've been testing my water during the cycling process. I had roughly 6 guppies during the cycling process. All the fish were healthy with no signs of any illness. 

My tests were "normal" I guess until recently when my Nitrate spiked and kept spiking. I'm sure this really stressed out the guppies as one grew fungus. Another 2 got decaying tails =(
Another female died after giving birth recently...

I've been doing regular water changes while adding in "Prime" 

I did roughly 30% water change every 3 days.

My tank is planted with low-medium type plants. 

Normal Test results:
Ammonia: 0
pH: 7.6-8.0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5.0ppm (From API test kit)

Nitrate Spike:
Ammonia: 0
pH: 7.6-8.0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80ppm!!!

Whats causing the Nitrate to spike like that? Should I use another type of filter?

I've put the remaining fish into another 10G cycled tank I was running while I see this one play out.

Hoping to get some advice on this small tank. 
Thanks guys!

Attached pictures of my small 6.6 tank


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## akimbo (Dec 16, 2011)

Give it another 3 week and dont do water changes so often. you should put a piece of driftwood or something from an established tank that really helps out! After it cylcles out then do 30% or so every month, since you have a pretty good filter on that thing!


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## Jaysan (Dec 19, 2011)

Thanks Akimbo!
I have another piece of driftwood that I had in my other tank soaking =)
I'll bring that over in a few days and see what happens when I do another round of water tests


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

akimbo said:


> Give it another 3 week and dont do water changes so often. you should put a piece of driftwood or something from an established tank that really helps out! After it cylcles out then do 30% or so every month, since you have a pretty good filter on that thing!


Apart from plants uptaking the Nitrate, & a de nitrator would`nt water changes be the only other way to reduce Nitrates?
I think Nitrate is the final by product of your biological filter, so something is creating a lot of ammonia which the bacteria is converting to Nit*rite* & then Nit*rate*, usually the 2 culprits are over feeding & a heavy bio load re lot of fish.
Just my 2 cents


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## Jaysan (Dec 19, 2011)

Yeah, I think it might have been too many fish and overfeeding, lol
I've taken out all the fish and just put a few fry in the tank for now with a few amano and cherry shrimp.

I'll test the water again tonight to see what the results show 

btw, is feeding twice a day too much?


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## akimbo (Dec 16, 2011)

Jaysan said:


> Yeah, I think it might have been too many fish and overfeeding, lol
> I've taken out all the fish and just put a few fry in the tank for now with a few amano and cherry shrimp.
> 
> I'll test the water again tonight to see what the results show
> ...


I feed my fish once sometimes twice a day just as long as you dont put a whOle lot of food for them you should be fine. Put in enough food for them to eat in about 30-40 sec. And good idea to fast them once a week for 24 hours it stimulates the fish to munch on algea


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## Jaysan (Dec 19, 2011)

Thanks Akimbo!


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Take some of your media from your other tank and add it to the new tank if you cant do that take some of the gravel but it in a bag or nylon and sdd it to the tank or if you have a hose suck some of the mulm from the bottom of your old tank and add it to your new tank this should help the tank cycle pretty fast.Usually my tanks cycle this way in 2 to 3 days. All fish always seem to be hungry they dont need to eat every day I feed mine every other day.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

People only cycle their 1st tanks. Afterward, all you need to do is swap some of your old media from the old tank into the new one. As pat says, run it for a few days and your new tank should be cycled. Looking at your tank's parameter. It's obvious that your tank just when through a cycle.
You shouldn't use fish to cycle your tank. That is cruel in today's standard. There are better methods to cycle a tank.

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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Not intended to argumentative guys but i`m trying to understand why you guys are convinced the tank is not cycled yet?
Regards


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## Jaysan (Dec 19, 2011)

With my tank reading 0 for both Ammonia and Nitrite, I would assume my tank is cycled?

I got my hands on another tank so I'm turning this small one into a shrimp tank unless someone wants to buy this one, haha


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