Habitat - Indoor :: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:14 pm   Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

My filter system is still running great pumping out a lot of water on a steady rate water was crystal clear one day jacked up the next nothings changed
dekabreak1000
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Feb 24, 2015
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:57 pm   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

I would assume that since it's been running great you may of had this filter for a little while. Also the media setup is the same as always. As your turtle grows the bio load does get worst. I would try to modify your media arrangement to more on the bio side say with more rings or a different type to help hold more good bacteria with the added bio load your turtle is adding to it's home. You may now be on the edge of what your tank / filter can maintain. When I couldn't get a different filter type , due to a budget , to buy me some time I got an extra media bag filled with bio ring and placed in the waters flows to help. I hid it behind some plants and it gave me the time to save up for an upgrade.

Do you have bio rings ? If so never use tap water to clean that kills the good bacteria only use tank water !
Do you have substrate ? Sand offers more surface area for good bacteria .
What decorations ? Volcanic rock offers lots of places for good bacteria.
What size turtle ?
How much water ?
Type and model filter ?
What is your media layout?
Pictures help.
With these answers we may be able to increase the holding power of your good bacteria with your present setup so it doesn't randomly die out.
litefoot
 
Posts: 1647
Joined: Nov 7, 2016
Location: New Orleans
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:54 pm   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

It’s a 75 gallon tanks with about 60 gallons and a fluval fx6 2 full size turtles I have sponges in all 3 rings with ceramic in the middle and charcoal on the bottom
dekabreak1000
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Feb 24, 2015
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 11:21 pm   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

I have my FX6 on 125gallons with this setup for my male 5" RES , Piggley.
I took red baskets out for every cm of space.
Very top of top basket , flat black pad "or" a blue one too protect my media , a media bag of carbon then one with purigen under that black pad.
The middle and the bottom baskets are full only with bio rings !
My stock tank itself has river rocks.
I only do 10%-15% water changes. I adjust percentage as needed but for 125 gallons "never" go over 25%.
This setup holes a cycle for me very well !

Only other thing it could be is if you are doing higher % on the water changes. Try if you doing 25% go to 20% even 15% and monitor.

Two full size turtles in 60 gallons , must be females , two males normally would fight. How many inches total between the two ? That's a very heavy bio load for 60 gallons even with a FX6 ! I always recommend the 10 gallons water for every inch of shell for a tank . This is yes more swimming room but more for us to be able to control the waters parameters ! Helps to hold a cycle easier and maintenance is easier too !
That setup was great when they where small and growing but now at full size ? Bet you are having to do very large water changes and that's what killing your cycle. Sorry upgrade time on tank or you will be just busting your butt in maintenance. I'm retired on a budget so I use stock tanks 1/4 the cost of glass tanks. See my videos on what you can do with them and my cycled water.

No true need for sponges (mechanical ) in all three center baskets if you have correct amount bio to "dissolve" the organic waste then the white pads on the outside catch that.
litefoot
 
Posts: 1647
Joined: Nov 7, 2016
Location: New Orleans
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 12:50 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

I haven’t changed any water since it was crystal I haven’t bothered with it and yea I guess they are female they like to sleep on each other lol
dekabreak1000
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Feb 24, 2015
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:49 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

How do you know it died out?
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 1:16 pm   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

It went from crystal clear to cloudy and it stinks overnight
dekabreak1000
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Feb 24, 2015
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2017 11:40 pm   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

How long was it clear before it turned cloudy? Does the smell resemble sulphur (rotten eggs)?
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:56 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

It was good for several weeks and it’s like a mix of ammonia and sulphur
dekabreak1000
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Feb 24, 2015
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 1:52 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

Did you do water changes ?
User avatar
PokePony
 
Posts: 276
Joined: Aug 27, 2017
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:57 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

I have found on any tank 100 gallons or less it been best for me to do weekly water changes at a smaller percentage then one very large water change once a month. Smaller water changes in a small tank has less chance of killing a cycle. Also having two full grown turtles in same tank that size is adding more bio waste than when they were babies. One other thing is adjusting your maintenance to the size of the turtles with that amount of water.
Over those several weeks sound's like your carbon is at the saturation point and is releasing all back into your tank , you may want to change the carbon more often or look into a different brand of carbon . The "over night smell and cloudiness" is you carbon releasing it back into the tank.

On that FX place your carbon in top basket so you can open it up for a quickie change of the carbon to buy you some time between full filter maintenance. With the amount of media in FX6 ( filtration volume 5.28 gallons of media ) it could go 6 weeks or maybe longer on full cleanings but I have found No carbon can go that long without releasing back into the tank .
litefoot
 
Posts: 1647
Joined: Nov 7, 2016
Location: New Orleans
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:18 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

No like I said I never bothered with a change since it stayed clear and didn’t have any funky smell
dekabreak1000
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Feb 24, 2015
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 8:50 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

Well your problem is right there. Your probably had a bacterial bloom due to poor water quality. Clear water doesn't mean it's clean ! From now on keep up with your water changes and you should be fine. ;)
User avatar
PokePony
 
Posts: 276
Joined: Aug 27, 2017
Gender: Female

Post Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:15 am   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

Well I think I figured out the problem the lack of oxygen in the water I’ve got the filter set up so it’s aerating the water and it’s starting to clear up now never needed an pump before but I guess I do now
dekabreak1000
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Feb 24, 2015
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:10 pm   Re: Any ideas why a cycle randomly dies out

Can you position the outlet bar differently or switch to a spray bar?
User avatar
steve
Site Admin
 
Posts: 31430
Joined: Apr 11, 2005
Location: New York, NY
Gender: Male

Next

Return to Habitat - Indoor

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests