My 50 is having ammonia issues.
I'm getting readings of about 0.5 - 1.0 ppm. I have been doing PWCs every other day this week. Haven't had ammonia issues since it was first cycled over 1.5 years ago.
Now that I've switched from my AquaClear 110 to an XP2, it's been happening. I transfered the bio media, that look like tiny rolls of TP, to the XP thinking that would seed the new filter.
Today I took the sponges from the filter on my 20 and squeezed them over the media in the XP to add more bacteria to it.
Is there anything else I can do?
My ancistrus took is looking ill for the first time since I've had him.
Keeping doing small water changes every other day. The filter will get going soon. If you do water changes that are too large you'll just keep resetting everything over and over again. It takes about 2-3 weeks to really get established. You could leave the Aquaclear running still during those 2-3 weeks.
I did add more plants yesterday morning; added some c. wendtii, bacopa carolinia, and lobelia cardinalis. Already had rotala macrandra, cabomba, blyxa japonica and another rotala, that is a very light green color.