NEW TANK SYNDROME

Question
I set up a 5 gallon tank and let it run with no fish for 2 weeks.  I then added 2 fancy guppies.  A week later, I added a 3rd guppy that I had in a 2.5 gallon bowl.  About a week or 2 later the tank was extremely cloudy.  After doing much research, I found out that what I thought was cycling my tank, wasn't cycling at all.  Leaving the tank run with
no fish was only dechlorinating the water!!
The 3rd fish added did die eventually, obviously due to the high ammonia that was getting out of control with this nitrogen cycle that I am suddenly learning so much about, although a little late.
Now, I have a dilemma.  I am trying to save the 2 guppies that I started this tank with.  How do I best bring down the ammonia without stopping the growth of beneficial bacteria?  I have to keep doing water changes to obviously keep the fish from dying and I read this can slow up the cycling process.  The ammonia is extremely high, so I can't avoid this. I'm afraid if the cycle is slowed down too much that even with these water changes, it doesn't bring down the ammonia down totally and the fish won't be able to endure it for long. I did put a handful of gravel from an established tank yesterday (that occupies a gold fish I had for almost 6 yrs.!) in hopes it will speed things up.  When should I do a water change again to not destroy or slow anything with that? What else do you suggest?

Answer
Hi Irene,
Sorry about your tank problems. That can really be frustrating.

You did a good thing adding the gravel from the other tank. It should contain some bacteria. You could also buy Bio Spira or Cycle and add some of either to help with bacteria growth. You will still have to do partial water changes maybe even daily, removing at least 1/4-1/3 of the tank water and don't forget to make sure it is the same temperature as the tank water. Only lightly feed the fish so they don't produce as much waste. The best way at this point to control ammonia and nitrites would be with water changes.I wouldn't try using any chemicals to lower ammonia at this point. You shouldn't need to clean your filter or the gravel really since you don't have alot of fish and the bacteria will get established in them. If you think that there is food particles in the gravel then only lightly siphon the top of the gravel to just remove any food to preven decaying.If you think that your filter is becoming dirty only lightly rinse it in aquarium water to remove anything that seems to be clogging the filter media. You don't want to rinse it in tap water since bacteria will be trying to get established in the filter and the chlorine in tap water will destroy any bacteria living in the filter.

I don't think the cycling process will be slowed down that much by doing water changes since that is how I have done in the past. It will start to get better but for now to keep the fish alive you just have to try to dilute the ammonia and nitrites by water changes. After your tank has completed cycling be sure to still do water changes at least once a week and don't add fish too fast or too many.

It is going to get better but it just takes some time for things to stabilize. Just hang in there and it will get cycled and you will have a beautiful aquarium!
Hope this has helped,
Karen