Ammonia level won’t go down. Please help

Myraan said:

Have you tested the ammonia in your tap-water? Are you using a bucket or a hose that's contaminated with cleaning chemicals?

I doubt it is caused by the live plants unless they are dead and rotting, removing them means that they are now not removing ammonia.

Logically the water change should have changed the ammonia to 4ppm, that is why I ask about testing the tap-water. An oily film suggests something has contaminated the water, we all probably see an oily film if we have overfed a fatty food. That is why I wondered in earlier post if someone might have tipped a half pot of flakes in tank. But now I am worried the contaminant is something in the tap-water, though I am sure you have noticed if something oily is in your tap-water.

Did you add a bottle of Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride mistakenly thinking it was bottled bacteria?

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I added the little bacteria balls about a month ago when I upgraded from 10 gallons to 36. I am
Using tap water which is not oily. I put water in buckets and added API tap water conditioner and Prime Seachem concentrated conditioner. It’s what I’ve always added when doing water change. No other changes have been made. Feeding small amounts which they all consume within a minute. Ammonia has never been over 1.0 which then went down to .50 in the last week. I have been working on lowering that as I understand the cycle isn’t complete. I’ve posted pics of all I tested. All I added to bucket water. Also added ammolock after first water change today. I’m going to test my tap water ammonia level now. View pics pls

Myraan said:

Have you tested the ammonia in your tap-water? Are you using a bucket or a hose that's contaminated with cleaning chemicals?

I doubt it is caused by the live plants unless they are dead and rotting, removing them means that they are now not removing ammonia.

Logically the water change should have changed the ammonia to 4ppm, that is why I ask about testing the tap-water. An oily film suggests something has contaminated the water, we all probably see an oily film if we have overfed a fatty food. That is why I wondered in earlier post if someone might have tipped a half pot of flakes in tank. But now I am worried the contaminant is something in the tap-water, though I am sure you have noticed if something oily is in your tap-water.

Did you add a bottle of Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride mistakenly thinking it was bottled bacteria?

Click to expand...

The spike in ammonia was discovered this morning with a cloudy tank also oily looking. The water changes were done today, after I tested the water from seeing how cloudiness. Prior to finding the tank cloudy this morning, I did a partial water change last Thursday and have tested water everyday. The ammonia had gone down from 1 to .50 and the tank was super clear. Last nights reading was the same. This morning I discovered the one leaf looking dead on the one plant, the cloudy water, oily film, and got the 8ppm
Reading. My husband and I are the only ones here doing this together. No one else in our home. We have only fed them a pinch each day, which they consume. I have never ever gotten a reading over 2ppm on ammonia. I tested my tap water just because, snd it reads about 1ppm. I added a picture. Also of tank a day ago and of today

Well the ammonia looks like it from the tap-water. I guess don't use that for water changes for the moment.

Is 8ppm ammonia from chloramine normal? maybe you need to adding a larger dose of prime.

I would guess that the two API bottles combined do the same job as prime.... but if they do it through a different process ... I dunno... maybe they interfere if you use all three?

Unless those are pics of your tank-water.... ah yes i just see your second post... there is ammonia in tap-water but less - that might be a normal amt of chloramine for all I know.

Looks like the nitrate and nitrite in your tank are zero which means either your cycle hasn't started or maybe restarted?

I am thinking now the ammonia is from something in the new tank.... but you have same decorations and such as you have a while I guess? Hopefully someone who knows more than I might know whats going on.

All I can think is do more water changes... but if the ammonia was so off the scale its still 8 after being diluted, I am amazed the fish are still alive... and I dread to think what the tank smells like... like a public urinal if I had to guess

Myraan said:

Well the ammonia looks like it from the tap-water. I guess don't use that for water changes for the moment.

Is 8ppm ammonia from chloramine normal? maybe you need to adding a larger dose of prime.

I would guess that the two API bottles combined do the same job as prime.... but if they do it through a different process ... I dunno... maybe they interfere if you use all three?

Unless those are pics of your tank-water.... ah yes i just see your second post... there is ammonia in tap-water but less - that might be a normal amt of chloramine for all I know.

Looks like the nitrate and nitrite in your tank are zero which means either your cycle hasn't started or maybe restarted?

Click to expand...

But what would cause a spike from .50 to 8???

Myraan said:

I am thinking now the ammonia is from something in the new tank.... but you have same decorations and such as you have a while I guess? Hopefully someone who knows more than I might know whats going on.

All I can think is do more water changes... but if the ammonia was so off the scale its still 8 after being diluted, I am amazed the fish are still alive... and I dread to think what the tank smells like... like a public urinal if I had to guess

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The thing is the tank doesn’t smell. It was clear as ever until this morning. This is why I’m guessing the one plant leaf being dead could be the cause. From 8pm last night, reading .50 ammonia, to 930 this morning, reading 8ppms, just seems bizarre to me. I have never had a reading over 2ppm, in the month in a half since having the tank. I have done 2-3 water changes a week. The water has never read these numbers or looked that cloudy. My fish have never been at top of tank gasping for air

I am sorry... I am basically as confused as you... Bruce's falling card thing sound sensible.... but 8ppm (or more) seems too extreme to me.

How old are your test reagents?

Fishmanic said:

How old are your test reagents?

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What do you mean? Sorry!

What is the expiration date of your test kit. It should be on the box.

Tenaj said:

I have done 2 water changes today. 50% and 25% about 30 minutes ago. All the fish are at the top gasping for air.

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There isn't a limit on the number of water changes you can do and, to be honest, you still aren't changing the water enough. You should change it and keep on changing it until the ammonia is zero and ONLY zero.
The fish are 'gasping for air' because the ammonia in the water is burning their gills.

Tenaj said:

I will do water changes again, tomorrow but want to make sure they do not die overnight. I feel so bad for them

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Why wait until tomorrow!?!
Stop the Ammolock, because I suspect that the by-product of that is now contributing to the problem.

Tenaj said:

I put water in buckets and added API tap water conditioner and Prime Seachem concentrated conditioner. It’s what I’ve always added when doing water change.

Click to expand...

Stop using two sorts of water conditioner! You only need one. Again, you are effectively overdosing the stuff. If you read the instructions, it'll give you what dose to use and, with two conditioners added, you're doubling the dose required.

Tenaj said:

Feeding small amounts which they all consume within a minute.

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Stop feeding. The fish are too stressed to eat properly and you'll be polluting the tank.

Tenaj said:

The thing is the tank doesn’t smell. It was clear as ever until this morning. This is why I’m guessing the one plant leaf being dead could be the cause.

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No...one dead leaf will not be the culprit. The cause is more profound than that. You actually need live plants to help process absorb the ammonia.

Tenaj said:

My fish have never been at top of tank gasping for air

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See previous.

It reads very much as if somewhere in the recent past, whatever beneficial bacteria you had has died and then become overwhelmed.
My rescue solution would be to stick a couple of bubblers/airstones in and lots of live plants. At this point, you just need living plants to process the ammonia.
Keep changing the water, (using one conditioner only, at the prescribed dose).

The cloudy water is probably a bacterial bloom. Ignore that for now, but please thoroughly check your tank for dead fish. Obviously, remove if you find one.
Also check the Use By date on your test kits.

Quick question.

Have you checked your filter is still running properly and at full flow. Filmy water surface, sudden increase in ammonia and bacteria bloom could all happen if the filter is not working or for some reason has restricted flow.

The most likely cause of all the problems is the fact you are doing a fish in cycle. As mentioned things can spike very quickly when you have a lot of fish in a tank and no way to actually deal with their waste. There is nothing you can about that now to remove the issue and is the thing that needs to be addressed most urgently.

As above you need to just keep doing water changes. If it was me I would be doing 75% changes every day, maybe a couple of times a day until the ammonia is super low/undetectable again. You will have to be doing this for a long time while you go through cycling the tank or you will lose fish. From the Nitrite and Nitrate readings you have given it looks a lot like you tank hasn't cycled at all so far.

I would also avoid using products that "lock ammonia". They may or may not work and they may or may not stop your bacteria colonies being able to grow. I would just use regular (daily) large water changes until the tank is cycled.

Bruce Leyland-Jones said:

There isn't a limit on the number of water changes you can do and, to be honest, you still aren't changing the water enough. You should change it and keep on changing it until the ammonia is zero and ONLY zero.
The fish are 'gasping for air' because the ammonia in the water is burning their gills.


Why wait until tomorrow!?!
Stop the Ammolock, because I suspect that the by-product of that is now contributing to the problem.


Stop using two sorts of water conditioner! You only need one. Again, you are effectively overdosing the stuff. If you read the instructions, it'll give you what dose to use and, with two conditioners added, you're doubling the dose required.


Stop feeding. The fish are too stressed to eat properly and you'll be polluting the tank.


No...one dead leaf will not be the culprit. The cause is more profound than that. You actually need live plants to help process absorb the ammonia.


See previous.

It reads very much as if somewhere in the recent past, whatever beneficial bacteria you had has died and then become overwhelmed.
My rescue solution would be to stick a couple of bubblers/airstones in and lots of live plants. At this point, you just need living plants to process the ammonia.
Keep changing the water, (using one conditioner only, at the prescribed dose).

The cloudy water is probably a bacterial bloom. Ignore that for now, but please thoroughly check your tank for dead fish. Obviously, remove if you find one.
Also check the Use By date on your test kits.

Click to expand...

I have the same amount of fish I’ve had. None dead. 6 tetras. 4 barbs. 4 danios. Nothing has changed there

Bruce Leyland-Jones said:

There isn't a limit on the number of water changes you can do and, to be honest, you still aren't changing the water enough. You should change it and keep on changing it until the ammonia is zero and ONLY zero.
The fish are 'gasping for air' because the ammonia in the water is burning their gills.


Why wait until tomorrow!?!
Stop the Ammolock, because I suspect that the by-product of that is now contributing to the problem.


Stop using two sorts of water conditioner! You only need one. Again, you are effectively overdosing the stuff. If you read the instructions, it'll give you what dose to use and, with two conditioners added, you're doubling the dose required.


Stop feeding. The fish are too stressed to eat properly and you'll be polluting the tank.


No...one dead leaf will not be the culprit. The cause is more profound than that. You actually need live plants to help process absorb the ammonia.


See previous.

It reads very much as if somewhere in the recent past, whatever beneficial bacteria you had has died and then become overwhelmed.
My rescue solution would be to stick a couple of bubblers/airstones in and lots of live plants. At this point, you just need living plants to process the ammonia.
Keep changing the water, (using one conditioner only, at the prescribed dose).

The cloudy water is probably a bacterial bloom. Ignore that for now, but please thoroughly check your tank for dead fish. Obviously, remove if you find one.
Also check the Use By date on your test kits.

Click to expand...

xxBarneyxx said:

Quick question.

Have you checked your filter is still running properly and at full flow. Filmy water surface, sudden increase in ammonia and bacteria bloom could all happen if the filter is not working or for some reason has restricted flow.

The most likely cause of all the problems is the fact you are doing a fish in cycle. As mentioned things can spike very quickly when you have a lot of fish in a tank and no way to actually deal with their waste. There is nothing you can about that now to remove the issue and is the thing that needs to be addressed most urgently.

As above you need to just keep doing water changes. If it was me I would be doing 75% changes every day, maybe a couple of times a day until the ammonia is super low/undetectable again. You will have to be doing this for a long time while you go through cycling the tank or you will lose fish. From the Nitrite and Nitrate readings you have given it looks a lot like you tank hasn't cycled at all so far.

I would also avoid using products that "lock ammonia". They may or may not work and they may or may not stop your bacteria colonies being able to grow. I would just use regular (daily) large water changes until the tank is cycled.

Click to expand...

The filter which I replaced 2 weeks ago, was so gooky. It was slimy looking as if it hadn’t been changed. It does appear to be flowing well and not slowed down. I replaced the filter and made sure there was no blockage.

xxBarneyxx said:

Quick question.

Have you checked your filter is still running properly and at full flow. Filmy water surface, sudden increase in ammonia and bacteria bloom could all happen if the filter is not working or for some reason has restricted flow.

The most likely cause of all the problems is the fact you are doing a fish in cycle. As mentioned things can spike very quickly when you have a lot of fish in a tank and no way to actually deal with their waste. There is nothing you can about that now to remove the issue and is the thing that needs to be addressed most urgently.

As above you need to just keep doing water changes. If it was me I would be doing 75% changes every day, maybe a couple of times a day until the ammonia is super low/undetectable again. You will have to be doing this for a long time while you go through cycling the tank or you will lose fish. From the Nitrite and Nitrate readings you have given it looks a lot like you tank hasn't cycled at all so far.

I would also avoid using products that "lock ammonia". They may or may not work and they may or may not stop your bacteria colonies being able to grow. I would just use regular (daily) large water changes until the tank is cycled.

Click to expand...

I learned about ammolock on this forum. I will continue to do daily water changes. Add one conditioner and nothing else. Is 75% appropriate? The Only reason I am doing in fish Cycle, is because I purchased fish from Petsmart, and when I did, they never mentioned a cycle to me. After losing three fish, I started my own research, and learned about the cycle process. It was too late then to do a no fish cycle since I still had fish left