Ammonia And Nitrite Spike After Water Change?

[spooks]

Can anyone give me a possible reason as to why you would get an Ammonia/Nitrite spike in a cycled fish tank after doing a 25% water change? Could using to little or to much Tetra Water Safe be the problem (Im pretty confident im using the right amount but how exact does it need to be)? The product claims to make tap water safe by removing chloramine etc...

This has happened in the past so I dont want to ruin my newly fishless cycled tank by killing all the good bacteria. Also, what products do you guys use for removing Chlorine?

Thanks,

Spooks

 

[Squid]

I use the same product...

Might sound a little daft, but have you tested your tap water..

Squid

 

[spooks]

I use the same product...

Might sound a little daft, but have you tested your tap water..

Squid

I think I did test it a while back and it read 0ppm in both ammonia and nitrite. I will re-test it tonight to see if I can get a reading off it. I really don't understand why it happens, I must be doing something wrong but I don't know what.

I usually float food bags full of water in the tank and let it heat up and then release the water once it has heated up. I read in another post that most people just pour the new water into the tank unheated...? Is this right?

Thanks.

 

[Squid]

If your tap water is coming up at 0, then it really doesnt make sense does it. odd.. I use the same stuff i think, and use about 5ml per bucket load... Either way, im not sure how this would affect your stats in this way.

Yes, your right, alot of people just add the new water un heated.. If you do the maths and work out what 75% of the water in the tank at one temperature is changed by adding 25% colder water from the tank, its not usually too much of a problem. Larger water changes would be. Some people boil the kettle and add a little hot water. If the temp is almost the same to touch by putting your finger in, then its not going to change the overall temp by much.

Sorry i cant help any more.. perhaps others might be able to.

NOTE: if you put your finger in the water and it hurts, then you used too much hot water, so be careful

Cheers
Squid

 

[spooks]

If your tap water is coming up at 0, then it really doesnt make sense does it. odd.. I use the same stuff i think, and use about 5ml per bucket load... Either way, im not sure how this would affect your stats in this way.

Yes, your right, alot of people just add the new water un heated.. If you do the maths and work out what 75% of the water in the tank at one temperature is changed by adding 25% colder water from the tank, its not usually too much of a problem. Larger water changes would be. Some people boil the kettle and add a little hot water. If the temp is almost the same to touch by putting your finger in, then its not going to change the overall temp by much.

Sorry i cant help any more.. perhaps others might be able to.

NOTE: if you put your finger in the water and it hurts, then you used too much hot water, so be careful

Cheers
Squid

Okay, thanks for your input on that.

If you did a water change on an uncycled tank that had ammonia/nitrite present would it cause the ammonia and nitrite to go to even higher concentrations? I would have thought it would dilute it.

The only thing that I can think of is that there must be something present in the water or maybe the bags I was using that had some sort of chemical that is killing the bacteria? Clutching at straws I know but just throwing ideas around!

Thanks again

 

[Squid]

It would definately dilute it in my tank..

Is the dechlorinator old? im clutching at straws now too..

How soon after doing a water change are you testing it. are you leaving it for 30 mins or so, so that it is mixed a little more..

Squid

 

[spooks]

Well that's what I thought, what I have done now is left two buckets of water to stand in the garage for the last few days untreated ready to be dechlorinated and used in my tank.

I will try a water change tonight and see what happens. Fingers crossed that it will not mess things up again.

BTW the dechlorinator is new so I don't think it is that... I might go to my lfs at lunch and pick up a different brand. Actually something you just said made me think, I have not been leaving the decholrinator to mix for 30 mins, I have basically just been adding the dechlorinator to the water then swishing it around and then adding it to the tank.... I guess this could be my problem?

 

[Squid]

Actually something you just said made me think, I have not been leaving the decholrinator to mix for 30 mins, I have basically just been adding the dechlorinator to the water then swishing it around and then adding it to the tank.... I guess this could be my problem?

Sorry, i may have confused things.. the dechlorinator works instantly i thought.. i meant letting the new water mix with the tank water for a while before re-testing... I expect the dechlorinator is fine. and is just leading us astray.

The only other thing i can think of is that your test kit is a bit off.. what test kit do you use.. You could take some water to be tested at the LFS?

Squid

 

[spooks]

I just cant imagine the test kits being faulty, they are a good brand (cant remember which ones they are). I always test my water the following day so it cant be the amount of time between adding the water and testing the parameters.

Mmm this is very confusing. Fish tanks are annoying Meh.

 

[spooks]

Just been down to my lfs and the "safe water" that I was using only took the chloramine out of the water and didn't take the clhlorine out! But it clearly says on the bottle "Makes tap water safe". Pffft. I have bought another bottle of tetra water safe which takes out the chlorine. That means I will be using 2x bottles of water safe (1 for chlorine and 1 for chloramine.)

I feel a little dumb now but I feel that was a pretty easy but basic mistake to make.

 

[Squid]

oh dear..

well at least that mystery is sorted... i was wondering what the hell was going on...

Well done..
Squid

 

[diademhill]

Just been down to my lfs and the "safe water" that I was using only took the chloramine out of the water and didn't take the clhlorine out! But it clearly says on the bottle "Makes tap water safe". Pffft. I have bought another bottle of tetra water safe which takes out the chlorine. That means I will be using 2x bottles of water safe (1 for chlorine and 1 for chloramine.)

I feel a little dumb now but I feel that was a pretty easy but basic mistake to make.

I don't know of any brand that modifys the chloramines without removing chlorine. What actual brands do you have?

 

[pieman]

Try and get some Nutrafin Aqua Plus

 

[spooks]

Just been down to my lfs and the "safe water" that I was using only took the chloramine out of the water and didn't take the clhlorine out! But it clearly says on the bottle "Makes tap water safe". Pffft. I have bought another bottle of tetra water safe which takes out the chlorine. That means I will be using 2x bottles of water safe (1 for chlorine and 1 for chloramine.)

I feel a little dumb now but I feel that was a pretty easy but basic mistake to make.

I don't know of any brand that modifys the chloramines without removing chlorine. What actual brands do you have?

I got home and I checked the product I was using and it turns out it is identical to the one I bought just a slightly different label due to it being newer. I am using 'Tetra Aqua - AquaSafe'. I got home and read my levels again ammonia and nitrite both at 0ppm so I got my water that I have had stored in a fish water only bucket and treated it with the product. I have done a 25% water change on my tank, checked the levels again after three hours and everything is normal. I will check again in the morning once things have had time to settle. Fingers crossed everything will be fine.

I will keep you all updated.

Try and get some Nutrafin Aqua Plus

Yeh I was thinking about trying a different product. It really is driving me nutz!

 

[phlawed]

something else you can try, dont know how much it would help your situation, but get one of those water filters that attach to the sink faucet. might not be a fix, but sure couldnt help. Wal-Mart(if your in the US) has a $20 duPont filter for the faucet. It is what I use and have never had anything go wrong.

Just been down to my lfs and the "safe water" that I was using only took the chloramine out of the water and didn't take the clhlorine out! But it clearly says on the bottle "Makes tap water safe". Pffft. I have bought another bottle of tetra water safe which takes out the chlorine. That means I will be using 2x bottles of water safe (1 for chlorine and 1 for chloramine.)

I feel a little dumb now but I feel that was a pretty easy but basic mistake to make.

I don't know of any brand that modifys the chloramines without removing chlorine. What actual brands do you have?

I got home and I checked the product I was using and it turns out it is identical to the one I bought just a slightly different label due to it being newer. I am using 'Tetra Aqua - AquaSafe'. I got home and read my levels again ammonia and nitrite both at 0ppm so I got my water that I have had stored in a fish water only bucket and treated it with the product. I have done a 25% water change on my tank, checked the levels again after three hours and everything is normal. I will check again in the morning once things have had time to settle. Fingers crossed everything will be fine.

I will keep you all updated.

Try and get some Nutrafin Aqua Plus

Yeh I was thinking about trying a different product. It really is driving me nutz!

BTW TetraAqua AquaSafe * Neutralizes chlorine, chloramine, and heavy metals harmfull to fish. I think your fish store fed you a line.