Ammonia level spiked crazy after water change

[cupofjoel]

What is it and what does it claim to do?
Any product that claims to remove or denitrify or neutralize ammonia is starving your biological filter. The only way to remove ammonia from the water is through water changes or breaking them down to nitrite then nitrate and removing them. If one uses a product to do this then one is essentially paying money to doing something that naturally occurs in the filter. Its a waste of money not to mention the damage the chemicals in these products do to living organisms.

Seachem - Purigen

seachem.com

 

[utahfish]

Seachem - Purigen

seachem.com

Basically its saying it traps particles that cause nitrates. Basically its an over priced sponge or piece of filter floss. The only way to remove nitrates from tank is by water change. Those particles that are trapped by the purigen remain in water column until the purigen is removed or rinsed, same as any other sponge or floss.

 

[cupofjoel]

Basically its saying it traps particles that cause nitrates. Basically its an over priced sponge or piece of filter floss. The only way to remove nitrates from tank is by water change. Those particles that are trapped by the purigen remain in water column until the purigen is removed or rinsed, same as any other sponge or floss.

Interesting. Well it lasts in my filter for around one month. I can recharge it with water/bleach for up to 10-15 times so I guess for $10 a pop I can use it for a little over a year!

 

[utahfish]

Interesting. Well it lasts in my filter for around one month. I can recharge it with water/bleach for up to 10-15 times so I guess for $10 a pop I can use it for a little over a year!

I wouldnt want any amount of bleach in my tank if i could avoid it.

 

[cupofjoel]

I wouldnt want any amount of bleach in my tank if i could avoid it.

I was weary at first too. I do one part bleach, one part water. Soak the Purigen bag in for 24 hours. Then I thoroughly rinse in water and then soak it in water with one capful of Seachme prime for 8 hours and then rinse a lot again after that. I've never had issues with my fish so far.

 

[utahfish]

I was weary at first too. I do one part bleach, one part water. Soak the Purigen bag in for 24 hours. Then I thoroughly rinse in water and then soak it in water with one capful of Seachme prime for 8 hours and then rinse a lot again after that. I've never had issues with my fish so far.

I subscribe to the KISS method, keep it stupid simple. Filter floss is really cheap and can be cut to fit any size filter and i dont have to recharge it or use any chemicals on it, i just take it out rinse it off in a bucket of tank water and put it back and replace it when it starts disintegrating, easy peasy. For my filter media i just use lave rock, its inert light really cheap easily crushed if one needs it smaller and is super effective. Simple and cost effective and highly efficient at harboring beneficial bacteria. KISS. At least thats what works for me and has for years.

 

[cupofjoel]

I prescribe to the KISS method, keep it stupid simple. Filter floss is really cheap and can be cut to fit any size filter and i dont have to recharge it or use any chemicals on it, i just take it out rinse it off in a bucket of tank water and put it back and replace it when it starts disintegrating, easy peasy. For my filter media i just use lave rock, its inert light really cheap easily crushed if one needs it smaller and is super effective. Simple and cost effective and highly efficient at harboring beneficial bacteria. KISS. At least thats what works for me and has for years.

I've had issues with filter floss clogging up fast, but you've given me something to think about.

 

[utahfish]

I've had issues with filter floss clogging up fast, but you've given me something to think about.

Cool, i hope what ever you do works best for you and your fish

 

[Naughts]

keep it stupid simple.

Lol

 

[Retired Viking]

Actually KISS also known as the KISS principal is "Keep it simple stupid" something I heard a lot while in the army.

 

[Naughts]

Actually KISS also known as the KISS principal is "Keep it simple stupid" something I heard a lot while in the army.

Yes Viking, the lol was at the irony of Utah's typo

 

[JuiceBox52]

Actually KISS also known as the KISS principal is "Keep it simple stupid" something I heard a lot while in the army.

You know how I could change that sentence? Keep it simple, stupid. Oh the wonders of a comma.

 

[Colin_T]

The easiest way to remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate from an aquarum is by doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate each day until the levels are on 0ppm.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Check your tap water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate too. If you have x amount of nitrate in the tap water, then that will be the lowest level of nitrate in the tank.

-------------------
Ammogon and other white granules that remove ammonia do actually remove ammonia from water. However, they also prevent the beneficial filter bacteria from growing and this prevents the aquarium filter from cycling. Filter cycling is simply where the filter develops good bacteria that eat ammonia and convert it in nitrite, and more good bacteria eat the nitrite and convert it into nitrate. You get rid of nitrates with water changes.

The Ammonia removing granules can become full very quickly and even if you replace them once a month or whenever, you can end up with an ammonia reading in the tank because the granules can no longer adsorb any ammonia, and the filter isn't cycled.

A lot of companies put a bag of Ammogon and Carbon in with their filters so it looks like you have more filter media, and as a sales ploy. They recommend changing the carbon and ammonia removing granules on a regular basis. This is good for their pocket but not yours, and it doesn't help the aquarium.

Yes carbon can help remove chemicals and heavy metals from water, but most tap water is reasonably safe and free from chemicals so carbon isn't normally needed.

------------------
The best filter media/ materials for a power filter are sponges. You can buy all sorts of filter sponges from pet shops or online, and these hold good bacteria, as well as trapping gunk.

Power filters should be cleaned at least once a month and every 2 weeks is even better. However, new filters should not be cleaned for at least 6- weeks so the good bacteria can settle in. The only time you clean a new filter is if/ when the flow rate drops, then clean it.

Filter media should be washed out in a bucket of tank water and re-used. The bucket of dirty water can be tipped onto the garden/ lawn.

The filter case can be washed out under tap water.

The impellor assembly (magnet with plastic blades in the motor) can also be washed under tap water. When cleaning the impellor assembly be careful not to lose the rubber grommets or plastic washers on each end of the steel shaft that runs through the middle of the magnet.

------------------
I would remove the carbon and ammonia granules, pads and replace them with sponges. Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels over the next month or two and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

In about 4-6 weeks the filter will have cycled and you can do a water change and gravel clean once a week and you shouldn't have any more ammonia problems.

 

[tybooyahh]

The easiest way to remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate from an aquarum is by doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate each day until the levels are on 0ppm.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Check your tap water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate too. If you have x amount of nitrate in the tap water, then that will be the lowest level of nitrate in the tank.

-------------------
Ammogon and other white granules that remove ammonia do actually remove ammonia from water. However, they also prevent the beneficial filter bacteria from growing and this prevents the aquarium filter from cycling. Filter cycling is simply where the filter develops good bacteria that eat ammonia and convert it in nitrite, and more good bacteria eat the nitrite and convert it into nitrate. You get rid of nitrates with water changes.

The Ammonia removing granules can become full very quickly and even if you replace them once a month or whenever, you can end up with an ammonia reading in the tank because the granules can no longer adsorb any ammonia, and the filter isn't cycled.

A lot of companies put a bag of Ammogon and Carbon in with their filters so it looks like you have more filter media, and as a sales ploy. They recommend changing the carbon and ammonia removing granules on a regular basis. This is good for their pocket but not yours, and it doesn't help the aquarium.

Yes carbon can help remove chemicals and heavy metals from water, but most tap water is reasonably safe and free from chemicals so carbon isn't normally needed.

------------------
The best filter media/ materials for a power filter are sponges. You can buy all sorts of filter sponges from pet shops or online, and these hold good bacteria, as well as trapping gunk.

Power filters should be cleaned at least once a month and every 2 weeks is even better. However, new filters should not be cleaned for at least 6- weeks so the good bacteria can settle in. The only time you clean a new filter is if/ when the flow rate drops, then clean it.

Filter media should be washed out in a bucket of tank water and re-used. The bucket of dirty water can be tipped onto the garden/ lawn.

The filter case can be washed out under tap water.

The impellor assembly (magnet with plastic blades in the motor) can also be washed under tap water. When cleaning the impellor assembly be careful not to lose the rubber grommets or plastic washers on each end of the steel shaft that runs through the middle of the magnet.

------------------
I would remove the carbon and ammonia granules, pads and replace them with sponges. Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels over the next month or two and do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate any day you have an ammonia or nitrite reading above 0ppm, or a nitrate reading above 20ppm.

In about 4-6 weeks the filter will have cycled and you can do a water change and gravel clean once a week and you shouldn't have any more ammonia problems.

Hi, thanka for reply. So basically yesterday I have removed carbon and ammonia aponge out of my filter. I have replaced it with 2 small sponges for now which I had new left as I bought a spare one for my old internal filter. I also ordered some filter floss which should come tmr.

Unfortunetly today when I woke up before work water became more cloudy than yesterday and some of the fish spend more time on tope of the tank than usually. Im planning to do 75% water change today straight after work.

I will try to do the water change with drinking water this time. I had a problem with tap water, even when using tap safe before in my smaller tank and when I changed to bottle water it was better.

 

[Colin_T]

Reduce feeding to 2-3 times a week. The less food going into the tank, the less ammonia that is produced. After the filters settle down you can increase feeding to every day.