Ammonia level won’t go down. Please help

[Tenaj]

If the fish are gasping, that can be a sign of ammonia poisoning. Was the tank already cycled?

They are not gasping. They are all normal. I did 2 water changes yesterday a 40 and 50% after realizing just overnight, that ammonia level spiked up to 8ppms. I was stuck on 1ppm for a while. Finally got to .50 then yesterday morning I found very cloudy water, oily and immediately checked levels which read ammonia at 8ppm. Still do not know how!!! And today I did a 50% and 75%. And as I understand, I have not completed the cycling. The ammonia is going down snd I will continue my water changes until it does. I just want to make sure my fish are ok although they appear to be. Have not fed them since yesterday morning. Should i feed them? Please help. Still learning all this pictures show before water change just today. And after 2 changes today.

 

[Rocky998]

They are not gasping. They are all normal. I did 2 water changes yesterday a 40 and 50% after realizing just overnight, that ammonia level spiked up to 8ppms. I was stuck on 1ppm for a while. Finally got to .50 then yesterday morning I found very cloudy water, oily and immediately checked levels which read ammonia at 8ppm. Still do not know how!!! And today I did a 50% and 75%. And as I understand, I have not completed the cycling. The ammonia is going down snd I will continue my water changes until it does. I just want to make sure my fish are ok although they appear to be. Have not fed them since yesterday morning. Should i feed them? Please help. Still learning all this pictures show before water change just today. And after 2 changes today.

Yah, if you didnt cycle the tank before putting the fish in... Its not gonna end well. You can try adding some sort of beneficial bacteria (this stuff is controversial but at this point its worth a shot) also keep up with water changes. But if you decide to add some BB, I'd wait about a day or two for the bacteria to settle. Right now your tank is experiencing something called "new tank syndrome" which can be lethal if not handled properly. Basically what's happening is there is so much bacterial build up its made your water cloudy (like my first beta tank). So just keep testing and doing large water Changes and fingers crossed everything goes well, but who knows maybe someone else on here has some other tips and tricks

 

[Tenaj]

Yah, if you didnt cycle the tank before putting the fish in... Its not gonna end well. You can try adding some sort of beneficial bacteria (this stuff is controversial but at this point its worth a shot) also keep up with water changes. But if you decide to add some BB, I'd wait about a day or two for the bacteria to settle. Right now your tank is experiencing something called "new tank syndrome" which can be lethal if not handled properly. Basically what's happening is there is so much bacterial build up its made your water cloudy (like my first beta tank). So just keep testing and doing large water Changes and fingers crossed everything goes well, but who knows maybe someone else on here has some other tips and tricks

Thank you. Yep fish in cycling is what I’ve been learning because petsmart sold me the fish but never mentioned a cycle. Lost 4 glo tetras when I Started two months ago. It all began in a 10 gallon tank. After researching and learning about the cycle, I upgraded to a 36 gallon and luckily the fish I had left l, I moved over and I have added others. I now have six glow Tetras, 4 glow barbs and 4 glo danios. I have had these the entire month I’ve had the 36 gallon. Learned about feeding less. Live plants. Less lights. Algae. Constant water changes. Levels of readings. What I should and should not add. And of coarse,the cycling process. It’s been a costly fun experience. The ammonia level had been at 1ppm to .50ppms the entire month I’ve had the 36 gallons. Not sure now I ended up at an 8 overnight. Only thing I can think is using 2 water conditioners for water change which I now know not to. Also ammolock. Other than those 2 things, not sure why it spiked to 8 ppm. I’m now doing a bigger water change, daily, starting yesterday, until my levels are at 0 for ammonia. I’m still learning all I can

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

2nd water change today. 75% and just finished a 50%. Ammonia level is going down. Thankfully!! Will test again tonight. Water changes tomorrow!!

Please let me try to make this perfectly clear...
If you have ammonia in the tank, then you change the water.
Waiting until tomorrow is too late.

Imagine you are in a room full of smoke, with a fire burning old tyres and wet rags.
You choke.
You can't get out.
Someone opens a window and you get some sweet, fresh air.

Then the window closes and you're choking again.
Never mind...the window will be opened tomorrow morning.

 

[itiwhetu]

Live plants, Live plants, Live plants. 30 -50% of your volume needs to be in live plant.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Live plants, Live plants, Live plants. 30 -50% of your volume needs to be in live plant.

Do we think some more plants might help?

 

[itiwhetu]

Do we think some more plants might help?

Live plants and an acid tank equals no ammonia

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Live plants and an acid tank equals no ammonia

Live plants and an alkaline tank equals no ammonia.

 

[itiwhetu]

Live plants and an alkaline tank equals no ammonia.

Maybe but the acid tank adds the extra assurance that all the ammonia will turn to ammonium which is non toxic.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Maybe but the acid tank adds the extra assurance that all the ammonia will turn to ammonium which is non toxic.

Clearly, we appreciate plants and that's our bias.

 

[Essjay]

There were three separate threads on this subject. So that all the replies appear in the same thread, I have merged them into one single thread.

 

[Tenaj]

Please let me try to make this perfectly clear...
If you have ammonia in the tank, then you change the water.
Waiting until tomorrow is too late.

Imagine you are in a room full of smoke, with a fire burning old tyres and wet rags.
You choke.
You can't get out.
Someone opens a window and you get some sweet, fresh air.

Then the window closes and you're choking again.
Never mind...the window will be opened tomorrow morning.

I totally get it. I did 2 water changes yesterday. 50% and 75%. Are you suggesting I remove all the water and replace it? Not sure what you are suggesting I do for daily water changes. How many times should I change the water in a 36 gallon tank, if twice in a day is not enough, according to your analogy? Just trying to understand how many daily water changes I should perform. Thanks.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I totally get it. I did 2 water changes yesterday. 50% and 75%. Are you suggesting I remove all the water and replace it? Not sure what you are suggesting I do for daily water changes. How many times should I change the water in a 36 gallon tank, if twice in a day is not enough, according to your analogy? Just trying to understand how many daily water changes I should perform. Thanks.

How about until the ammonia level is zero?

 

[Tenaj]

How about until the ammonia level is zero?

That’s what I am aiming for but if I need to do multiple water changes a day, since 2 isn’t enough, should I remove all the water? With having to work, it is hard to do 5 and 6 changes per day. I thought I was doing good be performing 2 large water changes a day. You are being hard on me

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

That’s what I am aiming for but if I need to do multiple water changes a day, since 2 isn’t enough, should I remove all the water? With having to work, it is hard to do 5 and 6 changes per day. I thought I was doing good be performing 2 large water changes a day. You are being hard on me

I'm trying to be hard on the toxic ammonia, not on you.
Do as many changes as you can. Your fish will appreciate it.
Consider the 'smoke' analogy.