Ammonia levels High

[Guppy04]

My Ammonia levels are between .5 and 1.0. I've done 50% water change and they don't seem to be changing is are any way to lower the ammonia levels? I have already lost all my Guppies and only my Neon Tetras have survived.

 

[Angel Lady]

The best way to lower ammonia is to do small water changes like 15 percent daily and cut back on the feeding..How long has your tank been up and running???More than likely it is still cycling.. How many fish are you keeping the tank???

 

[heresmike]

I've done 50% water change and they don't seem to be changing

If this is the case, did you test your tap water for ammonia? I'd hate to think you have ammo in your tap water, but it's worth verifying. Are you also testing nitrite and nitrate? It would help us to know where in the cycling process you are.

 

[Angel Lady]

I didnt think of that heresmike that is the only other thing left to do is check the tap water...If it is the case get some amquel to add to the tap water before you change the water again..

 

[Guppy04]

The tap water doesn't have ammonia in it, but it is a bit cloudy. The water is high in PH levels, so I lower the PH levels. I also add a solution that clears out the water from any chemicals. I then check the ammonia level and it's at 0.5 to 1.0, which I don't understand why. But my 2 Neon Tetras that are left seem to be active and playful and eating well.

 

[heresmike]

What does the pH of your tap measure? It's not a good idea to try to alter it with stuff like pH Down. The change in pH caused by this type of product is usually only temporary, and it will do more harm than good to your fish to have it bouncing back and forth. A stable environment is what the fish need.

What solution are you adding to "clear out the chemicals". The only thing you should need to add is a dechlorinator.

 

[Angel Lady]

I sure hope you havent done them more harm than good it is just like heresmike said stay clear of the CHEMICAL.....

 

[Guppy04]

the ph of the water is always 7.2 or higher, so I lowered down to 7. The only thing I have been using is the dechlorinator, sorry for the confusion. It's just that after I dechlorinator, the ammonia level is at 0.5 to 1.0, which makes absolutely no sense

 

[heresmike]

Absolutely no need to lower your pH from 7.2 to 7.0 . I would kill for a pH as low as 7.2. Mine from the tap is 7.8ish.

Are you using the correct dose of dechlorinator? What brand?

 

[ajhainey]

7.2 is absolutely fine..mine runs at 8! I'd leave the p.h alone, do two 40% changes a day (just add dechlorinator) and wait it out. If it really isn't responding you can use an ammo-lock type product but then you can't accurately measure the ammonia as the 'locked' ammonia still shows up in the test result...Do you have any nitrite or nitrate yet?

The only other thing is you say 'after i add dechlorinator, ammonia is 0.5-1.0'. Does that mean you test the bucket after you add dechlorinator and the ammonia has already jumped? I seem to remember chloramide(sp?) breaks down into ammonia and something after you add dechlorinator - maybe this is whats hapenning to you? In this case you need a better dechlorinator (a chloramide negating one). Talk to your water board to find out if they use chlorine or chloramide and then talk to your LFS to get the appropriate water condiontioner - which one do you currently use?

HTH

aj xx

 

[Guppy04]

I am using the AquaSafe product and I was told that Tetra fish like to be in Ph levels of 5.8-6.5

 

[tstenback]

Aqua safe does neutralize chlorine and chloramine so you should be OK there. All fish have their target/normal ph ranges but for most fish these are in the wild or for breeding purposes. Most captive bred fish can easily adapt to a different PH as long as it is stable there isnt much to worry about. its the sudden changes and constant changes in PH that are the big worry. HTH

 

[Pearlie]

The best thing I ever did to cure my ammonia problems was to buy a Biowheel filter. The filter, combined with daily water changes, meant that it only took ~2 days to combat the ammonia problem, and since then it has been nonexistant. I would also recommend liquid bacteria starter for your tank. Bacteria (and live plants) will convert the ammonia to nitrite (and then a different species of bacteria will convert the nitrite to nitrate). It is likely the bacteria, your biological filter, are not set up yet to handle this problem. I've heard Bio-spira is supposed to cycle your tank within 24 hours. However, I'm using Proquatic's Bacteria Starter and that has worked quite well.

As for the pH problem I have no clue. What I have noticed however, is that once I fixed the ammonia/nitrite problem, the pH and total alkalinity evened out to where it's supposed to be.

Good luck!