Filtration

[Essjay]

Bigger filters do not mean more bacteria I'm afraid. They just mean more water flow. The bacteria will live anywhere there is a biofilm - in the filter and on every surface in the tank.

Was the ammonia under control but it's just gone up or has it always been above zero? If it's just gone up, have you done anything that would have killed some bacteria, or added more fish?

 

[GMazzle 83]

Bigger filters do not mean more bacteria I'm afraid. They just mean more water flow. The bacteria will live anywhere there is a biofilm - in the filter and on every surface in the tank.

Was the ammonia under control but it's just gone up or has it always been above zero? If it's just gone up, have you done anything that would have killed some bacteria, or added more fish?

Bigger filters do not mean more bacteria I'm afraid. They just mean more water flow. The bacteria will live anywhere there is a biofilm - in the filter and on every surface in the tank.

Was the ammonia under control but it's just gone up or has it always been above zero? If it's just gone up, have you done anything that would have killed some bacteria, or added more fish?

I am only in the hobby 6 months and have always kept up with maintaining the tank. I always like it looking clean and clear. I've posted on The forum a few times about it but nothing has worked. I got a watertap filter unit but I need to get ro filters for it. The ammonia has always been kept under control and to what is on the tap water. I think it only spiked once and I jumped on it right away. But its not perfect and I want it perfect for my fish. My neons are not happy and I think they might not last much longer if I cant get it out of my tank.

 

[Essjay]

If the ammonia level has been zero in the past but is now above zero, something has happened to your bacteria.

Have you cleaned the filter media in tap water?

 

[GMazzle 83]

If the ammonia level has been zero in the past but is now above zero, something has happened to your bacteria.

Have you cleaned the filter media in tap water?

The tap water has always been .25ppm so has my tank. A nightmare for a beginner to figure out. And the cost has been more than expected but I'm not gonna give up. I'll figure out my beginner tank and once I have it dialled in the way it should be then I will get another tank.

 

[Essjay]

I was wondering if you'd washed the media in tap water and killed the bacteria.

The ammonia level is 0.25? A few more questions:
What tester do you use?
What is the pH of the tank water?

 

[GMazzle 83]

I was wondering if you'd washed the media in tap water and killed the bacteria.

The ammonia level is 0.25? A few more questions:
What tester do you use?
What is the pH of the tank water?

The water parameters are all over the place really all because of my tap water besides the ph. In the tap its 6.8 and in my tank it is 8. I don't understand why. Makes water changes harder so I only do small ones because the fish don't like the sudden change in ph. I use api master test kit. I'm going to get a bigger one tho.

 

[Essjay]

The API ammonia test is known for being difficult about zero/0.25. Some people never see the zero colour even with a tank that has been running trouble free for years. The type of light the test is read under can affect things. Natural light is best, but not in direct sunlight. Fluorescent lights, including energy saving bulbs, make the water look greener than it really is. Other than that, the only thing anyone can come up with is that different eyes see colours differently.

Have you tested tap water after it has been allowed to stand for 24 hours? In areas with high pH, water companies have been known to add something to lower the pH to prevent limescale being deposited in the pipes. This gasses off when tap water has been allowed to stand, and the pH rises.
The other thing that could cause the tank to have a higher pH is if you have something made of calcium carbonate in there - coral, limestone rocks, something of that sort.

 

[GMazzle 83]

The API ammonia test is known for being difficult about zero/0.25. Some people never see the zero colour even with a tank that has been running trouble free for years. The type of light the test is read under can affect things. Natural light is best, but not in direct sunlight. Fluorescent lights, including energy saving bulbs, make the water look greener than it really is. Other than that, the only thing anyone can come up with is that different eyes see colours differently.

Have you tested tap water after it has been allowed to stand for 24 hours? In areas with high pH, water companies have been known to add something to lower the pH to prevent limescale being deposited in the pipes. This gasses off when tap water has been allowed to stand, and the pH rises.
The other thing that could cause the tank to have a higher pH is if you have something made of calcium carbonate in there - coral, limestone rocks, something of that sort.

Regarding the test kit I was thinking the same. I have never seen the ammonia test turn yellow. What test kit would you recommend?

I have not let the water stand for 24hrs but I will straight away. I have taken everything which could have been adding to the ph out of the tank and the only thing left which might is substrate. Tempted to change it to see if it will help with the ph but I will be taking out so much BB I'm afraid th tank will start to cycle again.

 

[Essjay]

I use the API tester. Salifert is reputed to be the best one though. Or you could try the Seachem ammonia alert that sits inside the tank.

Seachem - Ammonia Alert

www.seachem.com

Leaving a glass of water to stand is the first thing to try.
If you want to test the substrate, use 2 tubs filled with water and put a bit of the substrate in one of them. Test the pH of both after 24 hours, then a week. If they are the same, the substrate is not affecting the pH.

 

[GMazzle 83]

I use the API tester. Salifert is reputed to be the best one though. Or you could try the Seachem ammonia alert that sits inside the tank.

Seachem - Ammonia Alert

www.seachem.com

Leaving a glass of water to stand is the first thing to try.
If you want to test the substrate, use 2 tubs filled with water and put a bit of the substrate in one of them. Test the pH of both after 24 hours, then a week. If they are the same, the substrate is not affecting the pH.

I'm gonna test the water see what happens then I'll let you know.
Thanks a mill id never have known that after everything I've read about it.
Cheers
G

 

[GFAJ]

If it turns out you do have ammonia in the tap water you can prepare the water for the water change 1 day before and add some pothos to it. Pothos is very good at absorving nitrogenous waste and especially ammonia so you should have 0 ammonia after that
There are also other plants that can work such as spider plants

 

[Essjay]

Any live aquarium plants will do the same as plants prefer ammonia as their source of nitrogen. Floating plants are best at this - salvinia, frogbit, water sprite or even elodea or hornwort left to float.

 

[GMazzle 83]

Any live aquarium plants will do the same as plants prefer ammonia as their source of nitrogen. Floating plants are best at this - salvinia, frogbit, water sprite or even elodea or hornwort left to float.

I have water sprite in there with some java fern and crypts so I think ill get some more floating plants but they will all clump together with th flow in the tank.

 

[GFAJ]

Any live aquarium plants will do the same as plants prefer ammonia as their source of nitrogen. Floating plants are best at this - salvinia, frogbit, water sprite or even elodea or hornwort left to float.

Yeah they do help indeed but terrestrial plants are so much more effective

 

[GMazzle 83]

Yeah they do help indeed but terrestrial plants are so much more effective

Thanks GFAJ.
What would terrestrial plant be?