Help - Ammonia Levels Remain Constant

[WRG]

I had a distater with my tank last year. All my water stats went through the roof. I managed to get them at the right levels except the ammonia. It has constantly remained between .25 and .5. It occassionaly spikes to just below 1 and I lose a few guppies. I change the water regularly. I change 10ltrs and have a 90ltr tank. I clean the bottom of the tank regularly. The odd spike seems to coincide if I change the type of food I feed them. I don't think I overfeed and the tank is not overstocked. I have tried treatments but cannot get it to 0. Has anyone any ideas?

Thanks
wrg

 

[WILDER]

How many fish and which type do you have in the tank.
What filter are you running.

Ammonia spikes can be caused by
Overstocked tank.
Over feeding.
Lack of maintance.
Rotting plants and food.

What test kit are you using?

 

[WRG]

Wilder.

Thanks for responding. I have 7 neon tetra, I did have two adult female guppies and 1 adult male. I had about half a dozen 2 month old guppies (they all died over the last couple of weeks). I have 6 armano shrimp. I am running a Fluval 205 external filter. I use API freshwater master test kit. This monring the stats were; Ammonia .25-.5, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40 and PH was 6.6. I lost a few of the Guppies overnight inc the 3 adult ones. The treatment I have been using Protonal 707 for an algea problem I have had for the last couple of weeks. I don't think maintenance is the issue.I change the water every 2 weeks, I change 10 litres out of 90 litre tank. I clean the bottom of the tank once a week. There does not tend to be any food left at the bottom of the tank after feeding which I do one feed am and one pm. I have a couple of small bits of wood in tank and a 3inch piece of slate. I use a sand substrate.

 

[WILDER]

Test your tap water in ammonia, and nitrate.

How much do you feed.
Has water stats change since using the algae med.
Do you remove ornaments do vac underneath.

 

[WRG]

I use RO water and not tap water. I could ask the aquatics centre what those stats are. I do remove the ornaments. The water stats have not changed when using the med. Although I have tried the course twice and I have lost guppies during both treatments. It is a 7 day course with a break for 2 days on 4 and 5. When getting to day 6 on both then I have had problems with the fish but no detremtental changes to the water. The stat I posted have been constant for a while. The guppies started to swim upwards, then slope on one side then drop to the bottom stay there for a while and die. No other symptoms. The only other thing I have done in the last couple of weeks is change one of the feeds from Tetra Prima to freezedried bloodworm. All other fish ok.

 

[WILDER]

Never used RO
water so don't know much about it.

I would still test your tap water.
Is the test kit out of date.

I would take a sample of your water to the lfs, and ask them to write the readings down for you.

Cut down on feeding to see if that makes a difference.

Also post your thread in tropical discussion. Just copy and paste.

 

[WRG]

Taken water to aquatic centre and reading same. Advice was to get nitrates down so do a larger than normal water change which was 10 to 25%>. They did think that poss the algea treatment may have caused an a problem with the oxygen level in the tank which may have distressed the guppies. Was also advised to cut down feeding to every 3 days for the short term to get ammonia down. I do appreciate all your advice.

 

[WILDER]

Check your tap nitrate reading also.

Get you some info on green water and algae problems.

Do a search on green water and algae problems.

 

[VaegaVic]

It could also be that any algae that dies off is not being removed from the tank and is just rotting down somewhere in there.
Probably wouldn't get 1.0ppm, but it would help it on it's way.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Not an expert but if you're doing 2 weekly water changes then I'd personally be doing a 30% water change rather then a meagre 10%.

 

[WILDER]

I agree.
Do a 30% water change and gravel vac once a week.

 

[WRG]

Yes, I was advised to do a 30% water change and that it may help reduce the Nitrate level. Do you suggest a water change every week?

 

[WILDER]

Gravel vac and water change once a week.
The only way you can get away with not doing a water change once a week is if, the tank over filtered and understocked.