HELP! my fish tank ammonia is 8ppm!

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

...also is there anything I can do to help promote algae growth?

There is, but I'd suggest feeding your tank's algae eating fish with algae wafers/tablets and fresh veg.
Algae is okay and, because such algae eaters are sold as Algae eaters, people think that that's all they eat...when it isn't.
Another point is that the appetite of your fish for algae will diminish as they get older.

 

[Byron]

Now that is what I wanted to hear! I do agree with you, and I think before I do anything I should do my research and not just go off of someones yt vid, etc theres alot of internet out there probably 50% fake and 50% real if not less, in this case my pleco seems to be doing quite ok now as I can tell like you said it's an `assumption` aswell as my CAE, and guppy and my water is like crystal clear after that water change yesterday aswell with my ammonia at 0 nitrates pretty low around 5ppm and then ph is back at a steady 7.6 if I remember right, anyways I will try to take advice and do my research aswell before I continue on. also is there anything I can do to help promote algae growth? it's just my cae has been literally eating it non stop and leaves like almost nothing for the pleco. I've heard of phosphates but I've also heard about full spectrum lights? would any of these help? like fertilizer anything? or should I move the tank in front of my window?

anyways hope to hear some good advice!
happy fishkeeping!

On the algae issue...this is a two-edged sword. Generally, if you intend a planted tank, with lower plants and floating plants, you need to establish the balance of light and nutrients to provide what the plants need but no more. Too much light, whether that involves too intense (bright), or the wrong spectrum, or on for too long a period each day, and "problem" algae will take over. And none of these fish eat problem algae, like black brush for example. So you do not want to be encouraging algae. So no to any "encouragement" of algae.

However, there are ways to have "good" algae that these fish will eat. One of the easiest is to get a few river rocks (not too large) from a landscape outlet (river rock is generally granite which is not calcareous so they do not dissolve minerals increase GH) and place them in a container of fish tank water out in the sun. Algae (the common green algae usually) will appear, and when you have the rock covered, place it in the aquarium.

You should also always feed a good quality sinking algae or kelp-based food for herbivore substrate fish. Not all plecos are primarily herbivores, there are carnivore species too that will not touch algae. But for the herbivore species, Omega One's Veggie Rounds is probably one of the best foods.

 

[Guest14017]

It is easier to just FEED your fish than try to encourage algae growth....

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

It is easier to just FEED your fish than try to encourage algae growth....

I'd just be waiting for another "Help! My algae's got out of hand!" post.

 

[Rhys19]

On the algae issue...this is a two-edged sword. Generally, if you intend a planted tank, with lower plants and floating plants, you need to establish the balance of light and nutrients to provide what the plants need but no more. Too much light, whether that involves too intense (bright), or the wrong spectrum, or on for too long a period each day, and "problem" algae will take over. And none of these fish eat problem algae, like black brush for example. So you do not want to be encouraging algae. So no to any "encouragement" of algae.

However, there are ways to have "good" algae that these fish will eat. One of the easiest is to get a few river rocks (not too large) from a landscape outlet (river rock is generally granite which is not calcareous so they do not dissolve minerals increase GH) and place them in a container of fish tank water out in the sun. Algae (the common green algae usually) will appear, and when you have the rock covered, place it in the aquarium.

You should also always feed a good quality sinking algae or kelp-based food for herbivore substrate fish. Not all plecos are primarily herbivores, there are carnivore species too that will not touch algae. But for the herbivore species, Omega One's Veggie Rounds is probably one of the best foods.

ah I see I didn't know, I do have algae wafers and I noticed my pleco eats them I pop one in at night and it's like 98% gone by the morning

It is easier to just FEED your fish than try to encourage algae growth....

As the above post I see that now

I'd just be waiting for another "Help! My algae's got out of hand!" post.

Nah your post gave me advice i'm gonna take it

also the algae wafers I give are: HIKARI Tropical Algae Wafers "Contains pure cultured spirulina"

also would my tank be fine by itself for a few days? I cant do any WC's because I just had to bleed out my pressure tank due to low pressure & mud in the system so my water is going to be muddy for a few days.

 

[Myraan]

Maybe don't overthink things, and just enjoy your fish.

It's probably safer to err on the side of underfeeding, and even to not worry about the occasional short fast if you forget to feed them, or if you go on holiday or whatever.

you will see if your fish are too skinny, or seem to lack energy compared to normal, but i suspect most of us have fishies that tummies are a little more full than strictly necessary.

Keep testing until you get a feeling for what is normal for your tank, after that you might only need to test to help diagnose any problems.

 

[Rhys19]

Maybe don't overthink things, and just enjoy your fish.

It's probably safer to err on the side of underfeeding, and even to not worry about the occasional short fast if you forget to feed them, or if you go on holiday or whatever.

you will see if your fish are too skinny, or seem to lack energy compared to normal, but i suspect most of us have fishies that tummies are a little more full than strictly necessary.

Keep testing until you get a feeling for what is normal for your tank, after that you might only need to test to help diagnose any problems.

ah I see will do thanks!

 

[Rhys19]

so If I got this right mostly basically fish are similar to us just that their like 500x more sensitive right? they get stressed wayy too easily right? and thats why you only do what you need if you know **THAT** is the problem not oh I think it's ich oh wait maybe its not you confirm right? because doing something wrong can cause well I think we all know.

anyways Hopefully taking this advice into consideration I don't have anything to worry about

 

[Myraan]

lots of testing until things are stable, lots of water changing if necessary; it could be said if anything they are extremely robust given what we put them through - but essentially you are right

 

[Byron]

so If I got this right mostly basically fish are similar to us just that their like 500x more sensitive right? they get stressed wayy too easily right? and thats why you only do what you need if you know **THAT** is the problem not oh I think it's ich oh wait maybe its not you confirm right? because doing something wrong can cause well I think we all know.

I think the underlying issue is that many aquarists, and probably all beginners, do not comprehend one basic fact, and that is the incredibly complex relationship of a fish to its aquatic environment. No land animal, with the possible exception of the amphibians [note, water again], has this close a tie to its environment. The day-to-day operations that occur just to keep the fish alive is completely dependent upon the environment. This includes not just water parameters [though many clearly do not understand the impact of these] but every aspect of the physical environment. Every individual species of freshwater fish has evolved to function in the specific environment in which it finds itself naturally, and while some species can move outside this environment in some respects, or to some extent, none can do so completely without consequences. And the latter is usually death, immediate or slowly.

The correct functioning of the fish's physiology depends upon what it receives or does not receive from the water in which it lives. The fish must adjust the pH of its blood to match the water it lives in, so if this pH should change the fish is immediately required to commence internal processes that will equate the blood pH, and this takes considerable energy, and that means less energy for other functions, such as maintaining its immune system. Laura Muha had a monthly column in TFH a few years ago, entitled "The Skeptical Aquarist," and she came up with an excellent analogy. Driving a car on a flat road at 50 km/hour takes "x" amount of energy; to maintain that same speed as you climb a hill requires considerably more energy. A fish uses "x" energy to function normally within the preferred environment for which it is designed; as soon as it is forced to move outside that environment--any aspect of it--it has to "switch gears" and go into overdrive or it will not survive. Other processes suffer the consequences, and this weakens the fish even further.

Stress is certainly a major factor; it is directly responsible for about 90% of aquarium fish disease. How stress affects fish, and the degree to which is does and is often irreversible, may surprise you. Mike [AbbeysDad] has my article on stress available on his blog, here:

Contact Support

 

[Rhys19]

I think the underlying issue is that many aquarists, and probably all beginners, do not comprehend one basic fact, and that is the incredibly complex relationship of a fish to its aquatic environment. No land animal, with the possible exception of the amphibians [note, water again], has this close a tie to its environment. The day-to-day operations that occur just to keep the fish alive is completely dependent upon the environment. This includes not just water parameters [though many clearly do not understand the impact of these] but every aspect of the physical environment. Every individual species of freshwater fish has evolved to function in the specific environment in which it finds itself naturally, and while some species can move outside this environment in some respects, or to some extent, none can do so completely without consequences. And the latter is usually death, immediate or slowly.

The correct functioning of the fish's physiology depends upon what it receives or does not receive from the water in which it lives. The fish must adjust the pH of its blood to match the water it lives in, so if this pH should change the fish is immediately required to commence internal processes that will equate the blood pH, and this takes considerable energy, and that means less energy for other functions, such as maintaining its immune system. Laura Muha had a monthly column in TFH a few years ago, entitled "The Skeptical Aquarist," and she came up with an excellent analogy. Driving a car on a flat road at 50 km/hour takes "x" amount of energy; to maintain that same speed as you climb a hill requires considerably more energy. A fish uses "x" energy to function normally within the preferred environment for which it is designed; as soon as it is forced to move outside that environment--any aspect of it--it has to "switch gears" and go into overdrive or it will not survive. Other processes suffer the consequences, and this weakens the fish even further.

Stress is certainly a major factor; it is directly responsible for about 90% of aquarium fish disease. How stress affects fish, and the degree to which is does and is often irreversible, may surprise you. Mike [AbbeysDad] has my article on stress available on his blog, here:

Contact Support

wow.... just wow I never actually expected a full on paragraph wow... in some places the internet is a great place and that is one for which I am glad!

that advice was actually gosh darn really helpful actually like not even joking! it actually helped me understand the reality of Fish a bit more, though I think there's still alot even scientists don't know but who knows maybe in the future some tech will come out

 

[Rhys19]

And my tank levels are back down to normal my nitrates are still around 20ppm but I read the anywhere below 40 is ok
and the resulting results:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia 0.0PPM
Nitrites: 0PPM
Nitrates: 20 or less PPM

 

[Byron]

And my tank levels are back down to normal my nitrates are still around 20ppm but I read the anywhere below 40 is ok
and the resulting results:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia 0.0PPM
Nitrites: 0PPM
Nitrates: 20 or less PPM

Nitrates should be kept below 20 ppm. The 40ppm level used to be suggested, but we now know better. As low as possible but not above 20 ppm.

With nitrates, there are two sources. One is the biological system itself, within the aquarium; this is relatively easy to control. But there is also the source water. Have you tested the source (tap) water for nitrate? That is a very different issue with different and somewhat more complicated means of control depending upon the level.

 

[Rhys19]

Nitrates should be kept below 20 ppm. The 40ppm level used to be suggested, but we now know better. As low as possible but not above 20 ppm.

With nitrates, there are two sources. One is the biological system itself, within the aquarium; this is relatively easy to control. But there is also the source water. Have you tested the source (tap) water for nitrate? That is a very different issue with different and somewhat more complicated means of control depending upon the level.

I use well water (My hose) it's not connected to my water softener or heater I'd love to use my water heater so I don't have to wait for the 60*F water to reach tank temp
I'll test my hose water when I get the chance but right now it's muddy because my pressure tank needed to be cleaned out

is there anyway I could use my water softener water? like maybe some kind of chemical I could add in to help it?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

is there anyway I could use my water softener water? like maybe some kind of chemical I could add in to help it?

...And then you'd have to remember to add the same chemical to the water every single time you did a water change and, we all know, that chemicals in the tank are to be avoided.