Help Save My Tank!

[windy713]

i have a 46 gal. freshwater w/some barbs, a docile angelfish, a peacock eel, 2 corys, 2 fiddler crabs. (are fire eels compatible?) the problem is amonia level is extremely toxic. ive done water changes, added ammo chips, added ammo-lock and its still reading at about 4.0. what can i do to safely bring it down safely? thanx!!

 

[karlp]

I would suggest:

Today do at least a 50% water change or at most a 75% water change to get the Ammonia level down some. It will rise again becuase the nitrogen cycle has not been established and the fish produce Ammonia as waste.

If you can get hold of Bio-Spira (not sure where you're based, it's available in the US easily), get hold of some and treat your tank / filter with it. It has the live bacteria to cycle the tank (note, none of the other off the shelf bacteria additives seem to be effective, bio-spira is kept refrigerated because the bacteria are live).

If you can't get hold of Bio-Spira then try to get hold of some mature filter media from a friend or shop and put this inside your filtration unit (make sure you don't clean the mature filter media). This would have the bacteria you need on it and will help to shorten the nitrogen cycle setup

And / Or...

If all else fails. You will have to do larger water changes every time the Ammonia spikes, to keep it at low levels until both the Ammonia and nitrite have reached zero.

In any event if you add mature filter media or Bio-Spira you will still need to monitor Ammonia and Nitrite and do larger water changes if you get a spike.