High Ammonia

[John2007]

I need some help again please, I introduced 6 cherry barbs to my aquarium on Monday after cycling the aquarium and making sure the water was right before I introduced the fish, however, I tested the water about 30 mins ago and the ammonia reading is very high as is the nitrite reading, I've immediately done a 35% water change but what else can I do to drastically reduce this high ammonia and nitrite reading?

I don't want to lose my new fish

 

[lordotterby]

Nitrite will diminish as the filter pads fill up with waste, after about 6 weeks i think it will be at the right level.

As for Ammonia, i don't know and i really need to get a tester kit for it.

 

[John2007]

Nitrite will diminish as the filter pads fill up with waste, after about 6 weeks i think it will be at the right level.

As for Ammonia, i don't know and i really need to get a tester kit for it.

My mistake, very high nitrite and very high nitrate I mean't, so confusing

The water change has helped but they are both reading very high still.

Forgot to add it's a Tetra Test Strip, 5 in 1 - tests for Nitrite, Nitrate, General Hardness, Carbonate Hardness and PH.

 

[Majjie]

When you say you cycled the aquarium before adding the fish - what exactly did you do? Doesn't sound as if it was fully cycled.

Unless you've got somewhere else you can keep the fish (i.e another cycled tank) or you take them back to the lfs, you have no option but to keep changing some of the water - you could also try one of the ammonia removing preparations like Ammo Lock or Amquel. They're supposed to hold the ammonia in a non toxic form - which the filter bugs can still use - but which isn't toxic to fish. They can't cope with very high levels though.

Good Luck.

 

[lordotterby]

I have a simular 5 in 1 testing strip, and i've not had any problems with them. Can't remember which is which at the moment, but one needs to 40 and the other 0. This both comes with mature tanks, little water changes can bring it down to 40. 0 will come with age, you could probably put some tank starter stuff in to help it down a bit.

 

[Majjie]

The test strips aren't actually very accurate. You'd be much better off with a liquid test kit. I believe API do one called a master test kit (or something similar) which has all the tests you need.

 

[John2007]

When you say you cycled the aquarium before adding the fish - what exactly did you do? Doesn't sound as if it was fully cycled.

I conditioned the water, added 2 capsules of bactozym to the aquarium, left the filter and heater (running slightly warmer than normal) running for approx 2 weeks (11 days I think) tested the water and everything seemed fine, added the fish and the nitrite levels have sky-rocketed as have the nitrate levels. I also added something called safestart before the fish were added to increase the chances of good bacteria on the filter.

 

[Elsha]

I conditioned the water, added 2 capsules of bactozym to the aquarium, left the filter and heater (running slightly warmer than normal) running for approx 2 weeks (11 days I think) tested the water and everything seemed fine, added the fish and the nitrite levels have sky-rocketed as have the nitrate levels. I also added something called safestart before the fish were added to increase the chances of good bacteria on the filter.

Did you add any ammonia sources (pure ammonia, fish food, that sort of thing)? Without ammonia to feed on none of the good bacteria will grow. It's only cycled if you see a rise and fall in ammonia and then nitrite. If the readings stayed at 0 the entire time, it didn't cycle.

 

[John2007]

Did you add any ammonia sources (pure ammonia, fish food, that sort of thing)? Without ammonia to feed on none of the good bacteria will grow. It's only cycled if you see a rise and fall in ammonia and then nitrite. If the readings stayed at 0 the entire time, it didn't cycle.

Yes I did, fish food which I read had to be added to stop the bacteria from dying. 1 pinch per day for the full 11 days then added the safestart, then added the fish approx 2 hours later.

I've just done another test and the nitrite level is dropping slowly, hopefully the water change has helped, I'll do a 20% water change daily I think until it's much lower.

 

[Majjie]

Bactozyme - I think - just breaks down the food you add to make it easier for the bacteria to use. The Safestart should have contained the bacteria to break down the ammonia and nitrite.

I've never used either but quite a few people have used Safestart successfully. I don't know what went wrong in your case - but the bacteria obviously hadn't developed well enough to cope with the fish.

 

[John2007]

Bactozyme - I think - just breaks down the food you add to make it easier for the bacteria to use. The Safestart should have contained the bacteria to break down the ammonia and nitrite.

I've never used either but quite a few people have used Safestart successfully. I don't know what went wrong in your case - but the bacteria obviously hadn't developed well enough to cope with the fish.

Just an update, the water changes were needed, both levels are now dropping and the fish have actually started playing so that's a great sign, thanks for the help

I'm also investing in a water test kit rather than the strips for future use,