Just call me Ignorant

[MamaPish]

This Ammonia thing is driving me nuts........
Just call me ignorant....
I have read all the post...differences of opinions, etc......and I am having MAJOR ammonia spikes, and I Still don't understand why, or what to do about it.
I checked the ammonia last night...it went off the charts......my test reads to 7.0,
so I did a 50% water change at midnight, about an hour later checked it....it was about 2.0-3.0, well 12 hours later it is back....off the charts again.

I used Fritz ammonia remover last night when replacing water......I have discontinued feeding for now.
The bottle says "Ammonia test kits using salicylate reagents should be used to test ammonia levels when using this product"
I am not sure what kind I have....doesn't say on bottle.
I think someone posted I may be getting false readings....could this be possible?
Fish are still acting fine, all other water tests perfect.
Should I do another water change?

I set up two 10 gals yesterday, that I picked up from the LFS going out of Biz......they were running yesterday at the shop when I got there...I asked them to leave some water in....they only left a little with the gravel....but I got them home and set them up, and the water test perfect on them now.
Should I transfer my smaller angels and corys over to the 10 gals till my large tank's ammonia clears up, or would the move be just as stressful on them?

I will have to leave my 6 adult angels in the large tank

I haven't set up the 29 gal yet....it was used as salt water, so I have to clean it and start over with it.

 

[catman]

If you use ammonia rmover then it removes the ammonia by converting it into something else.
Most ammonia kits will still read ammonia!

Best bet is to perform 30% water changes everyday (with dechlorinated water) for a week. Also add carbon to help remove the chemicals you added.

At that level, if there was ammonia, it would kill the fish leaving scorch marks on the skin..

Out of interest, what are your nitIte and nitrAte readings?

How long has your tank been setup?

 

[MamaPish]

Thanks Catman
I found this article helpful and it backs up what you just said.....I used ammo-lock the other day when I did a 50% water change.....and used the Fritz ammonia remover last night

Ammo-Lock...how it works

This is the same company that makes the ammonia test kit I am using.

nitrate 5
nitrite 0
I have had my take setup for 9 weeks now.
Thanks

 

[MamaPish]

Just found this site on the Fritz Ammonia Remover, very informative....

Fritz Ammonia Remover

I am still unsure if I am going through a "Mini-cycle" like some have suggested, or why I am having the ammonia spikes.
If it is a tank cycle, it says I am only delaying the cycling process by adding this product.....

If it is a cycle...shouldn't I be having high nitrites and nitrates too?

 

[MamaPish]

pH dropping must be contagious.....mine just went from a steady 7.0 down to a 6.5.......................when will it end!!!

 

[sgtbirch]

Yes your tank is in a mini cycle. This is absolutley true. This is the reason the ph is dropping. plus the additives locking up the ammonia. Ive been doing some reaserch on the chemical reactions for cycling tanks. I will posta detail in the comming days but for right know you have to trust me. Youll need to continue with frequent small water changes be carefull not to let the bio wheel dry out(you do have one dont you) If you dont go get one this could stop your tank from doing this in the future it oxygenates the water plus gives the bacteria a place to live the combonation of these 2 things makes your biological filter work 250 times better. Right now I would cut way way back on feeding ( go a couple days fast if you can. If not feed very very little food. Give the bacteria a chance to start taking care of the ammonia on it own. still do small frequent water changes so you dont overload them. The bacteria needed takes a while to grow. You will probably start to see a couple of nitrite spikes as long as thier not too high its a good thing. Then things will start to level out. Hope that helps.
Your tank was young did something happen recently to set the whole thing off? couple of thing could have happened. You cleaned your gravel and other decor in your tank too well. Or you added some fish or medicine that harmed your bacteria farm.

hth
steve

 

[reg2k2]

Nitrites, nitrates come after the ammonia breaks down...it can't do that with the large wc's you've been doing.
re: false readings, yes, I've heard the same of another brand. Did the Fritz link recommend a test kit to use for an accurate reading?

 

[catman]

If it is a miny cycle, by adding ammo lock u are stopping the cycle, and therefore will not get nitrites or nitrates.

A cycle works as follows.. (hope i am not offending u with this if you already know it!)

Fish produce waste (ammonia)
The bacteria that developes in ur filter breaks the ammonia into nitrite.

Another bacteria breaks the nitrite into nitrAte.

The nitrAte is removed by water changes.

If you remove the ammonia, then the bacteria to change it into nitrite cannot develope..

My advise would be to stop adding ammo lock, add bio life to kick start the cycle, and perform miny water changes.

 

[MamaPish]

Your tank was young did something happen recently to set the whole thing off? couple of thing could have happened. You cleaned your gravel and other decor in your tank too well. Or you added some fish or medicine that harmed your bacteria farm.

Basically all the above!

My fish are starting to show signs of stress this morning......was gone all day yesterday.......last water change was 2 days ago....don't know when I will get 2 it today......

I have 2 10's set up and cycled............should I put angelfish in these till I get the big tank under control....I know the tanks aren't big enough for angels....but wouldn't it be better for them to be a bit crowed in a cycled tank......or going through all the illnesses and medication treatments from the shock of my large tank?
all of my other fish are pretty hardy, they should be fine in the big tank.
Thanks

 

[CFC]

If you have other tanks set up by all means transfer fish out of the uncycled tank,a short spell in a smaller tank will do them no harm where as prolonged exposure to ammonia can do serious long term damage.

 

[MamaPish]

ok.............I have all my angels floating in their new "small" hotel rooms,
The pH in the large tank was @6.4......in the small tanks it is @ 7.0, so I am gradulally adding tank water to the bags.....
I will have 5 quarter size to adults in one 10 gal........and 6 nickle size to adults in the other.

I just have 1 placo, 5corys and feeder guppies left in the large tank.......
I did a small 20% water change before I bagged up the angels, and will continue to do small water changes daily till all is well.
Still no nitrates or nitrites......how long will it take for this 9 week old tank to get through this "mini-cycle"?

 

[sgtbirch]

mama
If youve gotten 2 ten gallon tanks setup and cycled. Take some gravel from each and add it to the uncycled tank this will speed it along dramatically as you will be planting a bacteria seed. be careful not to remove too much gravel as your newly cycled tanks are a little delicate if these are the first fish that have inhabited them. If you can afford 10 percent gravel from each tank it will make a big difference. Also you can take the filters in your cycled tank and put them in the filter of the other this will also speed things along.

hth

 

[MamaPish]

mama
If youve gotten 2 ten gallon tanks setup and cycled. Take some gravel from each and add it to the uncycled tank this will speed it along dramatically as you will be planting a bacteria seed. be careful not to remove too much gravel as your newly cycled tanks are a little delicate if these are the first fish that have inhabited them. If you can afford 10 percent gravel from each tank it will make a big difference. Also you can take the filters in your cycled tank and put them in the filter of the other this will also speed things along.

hth

I was wondering about transferring some of the gravel, these 10 gallons came from a fish shop that just went out of business....they were used in the store to hold fish for sale....after they removed the fish and drained them...leaving some water in (just enough to cover gravel) I had them home and water back in them within about 2 hrs.
They had no carbon filters in the UGF, so I added new ones after the tanks had been running a couple of days.

Do you think I could use more than 10% of the gravel from each?

Thanks so much for the help....I am understanding where I went wrong now. )

 

[sgtbirch]

oh fish tank store. I know they have a habit of not siphoning thier gavel mostly cause they run several tanks off a sump and that gives them an instant water change. You should be fine. the bacteria should be swarming in those tanks. Yes you can probably get away with using more gravel than 10 percent. Also when doing water changes to you 10's take the water and add equal amounts of tap water to it and add it to the big tank. You will cycle the big one pronto.!!!

 

[MamaPish]

I am all over it..........thanks a bunch!