Massive Ammonia Spike!

[GR2008]

Hi all,

Did my weekly test today & the ammonia result was like off the scale, I immediately did a 50% water change/partial gravel clean & during this I found my little snail had died, is this likely to be the cause of it, I bet it wasnt any bigger than a finger nail?

I added some stress zyme & increased the output of the filter. Fish seem a lot happier now & more active than they were before I did the change.

I re did the test & it has dropped to half what it was, prob between 2 & 4 on the card but Im still concerned obviously, is it likely to drop more with time?

I will obviously do another test tomorrow, should I do another water change or should I add anything to help it lower?

Thanks in advance guys

 

[silverrabbit]

I think you should do another W/C ASAP... Even though the ammonia levels have dropped, they're still terribly high

Check the stats again maybe an hour after water change and post back. If the levels are still not great then keep changing water! How long has your tank been set up?

Hope it all gets sorted out ok.

And oh yeah - wouldn't surprise me about the snail - there was a lump of uneaten mussel (like 2x2mm so small!) in one of my tanks that I hadn't spotted, and I got some dodgy ammonia levels from it.

 

[GR2008]

I think you should do another W/C ASAP... Even though the ammonia levels have dropped, they're still terribly high

Check the stats again maybe an hour after water change and post back. If the levels are still not great then keep changing water! How long has your tank been set up?

Hope it all gets sorted out ok.

And oh yeah - wouldn't surprise me about the snail - there was a lump of uneaten mussel (like 2x2mm so small!) in one of my tanks that I hadn't spotted, and I got some dodgy ammonia levels from it.

Thanks for that, am on it!

 

[GR2008]

Ammonia is still through the roof, have put some carbon filters in to try reduce the mess.

Can anyone suggest anything, I've done water change every other day & still no improvement??

 

[saltynay]

25% water changes every day and do a thorough substrate vaccuum. Perhaps raise the temp to 28-30C so that the bacteria are in optimum conditions to cycle rapidly. I would also think about temporarily rehome anything currently living in there as its not appearing to be a quick fix thing.

 

[silverrabbit]

You could add some Ammo-lock to the tank of you have it where you are. It will convert NH3 to NH4, which is less toxic to the fish, but the bacteria in the filter will still be able to "feed" off the ammonia.

 

[black angel]

what size of tank..what kind of fish and sizes and filter..

usually if the tank hasnt cycled then its normal..but if your tank is more than a couple months old then usually overfeeding or excessive stocking is to blame.

poor filtration too if excessive fish.

fantails you can get away with one for 10 gallons of water then 5 gallons after per fish for each 2 inch body fish..obviously as the fish grows the more room... for goldfish types its about 15 gallons and then 10 per 2 inch of fish.