Persistant Ammonia

[Fintastic!]

Hi guys, I can't seem to get my ammonia level down. It's .25ppm for the last couple of weeks. I've done many water changes and I'm minus my original 4 danios, 1 dalmation molly and yesterday my kissing gourami. I have a 10 gal hex now with 2 corys, 1 molly and 3 platys left. Would you recommend Ammo-lock? Thanks!

 

[Miles_hot]

When you say that you've done many water changes etc how many, how much and how often? Getting the ammonia down is a simple mechanical thing (for each change at least) - if it is sitting at 1.0 ppm and you do a 50% water change it will drop to 0.5ppm etc. This does mean that sometimes your water changes need to be fairly drastic. Remember that you can remove a lot of water at once - the minimum level in the tank is the hight of the tallest fish - so that they can all still swim around upright. If this isn't enough to get the ammonia levels down to 0 / 0.25 then re-fil, run the filter for a while and then do another water change. In this way it is possible to basically refresh all the water in the system (there is a surprising amount which is left in the substrate / pipes / filter etc.

You should be able to get the ammonia down to 0.25 or 0 each time you do a water change. You should be expecting to do a water change each day with the fish in cycle. It will take time (possibly longer than with a fishless cycle) to get the bacteria in the filter up to the correct level however it is inevitable you will get there! Just remember to temp match the water that you're putting in and to keep up with the water changes. Once you're on top of the levels you should not have to mess around doing 100% water changes too often!

I wouldn't use Ammo Lock as that also locks it way from the bacteria meaning that you're running to stand still in terms of cycling your filter!

Good luck

Miles

 

[Geoff-]

How are you testing?

My API master kit (liquid test kit) consistently shows 0.25ppm ammonia when I know I have none. I just ignore it now, if it says 0.25 then I don't worry. Any higher, then worry!

API master kits doing this is a known problem in certain batches, which is unfortunate as they are otherwise quite good.

 

[Dav]

How are you testing?

My API master kit (liquid test kit) consistently shows 0.25ppm ammonia when I know I have none. I just ignore it now, if it says 0.25 then I don't worry. Any higher, then worry!

API master kits doing this is a known problem in certain batches, which is unfortunate as they are otherwise quite good.

My master kit does the same always shows me 0.25ppm, used to bug me so bad I used a friends kit and my tank shows 0ppm must just be a bad batch

 

[BigbruiserAl]

I got 3 API from 3 different places they all show 0.25ppm after tanks that have been running over a year. Got a salifert kit, spot on results every time. I would rather let the cat drink from the fish tank and use google translate to find the ammonia ppm then use API again to give you an idea lol

 

[Dav]

I got 3 API from 3 different places they all show 0.25ppm after tanks that have been running over a year. Got a salifert kit, spot on results every time. I would rather let the cat drink from the fish tank and use google translate to find the ammonia ppm then use API again to give you an idea lol

Think I need to get salifert kit

 

[Jinty McGinty]

I got 3 API from 3 different places they all show 0.25ppm after tanks that have been running over a year. Got a salifert kit, spot on results every time. I would rather let the cat drink from the fish tank and use google translate to find the ammonia ppm then use API again to give you an idea lol

Funny you say that, my kittens have a love of drinking from the tank............must be clean enough for them?

 

[Fintastic!]

Thanks for your reply's guys! Miles, I've been doing large water changes. It must be the API kit as that's what I've been using. I'll see if I can get my hands on a Salifert kit.

Sorry, meant replies!