Still Getting Very High Ammonia Levels

[ssmith24]

The last 3 days I have been doing daily water changes to reduce the ammonia levels (2), but have had no luck. As I mentioned before, I removed 2 plecos from my pond as the colder water would have been fatal and added them to an uncycled tank.

Tank 55g. temp 79, PH 6.8 Ammonina 2, Nitrite 0 to.25, Nitrate 5
10% Water change 3 days ago, 25% water change the last 2 days.

I've added ammo-lock to help with the ammonia. I've also been added Cycle, which I've heard both positive and negative reviews. I've checked the level of ammonia coming out of the tap - 0.

Should I make more larger water changes? How about feeding?

Help

 

[rdd1952]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

If you are using Ammo-loc, your ammonia test readings won't be valid. If I am correct, Ammo-loc "locks" the ammonia into a non-toxic form. There is still ammonia present so your test results will still be positive even though the ammonia isn't harmful. I'm not a big advocate of chemicals though. I would suggest uping the water changes to 25 to 30 percent and maybe even twice daily until the tank cycles and stop using both the ammo-loc and cycle. Cycle for sure is useless. And I believe it actually does contain ammonia too which is supposed to have kept the bacteria in the bottle fed over the months it's been in there. How big are the plecos? Another way to lower the ammonia is to cut back on how much and how often you feed them. Less food equals less waste. They can easily go a week or 2 without food. Just give small amounts every few days.

 

[ssmith24]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

If you are using Ammo-loc, your ammonia test readings won't be valid. If I am correct, Ammo-loc "locks" the ammonia into a non-toxic form. There is still ammonia present so your test results will still be positive even though the ammonia isn't harmful. I'm not a big advocate of chemicals though. I would suggest uping the water changes to 25 to 30 percent and maybe even twice daily until the tank cycles and stop using both the ammo-loc and cycle. Cycle for sure is useless. And I believe it actually does contain ammonia too which is supposed to have kept the bacteria in the bottle fed over the months it's been in there. How big are the plecos? Another way to lower the ammonia is to cut back on how much and how often you feed them. Less food equals less waste. They can easily go a week or 2 without food. Just give small amounts every few days.

Both plecos are a good size. I'm estimating the larger is 8" nose to tail end and the smaller one, at least 6". So yes, there is a lot of waste. Both seem to be doing good, I've been feeding them zucchini or an algae tab or two. They are both "nice and fat" from the days in the pond, so I think it'll be okay to reduce their food. BTW, when I bought them in April, they both were only 2 1/2 to 3 inches.

I was / am confused about the ammonia. I thought that lock would convert to non-toxic form but would disapate with water changes. It makes sense that I'm still getting elevated readings if the Cycle contains ammonia as well. So, I'll stop both and just increase water changes.

 

[rdd1952]

I was / am confused about the ammonia. I thought that lock would convert to non-toxic form but would disapate with water changes. It makes sense that I'm still getting elevated readings if the Cycle contains ammonia as well. So, I'll stop both and just increase water changes.

You are right about ammo-loc converting to non-toxic and then it disipating. It just isn't going away as fast as they are producing it. If you want to continue with teh ammo-loc, it certainly won't hurt anything. You will continue to get positive readings on your tests. I don't like that because I'm never really sure if the ammonia that is showing is toxic or not. One other item about ammonia. It becomes more toxic as pH increases. So an ammonia reading (toxic type) of 1.0 is far more dangerous in water with a pH of 7.5 or more than it is in acidic water of 6.5 or less. As a matter of fact, ammonia will be converted naturally to ammonium (completely non-toxic) when the pH level gets near or below about 6.0.

 

[ssmith24]

It's getting worse. I came home today, water is cloudy. Ph down from 6.8 to 6. Ammonia is up to 4. I changed about 25% water with no impact on ammonia.

Can I do another change today? Maybe another 25%?

What about Ph? Should I leave it at 6 or try to get it up? I know ammonia is less toxic at lower ph levels

Thanks

 

[rdd1952]

Under the circumstances, I wouldn't be overly concerned about the pH right now. The pH in a cycling tank can jump all over the place. And as you say, ammonia is less toxic at the lower pH level. You can do another water change. Some people do 2 a day during a cycle with fish.

You should also PM a mod (look on the main page at the bottom and the ones in blue are mods) and get them to move this to the Emergency section or maybe the Beginners section (they will decide which is better). You will get more responses there as not many people visit the Newbies section (although they should to welcome the newbies).

 

[menickb]

I have a 75 litre tank with 1 plec 1 humbug catfish 3 black widows and 3 mollies the problem is that i have high ammonia nitate nitrite levels the tank with fish belonged to a friend who just used to feed them an thats it i had the tank and fish off him and i bought a test kit and water treatment and everything else i needed i used the test kit and found high levels in everything and i cant get them down i have a under gravel filter a 12'' airstone and a fluval 3+ internal filter i cleaned the filter in tank water witch i took out of the tank to keep the bactiria in the membrane i have done two 50% water changes in the past 3 days and hovered the gravel i have no live plants or rocks i cant get the levels down p.h is 7 and the temp is 25 degres and i havent fed them for the past 2 days its not a new tank its well established never been completely emptyd the fish are quit happy and active but i worry about the levels as they can be toxic hany help would be appreciated