Sudden Ammonia Problem With New Tank

[Dutchie]

I've had the tank for 3 weeks and I know I should have cycled it first but I simply took the advice of the Pet Store. (don't even get me started).......

Well anyway............test results have been very good over the past 3 weeks except for today..........up until then my rates were:

Ph 7.0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0

That was until yesterday..............Ammonia 1.0 this morning

I did a gravel vac and changed the water 25%...........Ammonia now 1.5 - 2.0 ARGHHH!!!

Phoned Pet Store and they think I might have taken too much water out including good bacteria.
However they did state to try and take out another 10% water which i did....I will now re-measure the Ammonia Lvl it in the morning.....

Everything thing else including Ph, Nitrate, Nitrite was all perfect........

Anyone care to provide advice and feedback please.......

thanks

 

[navy]

Have you got any fish in there?

I'm no expert but IMO your tank is going through a cycle. Whether you intentionally cycle it or not it will cycle on its own accord. My tank is going through the same thing, it is in the cycling process, however it took about 2 weeks for it to get ammonia, I am finally getting high levels of nitrite, which hopefully will turn into nitrate sometime soon. That's what you want to happen.

Oh and vaccuming the gravel was a bad idea as it probably did take what little good bacteria you have established out of the tank and will slow your cycling process. If you are going to do a water change during the cycle it is only recommended to siphon the water out.

I recommend you go to this link: http/faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html it will tell you all about the cycling process.

I hope that helps a bit, I'm a beginner too, but I have read a lot about the stupid nitrogen cycle

Have a read of that link while you await for the "experts" to reply

 

[Miss Wiggle]

they're wrong about you removing bacteria...... it's sessile, it doesn't just live floating around in the water, it attaches itself to things like your filter media, plants, decor etc. you could have removed some fom gravel vaccing but it shouldn't be enough to spark a spike.

remind me how long you've had fish in for and and what you have in there and the size of the tank.

bt most importantly don't panic.... keep doing water tests every day, if you get any reading of ammonia or nitrite that isn't 0 then do a 10% water change that day.

 

[Dutchie]

Miss Wiggle,

Fish as per my sig and tank is 3 weeks..........fish have been in for a fortnight..........

I did'nt know better and took the advice of the Pet store..............
Fish look happy and healthy though..........

 

[Miss Wiggle]

did you do anything aside from the water change and gravel vac that could have triggered it, cleaned the filter for instance? did you add dechlorinator to the water you added from the tank.

It's such a shame so many people get bad advice from fish shops, but your doing all you can now and we'll give you all the help we can with this. So don't worry and blame yourself, you're doing a great job

 

[cane76]

im confused are you sure you have a nitrate reading of 0?even tap water will give you a nitrate reading

 

[Miss Wiggle]

im confused are you sure you have a nitrate reading of 0?even tap water will give you a nitrate reading

not nescessarily..... also plants can absrob nitrates so you can theoretically end up with nitrates in the tap water but not in the tank.... not saying this is the case here but it can happen!

 

[cane76]

but it takes a fully planted tank to have 0 nitrates
apart from that he should have a reading shouldnt he?a non planted tank will allways have nitrate being the end result of the breakdown proccess?

 

[Dutchie]

Navy,

I've looked at the site you sent through but have a question for anyone to answer.......

The site says at a temperature of 25C and with my Ph level being 7.0 does that mean my safe Ammonia lvl of 2.0 is within the limit of 3.6

 

[Miss Wiggle]

but it takes a fully planted tank to have 0 nitrates
apart from that he should have a reading shouldnt he?a non planted tank will allways have nitrate being the end result of the breakdown proccess?

also depends on the water source though doesn't it. some have much more nitrates than others, don't know if anywhere has 0.

anyway i'm not disputing the 0 nitrates looks suspiscious, i must admit i completely missed that when i read it.

dutchie, what test kit are you using.... some are better than others and nitrate tests are the most awkward so it could be a dodgy reading.

Navy,

I've looked at the site you sent through but have a question for anyone to answer.......

The site says at a temperature of 25C and with my Ph level being 7.0 does that mean my safe Ammonia lvl of 2.0 is within the limit of 3.6

not seen that site before..... i'd dispute that though. no level of ammonia should be considered 'safe' IMO.

 

[cane76]

id get a new test kit and retest everything
miss wiggle lets say his nitrates are 0 out of the tap,since the nitrite reading is also 0 wouldnt that indicate they are being converted into nitrates?so he should still be getting a nitrate reading shouldnt he?
just to add i am asking you this not telling you

 

[Dutchie]

I'm using Freshwater Master Test Kit from API..........I'm about to test the water again..............its been 12 hours since my last one.

I dont normally check every 12 hours.but just to post the results again......

Back in 10........

 

[Miss Wiggle]

that's a good start you've got a reasonably decent test kit!

 

[Dutchie]

O'K.............same results again.....

Ph 7.0
Ammonia 2.0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

So back to my original question, should I have done a gravel vac when Ammonia was 1.0?
Now do I feed my pals today but only minimal food?
Wait a day and do another 10% water change?

Help...........or is my tank cycling and all is reasonalby O'K and leave it 3 or 4 days?

id get a new test kit and retest everything
miss wiggle lets say his nitrates are 0 out of the tap,since the nitrite reading is also 0 wouldnt that indicate they are being converted into nitrates?so he should still be getting a nitrate reading shouldnt he?
just to add i am asking you this not telling you

Very good point.....so my Ammonia is all thats out at the moment??

 

[fenwoman]

I've had the tank for 3 weeks and I know I should have cycled it first but I simply took the advice of the Pet Store. (don't even get me started).......

Well anyway............test results have been very good over the past 3 weeks except for today..........up until then my rates were:

Ph 7.0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0

That was until yesterday..............Ammonia 1.0 this morning

I did a gravel vac and changed the water 25%...........Ammonia now 1.5 - 2.0 ARGHHH!!!

Phoned Pet Store and they think I might have taken too much water out including good bacteria.
However they did state to try and take out another 10% water which i did....I will now re-measure the Ammonia Lvl it in the morning.....

Everything thing else including Ph, Nitrate, Nitrite was all perfect........

Anyone care to provide advice and feedback please.......

thanks

Might be worth mentioning which lfs it is so that other newbies can avoid them since they give such bad advice?