Using Ammonia Remover With Fry ?

[Rio]

I've been trying to get the Ammonia down in my tank. I've been doing water changes but had to treat for white spot for 7 days.
The 7 days were up Friday so I did a 30% water change. Changed 10% water yesterday but can't get the Ammonia down. It's been at 0.25ppm for about two weeks.

No I did not cycle my tank before gettng fish. Stupid me believed the guy at the shop and that add the bacteria solution for a week and then slowly introduce fish would be ok. I now realise that it's not.

Woke up this morning, going to dose my tank with Interpet Ammonia remover, to try and help, and discovered a baby guppy in the tank. Totally by surprise because I didn't think they would breed with the water at this quality.

So, can I use the Ammonia remover with the fry ? I've looked at the instructions but it doesn't say anything.

I've looked for causes of the Ammonia and believe it's because my tank wasn't cycled properly.
I feed a small amount once per day.
We did have 3 fish deaths two weeks ago, 5 hours after I got the fish, they had white spot. Took them back and the tank was ok. Was told not to treat the tank for white spot.

I also lost a Dalmatian mollie male on Friday. My black male mollie had been bullying him, and when I found my dalmatian mollie, he was dead under a rock.
Everyone else seems fine.

PH = 7.6
Ammonia = 0.25ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = 0ppm

Also, whats best to feed this fry ? I haven't got any food but flake because I honestly didn't think they would breed so quickly or with this water quality.
Any advice ?
Thank you in advance.

 

[Rio]

Just tested the water straight from the tap.

PH = 7.2
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 5

I'm guessing this is what my tank should be ?

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, you want your tank to have 0 ammonia and nitrite at all times.

I wouldn't use an ammonia remover myself; just do large water changes to keep the ammonia from going over 0.25ppm.

 

[Rio]

Thank you for your advice

Would 20% a day be ok ?

 

[fluttermoth]

It depends how quickly the ammonia rises. You want to be doing enough water changes so the ammonia doesn't go above 0.25ppm before your next change. 20% might be enough, but I'd be doing more like 50 or 60%.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Personally I would use a dechlorinator (if it's one like Prime), not just because of the added safety margin of detoxifying the ammonia produced by the fry, but also because it will detoxify any heavy metals in the supply which can affect both the fry and the filter bacteria.

And, of course, if there's chlorine or chloramines in the supply you must use a dechlorinator.

 

[AshP1986]

There is fry food available, its like a powder. However, you can grind up your flake food and it will eat that. Most likely the momma was preggers when you bought her and the stress from the trip home and tank change made her drop her fry. There were/are likely more than one and either the adult fish ate them, they died, or they are hiding. Some people use a breeding net and place the mom in when she is about to drop her fry or put the fry in after they are born, others set up a separate tank for the fry. I have a separate tank set up for my fry and use a turkey baster to transfer them over. I'm pretty sure 3 of my guppies dropped fry over the weekend and I only found 3, so either they were lunch, they are still hiding, or the filter got them . Guppies can drop 20-50 babies at one time.

 

[Rio]

Thank you all for your advice

I think the fry is actually a Mollie ! I think it's too big to be a guppy.

I've been doing 30% water changes for the last three days.

Yesterday's readings were a little whack.

PH = 7.6
Ammonia = 0.50
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0

Today's reading
PH = 7.6
Ammonia = 0.25
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0

So my readings are going in the right direction because I am getting a nitrate reading now, is that correct ?

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Depending on which part of Wales you are living in, i will happily put some mature ceramic noodle media in the post for you? Please feel free to PM me.

Terry.

 

[Rio]

Ok, so I've been doing water changes over the last few days.

First I did 30% for 4 days but for the last three days, I've been doing 50% water changes.

Latest readings are

PH= 7.8
Ammonia = 0.25ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = 5.0ppm

The PH, I had been using the one test which only goes up to 7.6 and stupid me thought it was 7.6. Did the higher PH test today and it's reading 7.8. It could have been like that for a while but because I didn't test it for higher PH, I'm not sure.

I'm using Nutrafin Aqua Plus and Cycle. I've also been using Nutrafin Waste control. Neither of these would be cancelling each other out would it ?

The fish seem fine to me, still eating and the fry is getting bigger every day. Just don't seem to be getting anywhere.
Would it be better to try and get the PH down or sort the ammonia out first ?
Also, are my Mollies and guppies alright with 7.8 PH ?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[AshP1986]

A higher ph is fine for mollies and guppies. What you really want is to make sure that the ph is stable.

 

[Rio]

I don't know what is going on now.

Today's readings

PH = 7.6
Higher PH = 8.0
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = 5 ppm

It may be possible that the PH was 8.0 yesterday as I was reading the results in artifical light but read today's results outside.

I've now had 0.25ppm Ammonia in my tank for a month. LFS said this is normal because the tank is cycling, but couldn't say why the PH has changed.

Also was told different information.

I'm using Nutrafin Aqua Plus, Cycle and Waste control.

With the Aqua plus, I've just been adding it to the new water, to get rid of the chlorine. But he told me I should be adding it to the whole tank. So instead of dosing the 85 litres of new water, I should be dosing 170 litres.
With the cycle I was doing the same thing, just dosing the new water but he told me that's wrong and I should be dosing the whole tank. I've been dosing the whole tank with the waste control.

Anyone use this brand or have any advice on what is correct ?