Ammonia!!! Ahhh lol

[lbirath001]

I have a 60 gallon cichlid tank. Because of the LFS direction (very sarcastically saying that) I am doing a fish in cycle.

Ok so I took water samples this morning and forgot to test it. Yea I was tired. I got home this evening and did the test on the water. It was:
Ph: 6.8
Ammonia 0!!!!
Nitrite .5
Nitrate 5.0
I couldn't believe it!!! I did another ammonia test on the water now and it's .5

Anyone know what's going on??? I got so excited and got brought back down 5 mins later....

Oh and I am currently trying to fix an ich problem. Talk about bad luck....

 

[Mebbid]

The ammonia rise could have come from anything. Food just tarting to decay, increased fish waste due to eating, or anything like that. It's normal and happens, just a good thing that you managed to get it to drop to 0

How are you treating your ich?

 

[lbirath001]

The ammonia rise could have come from anything. Food just tarting to decay, increased fish waste due to eating, or anything like that. It's normal and happens, just a good thing that you managed to get it to drop to 0

How are you treating your ich?

It's the 1st time it's been at 0. It was weird because u was just waiting for it to turn green.

I am trying a natural way 1st. HEAT I am slowly increasing the temp to 86 degrees.

 

[Mebbid]

Good plan, especially for cichlids. What kinds do you have so far?

 

[lbirath001]

Good plan, especially for cichlids. What kinds do you have so far?

Jack Dempsey. Blood parrot. Red snook. (Snook doesn't look to good) Oscar. Pleco.

 

[Mebbid]

Whew. Thems some big ones.

 

[lbirath001]

Ok again I do a test and the water test for .25 ammonia last night. I took another sample right after that test and let it sit 12 hours and it tests at 0 ammonia.... What's going on I'm so confused.

 

[Mebbid]

Free floating bacteria in the water column consuming enough ammonia to make it undetectable would be my best guess.

 

[bud29]

Free floating bacteria in the water column consuming enough ammonia to make it undetectable would be my best guess.

There is very little free-floating nitrifying bacteria in the water column. The VAST majority is colonized on surfaces. My guess in this situation is that it is just a fluctuation between .25 and .5, as detecting the difference between .25 and 0 and .25 and .5 can be very hard. Regardless, I do recommend doing water changes to get your ammonia and nitrites to stay at or below .25.

 

[lbirath001]

Current parameters

 

[lbirath001]

Today's parameters and my parameters spiking. What to make of these.... Hmmmm

 

[Mebbid]

Those pH swings are massive and combined with the high ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates then you are asking for trouble.

I would do multiple large water changes followed by the addition of something to buffer your water to prevent the pH swings.

 

[lbirath001]

Current parameters are

Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 5
Nitrate 40

 

[lbirath001]

So I did my test this morning and it tested at:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 2.5
Ph 6.8

Yay!!!!!