Ammonia + ammo lock

[ScaredClownLoach]

Hey, recently I had to restart my fish cycle again. After a store owner told me to throw a whole 1k bag of salt in a 55gal tank, lost a couple of fish. With all of them up the top gasping for air. Was for ick treatment apparently, but he's salt dosage must have been way off.

Anyway, flushed the tank and restarted my cycle. Was doing good with the old cycle with nitrates at 10, with little ammonia. So 2 weeks into my cycle now, I've experienced a real problem with ammonia. I purchased ammo lock a few days ago, I decided to use a it because I was flat out the last couple of days. Caught up on water changed was doing 2x 40% water changes a day + cleaned half the gravel. Did another water change the next day and today did another. Still getting the same reading.

Is this because of the ammo lock? What kind of reading does ammo lock give? Mine is saying 1-2ppm .I've done a head count with the fish all there, all happy. Nothings rotting. Now I feel like i'm stuck because i'm scared to stop using ammo lock just incase the reading is true.. I know it gives a false reading, but I just don't want any of the fish to die just because I assume to ammonias gone, if you get me :S. 2 weeks into my last cycle was so different compared to this cycle. I was seeing low ammonia and nitrites and even got 10 nitrates in the first 2 weeks. This time I'm just seeing Ammonia with no progression past it


Fish list

15 tetras 3 cardinals 10 neons
4 guppys
4 baby bala sharks ( yes I'm aware of how big they get)


Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[Aquamandan]

Good post, I am experience the same thing. My ammo is between 1-2 ppm and I cannot get it down. I did the Ammo Lock thing and then dropped in the ammo tablets made by Tetra a few days later.

 

[Jantaris]

Oh no!!!
I'm afraid I can't help you with the ammo questions as I haven't used those products or had too much of an issue thus far.
I do want to comment on aquarium salt in case you ever have reason to use again. You should be treating one tbsp for every 5 gallons or so, max. I can't believe someone would say to you throw a whole kilo in! That is just insane and irresponsible on the part of the person who gave you that information.
I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you. I hope everything works out for you and your fish.

 

[Jantaris]

Hey, recently I had to restart my fish cycle again. After a store owner told me to throw a whole 1k bag of salt in a 55gal tank, lost a couple of fish. With all of them up the top gasping for air. Was for ick treatment apparently, but he's salt dosage must have been way off.

Anyway, flushed the tank and restarted my cycle. Was doing good with the old cycle with nitrates at 10, with little ammonia. So 2 weeks into my cycle now, I've experienced a real problem with ammonia. I purchased ammo lock a few days ago, I decided to use a it because I was flat out the last couple of days. Caught up on water changed was doing 2x 40% water changes a day + cleaned half the gravel. Did another water change the next day and today did another. Still getting the same reading.

Is this because of the ammo lock? What kind of reading does ammo lock give? Mine is saying 1-2ppm .I've done a head count with the fish all there, all happy. Nothings rotting. Now I feel like i'm stuck because i'm scared to stop using ammo lock just incase the reading is true.. I know it gives a false reading, but I just don't want any of the fish to die just because I assume to ammonias gone, if you get me :S. 2 weeks into my last cycle was so different compared to this cycle. I was seeing low ammonia and nitrites and even got 10 nitrates in the first 2 weeks. This time I'm just seeing Ammonia with no progression past it

Fish list

15 tetras 3 cardinals 10 neons
4 guppys
4 baby bala sharks ( yes I'm aware of how big they get)

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

Just re-reading your post here. So, you're two weeks into the cycle. I'm wondering if you're seeing the ammonia spike is all??? Have you seen any nitrite readings at all.?You'll have your ammonia readings, with a gradual spike in ammonia, and then that will fall and the nitrites will come in, spike, and then fall, and then the nitrates will come in. I don't know but I think this is just your tank's natural cycle at this point. I'd be curious to see what others say but I think you'd be best off to let the tank settle into the cycle and discontinue the ammo lock use at this point. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two to fully cycle and you may not get the same cycle reaction as you did first time around.

 

[Jantaris]

Just re-reading your post here. So, you're two weeks into the cycle. I'm wondering if you're seeing the ammonia spike is all??? Have you seen any nitrite readings at all.?You'll have your ammonia readings, with a gradual spike in ammonia, and then that will fall and the nitrites will come in, spike, and then fall, and then the nitrates will come in. I don't know but I think this is just your tank's natural cycle at this point. I'd be curious to see what others say but I think you'd be best off to let the tank settle into the cycle and discontinue the ammo lock use at this point. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two to fully cycle and you may not get the same cycle reaction as you did first time around.

I'm actually wondering, too, if you may be overdoing it on water changes. Water changes are important but so is building up your beneficial bacteria. I could be wrong on all this but I think slow down a bit on Wc and on vacuuming.

 

[Aquamandan]

I'm actually wondering, too, if you may be overdoing it on water changes. Water changes are important but so is building up your beneficial bacteria. I could be wrong on all this but I think slow down a bit on Wc and on vacuuming.

You bring up a good point. I've noticed several posters on here (who are certainly more experienced and knowledgable than myself) who advise on doing 50% water changes and then another 50% change if the ammonia is still above 0. That seems like its too much water beiing changed in a very short period of time, but I am no expert.

 

[Jantaris]

You bring up a good point. I've noticed several posters on here (who are certainly more experienced and knowledgable than myself) who advise on doing 50% water changes and then another 50% change if the ammonia is still above 0. That seems like its too much water beiing changed in a very short period of time, but I am no expert.

Yes, I think Wc is very important but letting the tank mature is as well and too much Wc isn't necessarily good.
And, if in mid-cycle, the word to use is patience. It takes time for ammo levels to get to 0. Then more time to get nitrites up and then to zero. Since this is in the middle of a cycle, really, I wouldn't panic. I did a fish-in cycle and just had to ride it out. Not sure I'd do it again as now I know about cycling, but my point is it can be done. I really think it just needs more time for the ammonia to bottom out. You should check out the link on the fish-in cycle on the home page of the site.

 

[Jantaris]

It's me again. I have a lot of time on my hands today as kiddo plays.

I have one more thought. You have a whole lot of fish in that 55. I know that this is the second go at cycling but, ideally, and especially in a fish-in cycle, fish are added slowly, a few at a time, several weeks apart. I wonder if the bioload with all these fish is just slowing the progression down. I would say you are max stocked, probably overstocked right now. That can impact your readings...

 

[ScaredClownLoach]

Thanks for the replys guys.

My ammonia is still high today reading of 0.5 - 1 hard to tell with bad light.
I think I could be overstocked. I've been doing a daily 40-50% water change and it's slowly dropped.. I still have ammo lock in there, so I'm wondering if It's just a false reading? What should I do?

I have another problem now, I found 4 baby guppy fry in the tank today, but I'm guessing that there was way more. Pretty sure they're done for.

I don't think I can take the fish back now, it's been 2 weeks. Last time I'm doing a fish in cycle, i'd rather wait.


Edit: Forgot to add I'm still seeing 0 nitrites and 0 nitrate

 

[Jantaris]

I still feel you're just in mid-cycle. It can take a while. Our fish-in cycle took nearly 6 weeks. My advice, still, is to wait it out and let the ammonia come down and then the nitrites to come up. Don't vacuum or really over do it on the water changes.
How many fish do you have in there? I think it was quite a few. You may very well be overstocked as I can't remember. But you are quite overstocked for doing a fish-in cycle. If you haven't already, have a look at this link...

Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

I hope this helps...

 

[Jantaris]

Thanks for the replys guys.

My ammonia is still high today reading of 0.5 - 1 hard to tell with bad light.
I think I could be overstocked. I've been doing a daily 40-50% water change and it's slowly dropped.. I still have ammo lock in there, so I'm wondering if It's just a false reading? What should I do?

I have another problem now, I found 4 baby guppy fry in the tank today, but I'm guessing that there was way more. Pretty sure they're done for.

I don't think I can take the fish back now, it's been 2 weeks. Last time I'm doing a fish in cycle, i'd rather wait.


Edit: Forgot to add I'm still seeing 0 nitrites and 0 nitrate

The fry... we had a platy give birth in our fish-in cycle. It was one of our first fish and I didn't know she was pregnant. One lived out of the batch. Regardless of where you are on your cycle, many of them won't make it anyway as they can get eaten, I also understand they can kill each other, and I am sure that some will not be able to make it through the cycle, as well. But, realistically, if you keep them in any aquarium with other fish, including the parents often, many will become lunch. If you're worried, you can get a fry net to put them in, where they'll be in the aquarium but separated from the other fish.

 

[Jantaris]

"My ammonia is still high today reading of 0.5 - 1 hard to tell with bad light.
I think I could be overstocked. I've been doing a daily 40-50% water change and it's slowly dropped.. I still have ammo lock in there, so I'm wondering if It's just a false reading? What should I do?"

I just did some reading on ammo lock as I am not familiar with it. Honestly, I don't think you should be using it during cycling. It seems it is going to make it harder for your tank to go through its natural cycle. I don't know what others think, but I really think you should stop dosing the tank with anything and let it settle. The concern now is, if you stop using ammo lock, with the ammonia spike ever further? I don't know but I really think you need to give the tank cycle a chance without adding anything. Not promising you aren't going to lose fish. But it's just sounds wrong to use such a product before the tank has settled in to its cycle. There is a natural progression that has to happen and, therefore, that ammonia is actually needed. Without it, your beneficial bacteria will not produce.

But, that's just me.