ammonia help

[KenW]

Okay, I got a API freshwater test kit. For months I have been having trouble with my ammonia levels, I cannot get it to go down. So, my LFS told me what to do, which was do a 80% pwc (I have been doing 50% twice a week to lower it), add some of this stuff they suggested called "TLC", alkaline buffer, and here are my numbers 4 hours after the pwc:
ammonia - 2.0
pH - 7.6
nitrAte - 0
high pH - 7.4
nitrIte - 0
what do i have to do to get the ammonia to ZERO!?!?!?! or at least below 1.0? The LFS thought that the driftwood was lowering the pH level causing a chain reaction with the nitrites/nirtrates, killing them so they couldn't produce the beneficial bacteria needed to remove the ammonia- I forget thier exact wording, I just want to be able to get some fish! Anyway, why won't the ammonia go down? I feed the 2 fish, 1 beta, a pleco and a tiny frog sharing a 40 gallon tank every other day, and on off days they maybe get a snack, but they aren't fed very much. I use Ammo-rocks, a carbon filter, and a sponge with a bio-wheel filter. the tank has been set up for almost 5 months now. Thanks!

 

[bluerose]

Test your tap water. You could have a lot of chloramines which test as ammonia but have been neutralized by your dechlorinator.

If that's not the problem...
Tank isn't cycled for some reason- you don't have nitrates- unless you've removed all of them by the heavy PWCs (possible I'd think).

The LFS's suggestion is junk. The cycle goes this way: toxic ammonia produced by fish ---> 'eaten' by ammonia-eating bacteria ---> toxic nitrite ---> eaten by nitrite-eating bacteria ---> not-so-toxic nitrate ---> removed by PWC's or, to some extent, plants.

pH's below 5.5 or so have shown to interfere with the bacteria, but at 7.6 you're fine. Don't bother doing the high pH test, you don't need it as your pH is within readable range on the regular pH test.

The 80% PWC was a good suggestion but as you've been doing 50% PWCs and your ammonia level is still that high I'd be inclined to think you have a lot of locked-up ammonia which is still reading on the test kits but not affecting your fish.

Ditch the ammo-rocks and the carbon filter... no real need for them. If the ammo-rocks are getting to the ammonia before your bacteria is (I'm not familiar if these get rid of ammonia or just neutralize it and if it neutralizes it to a form the bacteria can use) then that could be why you aren't seeing the levels you should be at this point.

If your fish are stressed you can add Prime, AmQuel+, etc to lock up free ammonia but it'll still read on tests I believe.

 

[melosu58]

Moving this to the FW forums. This is a tech support forum.

 

[neilanh]

I think bluerose pretty much nailed it.

The readings you're getting out of your tap are going to be a key to the mystery as well, but like BR said with no nitrAtes your tank isn't cycled yet. But it is interesting that after a large water change you're still reading the same.

 

[KenW]

ammonia help please

Three weeks ago I added 20lbs more substrate to the already 20lbs I had in there. Another suggestion by my LFS(1lb per gallon). Now I am thinking I should remove it to avoid heavy build up of waste and causing the substrate to go anerobic(sp? - i.e; devoid of oxygen). But I am worried that I will stir up another ammonia surge and harm the fish again.
The tap water is high in ammonia, my city uses chlormine.
I'll get rid of the ammo rocks and see how that does.

 

[KenW]

p.s. i also use prime for pwc's....

 

[bluerose]

As far as substrate goes, the usual recommendation is 1-1.5" deep if it's not planted and around 3" if it is planted. You could always get some MTS to very slowly stir up your gravel if you're concerned about depth (or remove some if you were so inclined).

What's the ammonia reading out of the tap? If it's 2.0 I *think* (not completely sure) that you can use that as your 0 as long as you are neutralizing it (which Prime will take care of IIRC although you may have to double dose? not sure, read directions).