Ammonia readings high

[sarah5775]

I finally got that test kit you guys have been telling me to get- my ammonia was high, I'd estimate .2 in my big tank, and nearly .25 in my betta and fry tank. I didn't bother with the other readings and immediately did an 85-90% water change in each tank. My plan is to test the water every day and make sure its at 0, doing as many water changes as needed.

I also decided to cut down on feedings in my big tank. I have been feeding three times a day, (I read that you should feed livebearers that many times) is it ok if I cut down to once?

What about vacuuming the gravel in my planted tank? Can I uproot the plants, vacuum the gravel, and replant them, or would that kill them?

Am I doing everything I should be doing?

 

[LandGhoti]

Feeding once a day is OK. Or twice but smaller amounts. I don't have livebearers, though, so maybe someone else can chime in.

As for gravel vac'ing, I don't uproot my plants; I just vacuum around them.

 

[theotheragentm]

Feeding once a day is OK. Or twice but smaller amounts. I don't have livebearers, though, so maybe someone else can chime in.

As for gravel vac'ing, I don't uproot my plants; I just vacuum around them.

I like to feed my fish, because they're fun to watch when eating, but it's so easy to overfeed for your own entertainment. I've learned to cut back as it is what the fish need, not just for my kicks. I also find that if I don't feed in a certain amount, the smaller fish never get to the food. I try to feed once a day in a larger amount only bceause I know all the fish in the tank will get the food. I also turn off the lights for my algae wafers so the bottom dwellers can get to them first. The fish will do fine with one meal a day. I found this out by coming home too late and too inibriated to feed the fish through the next afternoon.

I also don't vac so close that plants are a problem. I figure if there is junk in the sand around the plants, it is their meal.

 

[sarah5775]

Vacuuming around the plants would be problematic- its just a five gallon tank and its heavily planted. I could try, but I'd probably end up uprooting the plants anyway. I am not sure what to do, because I hate the thought of all that gunk down there.

 

[LandGhoti]

How big is your gravel vac? I guess you'd have to get the smallest one possible to be able to maneuver around the plants. Although if it's heavily planted, maybe no vac would work well. If you uproot the plants, all the gunk being stirred up might cause an ammonia spike. Maybe just best to do water changes and no or very minimal gravel vac'ing (only in places you can get to).

 

[sarah5775]

Next time I go to the lfs I will look for a smaller gravel vac, but I think I got the smallest one there is. It may be ok, I mean, the plants need the 'gunk' to live, so maybe its not as bad as I think. The ammonia level in the betta tank was no worse than the ammonia in the other tanks, so it may be that I just have to do more pwcs in general.

Oh, btw, i forgot to mention I have some 1/2 inch fry in the big tank. Is it still ok to feed just once a day?

 

[theotheragentm]

At 1/2" the fry should be okay with the once a day feedings. They should be large enough to get their share of food. Spread it across the tank to be sure, not leaving it in one place in the water.