Ammonia still a major issue!

[DerekInChandler]

As the picture states, nitrites are almost perfect. Nitrates are spot on. pH good.
But for the last three weeks, ammonia stays horribly high! Three weeks ago did 25% water changes every other day. Two weeks ago did two 50% changes and last week did one 75% change. Nitrites and Nitrates weren't effected and have stayed identical to what the picture shows.
have a 36 gal aquarium with a 10 gal sump tank for filtration. Have plants (all healthy) and waited 5 weeks for tank to reach it's cycle. Have 3 small tiger barbs, one small sucker fish, 5 neon tetras, red tailed shark, two ruby barbs, two small golden gouramis and two small fan tail gold fish. feed once every other day... sparingly. Have 3 golden snails and one brown mystery snail. No fish have died and none hanging at the surface.
I don't know what to do about this ammonia.

 

[DerekInChandler]

oh... tank water in the last couple days is slightly cloudy. ?

 

[Fresh2o]

Pic of the sump/filter? What kind of maintenance is performed?
IMO the bioload is a bit high. Always better to start off slowly and build up over time. I would do massive water changes.
How long has the tank been setup?
When were the fish added?
Goldfish are not helping the situation. They produce a ton of waste.
When you say you waited for the tank to cycle for 5 weeks, was there a source of ammonia present to get the nitrogen cycle going?

 

[DerekInChandler]

I added bacteria (from Prime) on the initial setup. After the 5th week, my tests showed no ammonia, 0.25ppm nitrites and nitrates 0ppm.
I added plants on the 3rd week to which I started showing ammonia (2.0ppm)
On that 5th week, added my fish (within a 2 day period) and then snails there after.

Will grab a pic of the sump tank later today.

 

[Pat N]

you have to stop taking out so much water. Only once a month and 20percent. You have to get that bacteria built up.

 

[DerekInChandler]

you have to stop taking out so much water. Only once a month and 20percent. You have to get that bacteria built up.

Sounds like I need to research more before doing!
It's been 25+ years since maintaining aquariums.
May need to re-home the gold fish....

 

[KFav93]

Sounds like I need to research more before doing!
It's been 25+ years since maintaining aquariums.
May need to re-home the gold fish....

No, no, no. If your annomia levels are high you should be doing a 25% water change. If they're super high, I would do 50%. Water changes will save your fish, more than harm them. You do have to let the bacteria form, yes, so do not gravel vaccum for a while and do not change your filter at all because that's where your bacteria is. Surfaces and the filter. I would keep an eye on your parameters. If they're too high do a partial water change. If they seem okay let it go. Also, fast your fish. How often do you feed them? What water conditioner do you use? Use prime, it makes annomia nontoxic to fish so they can survive.

Trust me, I'm battling a nitrogen cycle with my fish in and my annomia and nitrites are high. Daily water changes have been saving them.

As the picture states, nitrites are almost perfect. Nitrates are spot on. pH good.
But for the last three weeks, ammonia stays horribly high! Three weeks ago did 25% water changes every other day. Two weeks ago did two 50% changes and last week did one 75% change. Nitrites and Nitrates weren't effected and have stayed identical to what the picture shows.
have a 36 gal aquarium with a 10 gal sump tank for filtration. Have plants (all healthy) and waited 5 weeks for tank to reach it's cycle. Have 3 small tiger barbs, one small sucker fish, 5 neon tetras, red tailed shark, two ruby barbs, two small golden gouramis and two small fan tail gold fish. feed once every other day... sparingly. Have 3 golden snails and one brown mystery snail. No fish have died and none hanging at the surface.
I don't know what to do about this ammonia.

 

[DerekInChandler]

I feed them once, lightly... every other day. I do use Prime.
I have not touched the gravel when draining in 2 weeks. Haven't touched the filter since putting tank online.
So, I'm wondering if my API ammonia test isn't accurate... if I'm using Prime?

 

[Fresh2o]

you have to stop taking out so much water. Only once a month and 20percent. You have to get that bacteria built up.

Is that for a new tank or established tank?
Water changes are indicated if the ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate are above toxic levels for the fish. If this were a fish-less cycle, then I would agree with holding off on the water changes.

 

[DerekInChandler]

This tank was brand new.
Substrate was from a freshwater enthusiast. Plants bought from a non-corporate fish store, with excellent quality plants and freshwater/salt water fish.

 

[Fresh2o]

I added bacteria (from Prime) on the initial setup. After the 5th week, my tests showed no ammonia, 0.25ppm nitrites and nitrates 0ppm.

Prime does not contain bacteria. It has agents that dechlorinate and temporarily convert ammonia into a less toxic form (ammonium).
It is no wonder that you saw zero ammonia after five weeks. There was no ammonia added to begin with (either from fish or introduced via bottle). With no ammonia source, whatever bacteria were present had no food source to become established.

 

[Fresh2o]

This tank was brand new.
Substrate was from a freshwater enthusiast. Plants bought from a non-corporate fish store, with excellent quality plants and freshwater/salt water fish.

So the substrate was still wet (and assume it contained active beneficial bacteria)?

 

[DerekInChandler]

So the substrate was still wet (and assume it contained active beneficial bacteria)?

Yes, he said it was removed from his previous tank, not washed.

 

[Fresh2o]

Yes, he said it was removed from his previous tank, not washed.

Well that's good. It should have had a decent amount of BB in it.
So the first 5 weeks there were no fish in the tank? There is a chance that the BB population never developed because there was no ammonia source. Later the fish were added. Ammonia was produced but not enough BB to deal with it.

 

[DerekInChandler]

Well that's good. It should have had a decent amount of BB in it.
So the first 5 weeks there were no fish in the tank? There is a chance that the BB population never developed because there was no ammonia source. Later the fish were added. Ammonia was produced but not enough BB to deal with it.

correct, no fish for those 5 weeks.
prolly misslead myself with the test results.
just confused at how high this test shows for the ammonia... unless it isn't. fish seem fne though, for now anyway.

 

[KFav93]

I feed them once, lightly... every other day. I do use Prime.
I have not touched the gravel when draining in 2 weeks. Haven't touched the filter since putting tank online.
So, I'm wondering if my API ammonia test isn't accurate... if I'm using Prime?

I just bought my api master test from my local petco a few weeks ago. And just for giggles I asked him if there was a difference between the strips and the liquid test kit. He said no there's no difference really. And I laughed because every source I've checked says the liquid test kits are more accurate. Anyway to get to the point. When I bought the master test kit he mentioned that some people have been complaining that the ammonia has been off. Idk if that's true. But it does see like your tank is cycling

 

[coralbandit]

For real reduction of nutrients [ammonia/nitrite/nitrate] the % of water removed will be approximately the amount the nutrient is reduced...Easy math;
8 ppm ammonia with a 25% water change should yield 6ppm ammonia/
8ppm with 50% wc will yield 4ppm.
BOTH those levels are too high for fish safety in anyones book.I say 1ppm needs 50% change many won't want you over .5 ppm ammonia so I am going easy on you...
You need to rehome fish that don't fit the tanks main focus and change water till you properly complete a fish in cycle...
0 nitrates says you have ways to go so get patient and get wet!
Change water in all seriousness...Enough to change the numbers no matter how much it takes...
Prime can be used to "detoxify" ammonia ,but without the proper bacteria in place you will need to dose every 2 days as it will not be removed by the bio filter and thus will return...Change water....every day till you don't need to...1 ppm max for ammonia and nitrites under 40 for nitrates...Enjoy.

 

[DerekInChandler]

For real reduction of nutrients [ammonia/nitrite/nitrate] the % of water removed will be approximately the amount the nutrient is reduced...Easy math;
8 ppm ammonia with a 25% water change should yield 6ppm ammonia/
8ppm with 50% wc will yield 4ppm.
BOTH those levels are too high for fish safety in anyones book.I say 1ppm needs 50% change many won't want you over .5 ppm ammonia so I am going easy on you...
You need to rehome fish that don't fit the tanks main focus and change water till you properly complete a fish in cycle...
0 nitrates says you have ways to go so get patient and get wet!
Change water in all seriousness...Enough to change the numbers no matter how much it takes...
Prime can be used to "detoxify" ammonia ,but without the proper bacteria in place you will need to dose every 2 days as it will not be removed by the bio filter and thus will return...Change water....every day till you don't need to...1 ppm max for ammonia and nitrites under 40 for nitrates...Enjoy.

will give this a shot.
fingers crossed!