Can't get ammonia to 0 no matter how hard I try

[Noviceafter2yea]

Today, 03:41 PM #1
Noviceafter2yea
Aquarium Advice Apprentice

Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 28
Seriously can't decrease ammonia
I've been doing several water changes over the past few days and it has not yielded any significant changes in my readings! I'm particularly concerned about the ammonia which I have been unable to bring to 0.

Tank has been cycling late February

20gallon freshwater
3platys
3bleading heart tetras
1dalmation Molly
2small Cory catfish
1snail
1guppie

10 fish total and 1 snail

Change history

6-4 After 50% change
Ammonia 2. To .5
N2 0-.25. To 0-.15
N3 0. To 2.5
Ph 7.4. . 7.4

6-5 morning. After 40% change
Ammonia. .5. To .5, or a smidge less
N2. .25. To .25
N3. 2.5. To 2.5
Ph. 7.4. 7.4

6-6
No water change but added teeny tiny bit
of quick start, really tiny to maybe hoping
to move cycle along
Ammonia .5
N2. .25
N3. 2.5
Ph. 7.4

6-7. Morning. 35-40% change
Ammonia 1. To. .5
N2. .5. To .25
N3. 5. To 5
Ph. 7.4. 7.4

6-8. Morning 50%. Change
Ammonia. .5. To. .5 (but it almost looked a bit darker than the morning)
N2. .25. To. .25
N3. 2.5 - 5. To 4-5
Ph. 7.4. 7.4

For the most part, none of my fish have shown any signs of distress, except one of my platys whose gills look red and he hangs out at the top for a bit then he swims around like all the others.

I use prime. The jugs in the morning were pretreated from the day before and then treated right after the morning change for the afternoon change and pretreat jugs for the next morning etc. I also add a bit of prime directly to the aquarium after each change.

This may be a dumb question, but:
Is it possible that as
Today, 03:41 PM #1
Noviceafter2yea
Aquarium Advice Apprentice

Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 28
Seriously can't decrease ammonia
I've been doing several water changes over the past few days and it has not yielded any significant changes in my readings! I'm particularly concerned about the ammonia which I have been unable to bring to 0.

20gallon freshwater
3platys
3bleading heart tetras
1dalmation Molly
2small Cory catfish
1snail

9 fish total and 1 snail

Change history

6-4 After 50% change
Ammonia 2. .5
N2 0-.25. 0-.15
N3 0 2.5
Ph 7.4. 7.4

6-5 morning. After 40% change
Ammonia. .5. .5, or a smidge less
N2. .25. .25
N3. 2.5. 2.5
Ph. 7.4. 7.4

6-6
No water change but added teeny tiny bit
of quick start, really tiny to maybe hoping
to move cycle along
Ammonia .5
N2. .25
N3. 2.5
Ph. 7.4

6-7. 35-40% change
Ammonia 1. .5
N2. .5. .25
N3. 5. 5
Ph. 7.4. 7.4

6-8. 50%. Change
Ammonia. .5. .5 (but it almost looked a bit darker than the morning)
N2. .25. .25
N3. 2.5 - 5. 4-5
Ph. 7.4. 7.4

For the most part, none of my fish have shown any signs of distress, except one of my platys whose gills look red and he hangs out at the top for a bit then he swims around like all the others.

I use prime. The jugs in the morning were pretreated from the day before and then treated right after the morning change for the afternoon change and pretreat jugs for the next morning etc. I also add a bit of prime directly to the aquarium after each change.

This may be a dumb question, but:
Is it possible that as long as my readings remain consistently low, (ammonia at .5; N2 between 0-.25; N3 between 2.5-5; and Ph at 4), I don't have to do large daily water changes? As long as my fish aren't showing signs of stress?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

When I wrote this, I had all nice formatting, but it changed when I posted. Sorry.

Feed every evening one small pinch of flakes which are eaten within 1 minute and a bottom feeder tablet that all the fish vie to get little bites.

78 degrees Fahrenheit

Any possibility if my readings remain consistently low, (ammonia at .5; N2 between 0-.25; N3 between 2.5-5; and Ph at 4), I don't have to do large daily water changes? As long as my fish aren't showing signs of stress?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

When I wrote this, I had all nice formatting, but it changed when I posted. Sorry.

 

[jbib1089]

What are you testing with the strips or the liquid test kits?

 

[Noviceafter2yea]

Testing with liquid.

 

[jbib1089]

What kind of filter are you running? Does it have a place to store beneficial bacteria? Something just seems off to me.

 

[Noviceafter2yea]

I couldn't tell you much about the filter. It came with the aquarium which is a Top Fin 20, made exclusively by petsmart. It has charcoal inside the bag. The bag has been in use for a while and I will soak it in removed water. I changed the charcoal a few weeks back I think. I did run it under tap water to get the black out with the new charcoal, but then I soaked it again in the old, removed water. I was wondering if I should rub a little quick start onto the bag itself, but haven't done that.

I took the following off of the petsmart web page: mine is a 20

These filters offer complete 3-stage filtration in one quiet, efficient unit. Available in several sizes for aquariums up to 60 gallons. A quality power filter is vital to the health of your fish and the appearance of your aquarium. You can count on these Top Fin Power Filters to deliver the balanced mechanical, chemical and biological filtration that will help keep your aquarium clean and beautiful. Designed for maximum efficiency, they're easy to clean and maintain and offer effortless cartridge changes (cartridges sold separately). Filter models 20-60 feature adjustable flow rates which allow you to control the flow, which is especially beneficial when feeding or medicating your fish. Filter models 10-40 include one free cartridge (60 includes two free cartridges) to help get you started.

 

[rhsoto94]

Have you checked/tested the water you're using to do water changes?

 

[Britty]

The above post is correct. Test the water change water. I know my tap water can come with up to 0.25ppm ammonia right off the bat.

 

[rhsoto94]

My tap runs .25 on a good day and 0.1 on a bad day. I've read around most of the time it is ammonium and but the API test kit still shows it as ammonia. I didn't know about cycling until it had already cycled on it's own when I first started.

The first time I tested the water I was really confused because it showed high ammonia after a water change and no nitrite and some nitrates. The tank had been set up for about 3 months. Let the ammonia test sit for 24 hours it should give you a more accurate reading as well.

My point is you can have ammonia readings and still have a cycled tank. A good indicator in that situation is having 0 nitrites.

 

[Noviceafter2yea]

Good idea. I did bring my tap water to petco a long time back, but they use the strips. I will test it myself, but do I do it in the jugs that I already filled this afternoon and added prime, or should I test untreated water? Right from the tap or after 24 hours. Thanks!

 

[rhsoto94]

Either way is fine last time I checked adding prime doesn't change ammonia readings, just makes it less harmful.

Let the tube sit for 24hrs after you tested it.

 

[Noviceafter2yea]

Tap water ammonia readings

Tap water tested right away - between .5-1. Closer to .5

Tap water that sat over night - between .5-1 Closer to 1.

I am trying to attach photos, otherwise I am sorry I can't be more precise.

All other readings were good. For the first time, N2 was 0 and matched the blue color on the chart. Previous readings always yield a slightly positive result that is purplish.

N3 was also good. It was somewhere between 5-10. Previous readings were 2.5-5 on a good day.

So, as of now my tap water has ammonia.
I am letting both ammonia tests sit for 24 hours as suggested.

I must be doing something that changes the good readings when water is tested from the tap to water tested from the tank.

 

[Noviceafter2yea]

I found this on the Los Angeles department of water and power web page - is this why my tap water is positive for ammonia?



Q: Do I need to treat the water before I use it for my fish?
A: Yes. Your tap water contains disinfectants for your protection, but these disinfectants can kill fish. The water can contain either chlorine or chloramine. Both disinfectants can be neutralized by adding the appropriate chemicals which are available at most pet stores. Granular activated carbon (GAC) water filters will effectively remove both chlorine and chloramine.

Most fish, particularly tropical fish and koi, are also sensitive to rapid changes in the temperature or pH of the water - even small changes. If you are going to change the water in an aquarium or pond, or add a significant amount of new water, consult an experienced fish care expert for tips on how to make changes without harming your fish.

You may be concerned that water harmful to fish might not be safe for you to drink. Don’t worry. Humans and fish use water in very different ways. When we drink water, the chlorine or chloramine is neutralized by our digestive system before it enters our bloodstream. When fish "breathe" water, any chlorine or chloramine present enters their bloodstream directly. This interferes with the fish's ability to take oxygen from the water and can cause the fish to suffocate.