Terribly high ammonia

[Alleybooboo]

Hello everyone!

I have a 29 gallon tank that has been up since November. I currently have 3 tetras, 2 pencil fish, a rummy nose, a guppy, an angelfish, 2 marble hatchetfish, a clown Pleco, a peacock eel, an upside down catfish, a swordtail, a juli cory, and a green Cory. (phew!) Everything was fine and working properly until about 3 weeks ago after we added 5 new fish, when suddenly the ammonia level went off-the-charts high. As in, the scale runs from yellow to green and our water turned a VERY dark green, almost to a blue. We immediately bought ammo-lock but stopped using it after the first dosage. I read online that it could be because of a dead fish, there were none. Too many fish, but we really dont have that many. So, I assumed it was over-feeding. I cleaned the gravel, but when a fish died I knew i had to get a better opinion. So I went to the local fish store and talked to the owner after he confirmed our sky-high levels, and he recommended quick-start to put the good bacteria back in it, and to stop feeding them for a week. Fast forward a week later, after doing 20% water changes every other day as instructed by the local fish store owner, and the levels haven't dropped at all. Meanwhile, 4 fish have died. Called the store owner and explained to him who I am, but he just recommended quick-start again... 3 days later I fed them some flakes, did a water change the next day, and then three days later fed them flakes and an algae wafer, which was consumed. I read that plants could reduce ammonia, but apparently my fishtank's LED lighting isn't plant-friendly...

Please help me! It's been about three weeks since the ammonia levels shot up, and they haven't budged a bit. I have done everything I can think of to lower the ammonia, read so many blogs and googled various phrases but nothing that anyone has recommended has worked. I am SOOOO worried about losing another fish!!!

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

 

[DavidAl]

Some of the fish you have in that creative assortment will soon outgrow the 29-gallon. See if you can sell or donate them.

I didn't read anything about water changes, which is what you should be doing as you're reading this. Lots of water changes! And also test the ammonia coming out of your tap water, if that's what you're using.

Quick-Start will not work, but Tetra Safe Start will, although it will take some time for it to catch up with what's going on in your tank. You can't add that stuff with your ammonia that high; the ammonia will actually kill the beneficial bacteria.

What's your pH and temperature reading? If your pH is higher that 7.0, the ammonia will be doing some serious damage to your fish. I can't stress (no pun intended) it enough...lots of water changes! Do 50% water changes every 8 hours. Make sure the new water matches the tank water in pH and temperature. Matching the pH shouldn't be a problem once you get rolling with the water changes.

David

 

[Zagz]

I must agree, water changes water changes and more water changes. You might have to do 50% twice a day or more. It will slow the cycle down but your tank is in crisis, and the fish will stand a better chance constantly removing the ammonia. Make sure to add dechlorinator to the water every water change as well. You don't need chlorine adding to your problem.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Yes, you are definantly overstocked in this tank.

Anyways you need to do 50% water changes 2-3 times a day until you re-home most of your fish and re-do the cycle over.

 

[Alleybooboo]

Actually, I have done a lot of water changes! LOL! And the dechlorinator we use on the new water says it will also remove ammonia... When we tested the pH at the fish store, it was low--not high--and he gave us neutral regulator. We've been keeping an eye on it. :-/

 

[Alleybooboo]

I'll keep doing the water changes, but do you really think getting rid of fish is going to help the ammonia?

 

[Hholly]

Yes, the fish are what produce the ammonia. Please read this article. It will help you. Fish/pet store employees rarely give good advice. As they just want to sell you more stuff. Your pHis low because the toxins in the water are high. As you do water changes, toxins go down and the pH will rise and hopefully stabilize. The only chemical you should be adding is dechlorinator, dosed for the whole volume of the tank. Good luck!

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/fishin-cycling-step-dark-side/

 

[Scottyhorse]

I'll keep doing the water changes, but do you really think getting rid of fish is going to help the ammonia?

Yep. I know it stinks, but you gotta do whats best for the fish.

 

[tharge26]

Another dumb newbie here also. I am kind of going through what you described albeit in a much less terrifying way. My NH3 spiked at 2.0. I didn't have Prime.. no ammo reducing medication to treat it. All I had was my water changing treatment. Well I can vouch for the water changes. I did a 60% WC every day. Retested and for about the first week it didn't go down at all. Then last week it started going down with every WC thereafter. I was so relieved. I ended up losing a guppy and an albino cory however R.I.P.
Now it is at zero. Oh by the way.. when doing WC I constantly watched to dead fish to remove them immediately, feed them lightly every 2 days, and siphoned up any poop and uneaten food while doing WC.

Lesson learned. My mistake was that after fishless cycling and getting the proper readings and all that fun stuff. When I was able to put fish in I put in 3 at a time but I bought them probably 2-3 days apart. I am just no a patient person. But TRUST ME, knowing what I know now... I would have waited at least a week in between adding fish and only 2 at a time. Along with adding some liquid beneficial bacteria with every addition of fish. Im a noob and dont know much but that is my 0.2 cents. Hope it works out for you and if not just learn from your mistakes like I did and try again (the fish bodyguards/angels on this forum tend to get a little wonky when fish die - but lets face it as long as you are doing your best and being humane and trying to be the best fish keeper you can be thats all you can ask) Sometimes fish will die.