Ammonia levels out of control

[Pixelvvx]

I originally put my tank together about a year ago and after it cycled, my water parameters were pretty stable for about 6 months. After that my ammonia levels spiked and started reading over the maximum that my liquid tests would read. I started doing small water changes every few days, using sea chem prime, put in an in-tank filter, replaced the other filter with a higher quality one (kept the bio rings from the old one), and added sea chem denitrate media into my filters. After a few months of no improvement, I did a 90% water change, added tetra safe start, and added some used filter media from my lfs to try to instantly cycle the tank. After testing the water a week later, my ammonia levels are off the charts again! I know it can't be my tap water since I have a 5g that is doing great. Hoping to get some advice on how to get my ammonia levels under control again.

 

[TMaier]

Have you asked anyone else to test your water? Or a different test kit?
What do you have in the tank for decor? Decaying dried starfish? Don't laughed. It's happened.

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[Pixelvvx]

Have you asked anyone else to test your water? Or a different test kit?
What do you have in the tank for decor? Decaying dried starfish? Don't laughed. It's happened.

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I've been using the same api liquid test kits for both of my tanks, so I don't think the results are getting skewed since the 5g is showing dramatically different results. My tank is moderately well planted with mopani driftwood, bamboo (leaves sticking above the waterline), a large sword plant, two small floating cork logs, and some artificial decor. I do get some dead plant matter every so often, but I usually am pretty good about removing it from the tank before it rots.

 

[TMaier]

Something is decaying. Try removing one item at a time to your 5g or a water bucket and leave it for a few days. Then test the water until you pinpoint the item.


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[Pixelvvx]

Something is decaying. Try removing one item at a time to your 5g or a water bucket and leave it for a few days. Then test the water until you pinpoint the item.


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That makes sense. I'll start with the cork logs then. Thank you for the idea with the water bucket : )

 

[TMaier]

Do you have the same substrate in both tanks? I have read that some soils give off ammonia.


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[Pixelvvx]

Do you have the same substrate in both tanks? I have read that some soils give off ammonia.


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Im using national geographic black sand in the big tank and white hermit crab sand in the little one. I wonder if trumpet snails would help if it's the substrate?

 

[TMaier]

The hermit crab sand, I'm not familiar with it. I'm surprised it works in an aquatic tank.

You don't want trumpet snails. That's a whole new problem.


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[Goldguru]

did you boil the wood?
I've been reading here that some wood can store/denitrify nitrates.
the result is they release converted nitrates back into the WC as ammonia.
boiling & cooling will purge the Nitrates out of the wood,& reset its denitrifing properties.
boil then immerse in cold water until cool then repeat changing the pot water as you go.
tried to locate the artical i read about it but no luck so far but i'll keep looking.

 

[Pixelvvx]

I left the cork logs in a bucket with clean water for about a day. I tested the water tonight and it was already at 4ppm. I got rid of those and did about a 40% waterchange. If the ammonia comes back, I'll boil my driftwood and test again. Hopefully this will be the end of it. Thanks for the advice guys

 

[Fresh2o]

Hopefully you've found your culprit. Good luck with this.


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[TMaier]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.


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[Pixelvvx]

I did a 50% waterchange a few days ago. I tested my water today and it's still off the charts. I have two pieces of driftwood left, so I'm going to test each in a bucket and probably boil them. I was hoping to avoid that because I've got rooted plants on the one. I guess I'll test the substrate too. After that, all I have left are live plants and a few resin ornaments.

 

[Goldguru]

options to avoid boiling.
A possible option for the wood/plant piece could be to soak it in water which you have lowered the PH to ~6.0 or lower.
this would convert the ammonia to ammonium which is harmless.
however once you did this you would have no way of testing it anymore.
another option would be to suspend some bare plant roots into the bucket to use up the ammonia,like spider plants or other heavy root feeder,not an aquatic plant.
this method would allow you to monitor progress.
cover entire surface area of the bucket with plants & add high light.
the idea here is with the leaf above water there would be no CO2 limiting so plants would feed off the ammonia in the bucket & eventualy deplete it.
prob would need a powerhead or airstone to keep circualation so water in bucket doesnt go stagnent.
check the wood closley to be sure it is not to rotten/soft(decay),remove parts which are,that will also help.

 

[Hinterfeld]

Is it possible to post a picture of your tank? So people may have better idea on what went wrong

 

[Pixelvvx]

http://i.imgur.com/QIbDrcC.jpg

That's the most recent picture. The large sword plant and duckweed are new. I have taken out the driftwood that was originally in the tank and put in a new piece from another established aquarium. The cups are Java moss trimmings from my nano tank. I just reanchored some plants so there are some root pieces in the substrate.

I have boiled the original driftwood pieces I had in there twice for hours and placed them in a bucket of clean water to leech. Both times the bucket water has tested at 4ppm from the driftwood alone. I don't know if they maybe absorbed the ammonia in the tank or are creating it.

My substrate tested high for ammonia as well. I have vacuumed deep into the substrate a few times and have been doing water changes frequently.

I will start leeching the bamboo tomorrow and test that. The bamboo has been in the tank for months with the leaves above the water line and looks very healthy though.

I have a few fish in the tank. I just noticed a few have symptoms of ich, probably due to the stress of the ammonia issue. I'm treating with salt and heat for now. Just another chapter in my tank disaster

I started treating with nite out and special blend and added seachem denitrate and more activated carbon to my filter. No idea if it's making any difference yet.

Here are my tank readings about a month ago and from after I started treating the ammonia issue more aggressively. It seems like every aspect of my parameters have improved EXCEPT the ammonia.

08/18
AMM- 8+
NITRA- 160+
NITRI- 25
PH- 7.6+

09/22
AMM- 8+
NITRA- 10
NITRI- 0
PH- 7.6

 

[Pixelvvx]

Well, I think I may have found the source of the problem. Yesterday I noticed that my internal filter was clogged after less than two months of use. I went to go remove my dragon bubbler and a huge clump of decaying plant material fell out. I figure it must have had some sort of vacuum effect, because I've always lifted it to vacuum underneath it and never saw any plant matter until now. My internal filter was right behind it and was clogged with sludge. I pretty much removed everything from my tank and gave the gravel a good vacuuming again. I've got the bamboo leeching just to make sure it hasn't absorbed too much ammonia.