AMMONIA PROBLEM!!!

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sofia

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Apr 17, 2004
Messages
65
Location
Canada
Hi....One of my 10 gallon is about 3 weeks old...and when I test it & it always has high levels of ammonia even when I do large water changes. For example...if I change 90% of the water and fill it up with new water I test it a second later and the levels are the same. I also do water changes very often to keep the ammonia levels down but it doesn't help. Am I removing benefitial bacteria by doing large water changes very often? Someone suggested I only do water changes once a week and the ammonia should lower. What do you think?
 
If your tank doesn't have the bacteria that converts the ammonia to nitrite, that may be a problem. Another problem may be that your tap water has ammonia in it. For that, you'd probably have to use Ammo-Lock 2 or Amquel or so.
 
I tested my tap water for ammonia...it doesn't have any. I thought that the good bacteria should allready be in the tank since it's 3 weeks old.
 
3 weeks is not that old. What are you using as an ammonia source? Are you doing a fishless cycle, or are you cycling with fish? Have you checked the Articles section?
If you are cycling with fish, 90% changes are stressful. What exactly are your ammonia readings?
 
I am cycling with fish....I am also concerned that there maybe be too many fish in there...but I will be transfering some into another tank (once the sand problem goes away).

Realy how is big water changes stressfull to fish? The ammonia reading is 2.4
 
In realation to that high ammonia, not a big deal. How are the fish doing?? How many fish are in there? What size filter are you using? Where are you in Canada?
 
I have an aquaclear mini filter. The tank has 2 black moors, 4 betta females, two guppies & a catfish. They appear to be happy and active. Oh & I live in BC aha
 
Hmm, if you were closer, I could give you "squeezings" from one of my established tanks and that would have all the necessary bacteria for your filter.

As for the fish, that's a problem. Goldies are known for being supper messy. This problem just came up a bit ago, since you have so much ammonia, the bacteria may not take hold. You may need to get Ammo-Lock 2. I have never used it and don't like adding chemicals to a tank (except dechlor), but these fish need relief from the high ammonia levels. With either the A-L or large water changes, this tank will not cycle.

Aside from the waste being produced, you have goldfish in with tropical fish. I understand the problem with the sand--did you see my response? You need to move some of these fish.
How many tanks total do you have? How are you going to arrange the fish? Most goldfish keepers say you need a minimum of 10 gals per goldfish (some say 20). This is due to the high waste production and high oxygen consumption.
 
The tank with the sand has no fish in it.
I am aware that goldfish are messy & need more space but this mix of fish are only going to be living together for a little while. I have a bunch of betta breeding tanks....I am planning to get a 100 gallon in a couple of months.
 
What are you using to declorinate your water? some declorinators will give you false readings. Try this mix some new water and before you put it in your tank test it for ammonia. I'll bet it's high. Then you will know that your declorinator is causing the problem. HTH
 
I use Aqua Plus...and you know I also thought that the dechlorinator was the problem but it tested 0.
 
I also had a problem like this when I had an Oscar in my 10gal QT tank.
I couldnt get the high ammonia levels to come down no matter what I did.
Then I got some ammonia chips and ran them in my canister filter.
Kept doing 15% water changes every other day and it fixed it right up.
HTH
 
what kind of chips? I have these rocks called ammonia remover in my aquaclear filter. Don't seem to help.
 
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