High Ammonia Level Problem!!!!!

[dama27]

Hello! I am having problems with the ammonia level in my 10 gallon tank. My tank was a Whisper 10-20 filter. And I use AmmoLock to condition the water. During the fist weeks of my tank with fishes everything was fine, I have a Sinodontis, Orange Mbuna, Electric Blue, Another cichlid and two little sharks (gray and orange), 6 fishes in total, about 1 and 1.5 inches average. Then one day when I got home all the fishes were breathing on top of the water. I went to the pet shop and they told me that it had to mush clorine, and sell me Stress Out, I did a 60% water change and put some AmmoLock and Stress Out. The fishes became normal but the ammonia level remain up (level in 8, green very dark). During the rest of the week I did 50% water change daily. I was desperate so I bought a ammonia Clorine Eliminator (ACE) and I put it in to the water during two day with ammolock and the water changes. I also clean the fish tank completely (gravel and everything) and put some natural plants (elodea) in it to help with the natural biological cycle. But the day I clean the tank the level of ammonia was in .25 during the past four days is in 2 :? and I have done the water change as well, but I have not use again the ACE. I am afraid I will go in 8 again and that my fishes died. Right now my parameters are Ph=8, Gh=9, ammonia=2 and Nitrite=.25. Please I will appreciate some advice I don't know what else to do.

 

[Menagerie]

[center:fcacf26ab5] Welcome to AA, Dama27! [/center:fcacf26ab5]

First, STOP putting chemicals in your tank! Now, breathe.
You will have to cycle your tank with fish, which means daily water changes of 10-20%. This will proling the cycle, but save your fish. If you know anyone with an established tank, get a squeezing from their filter pad. There is an article on the nitrogen cycle in the Articles section.

Another reason you are having so many problems is you added too many fish at once and in the long run, those fish will need a much bigger tank. The Synodontis will probably reach at least 5", depending on the speices. Your orange Mbuna will reach 6", as will the electric blue. Sharks are known to get quite big and require lots of swimming room.

If you have too much chlorine, you should be adding a dechlor (ACE) to the tank. That is the only chemical that is needed in a tank since tap water has chlorine.

 

[savga]

Are all of your fish accounted for? A dead fish somewhere could cause such problems especially in a tank that is still cycling. Also, some of those ammonia eliminators will also give false positive results on some ammonia tests. If you are doing all those water changes, I would tend to think that your results are false.

 

[TankGirl]

I think the fish load could easily produce too much ammonia, which is somewhat handled by the ammonia removing products, but those products interfere with getting the tank cycled, so we have all sorts of things working against us.

None of the fish listed are appropriate for a 10-gal, so a decision must be made on what is going to be kept in that 10-gal, and if the fish are new then maybe they can go back to the shop and a re-think of the tank inhabitants is in order. If they are in there because there is a larger tank on the horizon then we must cope with the current situation, but the only solution will be very frequent (every other day) very partial water changes and "tincture of time" in order to establish necessary bacteria for the tank to cycle.

 

[dama27]

Thank you, for all the advice. I have consider getting a bigger tank, but in a long term. I will consider the squeezing from other filter pad and giving away the two small sharks. :? I will also stop using the Ammo Lock and will only use de ACE, and doing the daily water changes. To see if the problem of ammonia gets control. But I all ready love my fishes because in the mornings they are looking at me waiting for me to sit on the bed, so I can give them food.

TankGirl: What do you mean by "tincture of time" You have to excuse my english is my second language.

 

[TankGirl]

Dama27 - Tincture refers to a medicine or therapy, so waiting and patience is sometimes the "best medicine." Filter pad squeezin's are a great source of bacteria, so that will certainly help.

Good luck!

 

[dama27]

Thank you!!!!!!

 

[StacyRe]

I used to have a problem with the ammonia in my tank as well.. I'm not an expert but a big reason you maybe having such a problem is because you may have too many fish for a 10 gallon tank... That is what happened to me. I bought stress coat for my tank, and it seemed to help a lot...

Also, i wouldn't suggest a 60% water change.. That may just cause your water to go back through the ammonia cycle.

oh, another thing... what type of water are you using for in your tank?

 

[dama27]

The water I use for my tank is normal, I have try different part of the house just in case. But I take the ammonia level of the water before adding anything and is always on cero (0). I gave away the two sharks. Now I have only 3 cichlids (Orange Mbuna, Electric Blue and and one more I don't know the kind) and a Sinodontis. Are those four to much I am also doing a 10% water change every two days, to see if the bacteria can grow, and I did put in a squeeze form another filter. But the ammonia level remains on four :?. Any more suggestions

 

[deli_conker]

Don't feed them as much as you normally do. Any food that doesn't get eaten will decompose and let off ammonia. I would also do the 10% water changes once a day. If you are using a gravel vac when you change water, don't dig into the gravel with it (until after you are cycled). Just run it above the gravel, close enough to pick up anything that is resting on top of it.

Keep in mind that the mbunas you have are going to get around 6 inches long. If you look at my profile you'll see what I have in a 55 gal tank.

Aside from that, you're just going to have to wait until the tank cycles. Keep doing the water changes to keep the ammonia down. And start thinking about a bigger tank...