tiffanyjoy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2016
- Messages
- 21
Ammonia levels
On 7/2 I went to the fish store looking for fish to put in a 5 gallon tank that was given to me. They told me that the tank would be to small so I decided to have them show me around and told them that I wanted tropical freshwater fish. They recommended that I start with a 50 gallon tank but I went with a 20 just because I felt a 50 gallon may be to overwhelming considering I have no idea what I'm doing. They told me to dump an entire 3.4 oz of stability in the tank once it was set up, set me up with a precision submersible heater 75 watt, bio wheel pengin 100 power filter and some test strips. I picked out some sand and crush Florida shell subtrait and a piece of driftwood and off I went to set up my tank. On my way home I stopped at a creek, grabbed some small bolders to try to make a natural looking environment. Got home set it all up, filled with water, dumbed stability in, turned heater and filter on and immediately used a testing strip. Levels looked good to me. I remembered I had a dried out starfish and thought it would look pretty in the tank so I added the starfish as a decoration. Went back to fish store next day to get fish, showed them where my levels were and she asked if I tested for ammonia. I didn't even know what she ment so she asked me to go get water from my tank so she could check. When I returned the water was tested and ammonia was a 2.0 and she said it would not be safe. She gave me a bottle of nite out 2 and I've been adding it everyday since and put a little fish food in tank for bacteria or something to eat...? I also picked up a liquid test kit for ammonia and levels seemed to stay the same. Did some Google searches and saw people recommended cycling with some fish. So 5 days after tank set up I went back and got 3 zebra snails, 2 tiger snails and 2 ghost shrimp and a floating plant (and a tropical sun daylight floresent. I was only using daylight from window for the first few days.) Later that night I was still trying to figure out why ammonia levels were not lowering and test strips were getting worse. It dawned on me that I should of researched if dried starfish are safe for a tank. Found out that they are basically decaying dead fish....yuck!!!! I put a dead fish in my tank and that could cause an ammonia spike!!!! Starfish has now been removed and out of tank for 24 hours and it stank! I did a 25% water change, tested my well water water(well water tested good). Levels seem to stay the same. I'm also noticing white stringing stuff in the tank. The shrimp seem to be very active but the snails seem to cling to the rocks the most and never really on the glass (the white stuff is staring to grow on their shells after 1 day!). My levels today are Gh 180, kh 180, ph 7.5, no2 3, no3 160 and ammonia 2.0. I've never had a tank before and wish I would have reserched more before getting the new tank excitment. I eventually would like to have some Fancy guppies and a bristlenose along with the shrimp and snails. After I get this mess straightened out.
Sent from my LGL82VL using Aquarium Advice mobile app
On 7/2 I went to the fish store looking for fish to put in a 5 gallon tank that was given to me. They told me that the tank would be to small so I decided to have them show me around and told them that I wanted tropical freshwater fish. They recommended that I start with a 50 gallon tank but I went with a 20 just because I felt a 50 gallon may be to overwhelming considering I have no idea what I'm doing. They told me to dump an entire 3.4 oz of stability in the tank once it was set up, set me up with a precision submersible heater 75 watt, bio wheel pengin 100 power filter and some test strips. I picked out some sand and crush Florida shell subtrait and a piece of driftwood and off I went to set up my tank. On my way home I stopped at a creek, grabbed some small bolders to try to make a natural looking environment. Got home set it all up, filled with water, dumbed stability in, turned heater and filter on and immediately used a testing strip. Levels looked good to me. I remembered I had a dried out starfish and thought it would look pretty in the tank so I added the starfish as a decoration. Went back to fish store next day to get fish, showed them where my levels were and she asked if I tested for ammonia. I didn't even know what she ment so she asked me to go get water from my tank so she could check. When I returned the water was tested and ammonia was a 2.0 and she said it would not be safe. She gave me a bottle of nite out 2 and I've been adding it everyday since and put a little fish food in tank for bacteria or something to eat...? I also picked up a liquid test kit for ammonia and levels seemed to stay the same. Did some Google searches and saw people recommended cycling with some fish. So 5 days after tank set up I went back and got 3 zebra snails, 2 tiger snails and 2 ghost shrimp and a floating plant (and a tropical sun daylight floresent. I was only using daylight from window for the first few days.) Later that night I was still trying to figure out why ammonia levels were not lowering and test strips were getting worse. It dawned on me that I should of researched if dried starfish are safe for a tank. Found out that they are basically decaying dead fish....yuck!!!! I put a dead fish in my tank and that could cause an ammonia spike!!!! Starfish has now been removed and out of tank for 24 hours and it stank! I did a 25% water change, tested my well water water(well water tested good). Levels seem to stay the same. I'm also noticing white stringing stuff in the tank. The shrimp seem to be very active but the snails seem to cling to the rocks the most and never really on the glass (the white stuff is staring to grow on their shells after 1 day!). My levels today are Gh 180, kh 180, ph 7.5, no2 3, no3 160 and ammonia 2.0. I've never had a tank before and wish I would have reserched more before getting the new tank excitment. I eventually would like to have some Fancy guppies and a bristlenose along with the shrimp and snails. After I get this mess straightened out.
Sent from my LGL82VL using Aquarium Advice mobile app
Also, I'll let you know that the cycling process is no where near quick. Patience (not my strong suit) is usually needed for a good portion of the process. Don't worry, fish will come along soon, and then you'll get stuck in front of the tank like the rest of us. 
