Over 4 weeks and still have ammonia

[Biggen]

Hey guys,

Well I am on the 29th day of cycling my 29 gallon tank. I did an ammonia test yesterday and still am getting a relatively high reading, approx 3ppm ammonia. I would have thought by this time it would have decreased, but it appears to have increased. I also did a nitrite check and that came up with nothing. In fact, the color that the test tube turned was not a color on the nitrite chart. I am thinking the nitrite kit may be bad.

Does anyone know how exactly Jungle Lab's ACE eliminator works as far as how it gets rid of ammonia? That is what I used when I first added water to the tank 29 days ago and what I used last week when I did the first water change. I wonder if it is binding the ammonia and converting it to ammonium. Perhaps that is why my ammonia kit still is giving me a reading. Do the eliminators work instantly or do they continually work over time? For arguments sake, lets say that that ACE does convert ammonia to ammonium. Will in continue to do that for a while or will it "expire" and any new ammonia that introduced into the tank will stay as ammonia? I just want to make sure I am not converting the ammonia into something that will cause beneficial bacteria NOT to form on the bio-wheel.

Or am I simply not far enough into the cycle to begin seeing signs that the ammonia is falling?

 

[fishfreek]

In fact, the color that the test tube turned was not a color on the nitrite chart. I am thinking the nitrite kit may be bad.

What color was in the tube and what is the highest color on your chart. It could simply be your nitrite is OFF the scale. If you 1/2 the number of drops on the test solution do you get a reading that is on the scale? If so double that for a more realistic number.

The jungle labs product probably is converting it thus your kit is still reading it. Perform a number of water changes over the course of this week. Discontinue using that product and see if your ammonia levels go down and stay down.

also what are you feeding and how often and do you have fish in the tank. If your feeding more than once per day then go back to once per day or even once every other day. Feed no more than you do now on that reduced schedule.

 

[Biggen]

What color was in the tube and what is the highest color on your chart. It could simply be your nitrite is OFF the scale. If you 1/2 the number of drops on the test solution do you get a reading that is on the scale? If so double that for a more realistic number.

When holding the tube vertical over the white portion of the color chart, like the instruction say, the color is actually a light blueish color that is not on the chart. The highest color the chart goes to is a maroon color. I will try 1/2'ing the number of drop to see if that gives a reading.

The jungle labs product probably is converting it thus your kit is still reading it. Perform a number of water changes over the course of this week. Discontinue using that product and see if your ammonia levels go down and stay down.

Sounds good. I will need to go by the store and get a dechlorinator that does not remove ammonia as well.

I feed twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night. I mix up what I feed. Sometimes it is flake food while others it is freeze dried bloodworms. I also have some floating pellets that Marineland makes but I have found that they are too large and hard from my Danios. Perhaps when I get some larger fish they will be more useful.