High ammonium, zero interest and nitrates

[FishSim]

Ok, so I'm new to this hobby. I've setup a 10 gallon tank and have 3 platies in it. I was told it was good to go when I added the fish 2weeks ago. I picked up a api master kit to test the water and my readings are 4ppm ammo, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates. This leads me to believe I don't have bacteria in my tank eating the ammo. I've done 20% water changes but no changes in readings. Is there anything I can do to speed up thecycle? My platies seem happy but if the tests are right there's something not right.

I was ovefeeding them initially. My lfs showed me how much I should be feeding them so I've adjusted their meals so the uneaten food doesn’t add to the ammo levels.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Mebbid]

It generally takes up to two months to cycle an aquarium. A 4ppm ammonia level is highly dangerous to fish and unless you do something soon you will losse your platies. It sounds like a lot but I would HIGHLY suggest 4 back to back 50% water changes. Wait at least an hour in between your water changes to allow the fish to adjust and then you can do another. You really want to look at having a .25 ammonia reading to be sure that your fish are safe.

At the current ammonia level the gill lining of the fish is most certainly getting burned by the excess concentrations of the toxin in the water.

Also, I would highly suggest taking a look at this link so you can learn about the cycling process.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

You were told that the tank was safe for fish because technically, it was. They were just checking for concentrations of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in the water to test how safe it is for the fish while ignoring the potential nitrogen cycle issues.

You took a huge step in the right direction by buying a test kit and most people wait until their fish start dying in mass before trying to ask for help so kudos

 

[FishSim]

It generally takes up to two months to cycle an aquarium. A 4ppm ammonia level is highly dangerous to fish and unless you do something soon you will losse your platies. It sounds like a lot but I would HIGHLY suggest 4 back to back 50% water changes. Wait at least an hour in between your water changes to allow the fish to adjust and then you can do another. You really want to look at having a .25 ammonia reading to be sure that your fish are safe.

At the current ammonia level the gill lining of the fish is most certainly getting burned by the excess concentrations of the toxin in the water.

Also, I would highly suggest taking a look at this link so you can learn about the cycling process.

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

You were told that the tank was safe for fish because technically, it was. They were just checking for concentrations of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in the water to test how safe it is for the fish while ignoring the potential nitrogen cycle issues.

You took a huge step in the right direction by buying a test kit and most people wait until their fish start dying in mass before trying to ask for help so kudos

My title should have been "high ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates ". Stupid auto correct!

Doing that many won't stress out my platies?

 

[Mebbid]

My title should have been "high ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates ". Stupid auto correct!

Doing that many won't stress out my platies?

It will a little but some stressed out fish are in much better shape than fish that are in that high of an ammonia concentration.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello Fish...

I don't envy you in your task. Small tanks are a challenge for even an experienced wataer keeper. The small amount of water doesn't allow any room for error. Platys, however, are very hardy and can tolerate poor water conditions better than most aquarium fish.

My suggestion is to test the tank water every day. If you have a test that shows a trace of ammonia or nitrite (you have to test for this one too) in the water, then remove and replace about 3 gallons, 30 percent of the water. Replace that with pure, treated tap water.

Test for ammonia and nitrite every day. If you have a trace of either, then change out 3 gallons with new, treated water. Test and remove water until several daily tests show no more of the above toxins. Your tank will be cycled. Then, you need to change half the tank water, but once a week will be often enough.

B

 

[FishSim]

Hi there, I've done my first 50% waterchange and ammonia has gone down. I will follow up with another in about 1 hour and test again. I think I'm missing the beneficial bacteria. Is there any i can pickup from lfs in a bottle? I'd rather not get the bb in their tanks since I have no clue if it's safe or not.

I don't think the bb has established so that's why I have 0 nitrites but high ammonia.

I'll keep doing 30-50% pwc throughout the day as needed when the readings are high. I want to know if I can seed it with something safe for my fish. Or should the pwc be fine?

 

[FishSim]

Just completed my 2nd 50% pwc and again ammonia is down to 1 ppm.

My water is so much clearer too. I have mopani wood and I thought that was causing the cloudiness in my tank.

I'm still somewhatconcerned about eliminating all of the ammonia. Isn't it required to feed the beneficial bacteria?

I'm going to take a break, go for lunch do some shopping, and come home and test again before doing another pwc.

 

[Angelsong777]

I'm still somewhatconcerned about eliminating all of the ammonia. Isn't it required to feed the beneficial bacteria?

Yes, but you still have a high amount of it, and your fish are continuously producing it.

Edited to add: The goal is for the test to always show an ammonia level of 0.

 

[Mebbid]

There's always going to he a trace amount of ammonia in your tank. You won't be capable of getting it low enough to starve out bacteria.

As for bottled bacteria, just skip it. It's a sketchy procedure at best that isn't guaranteed to work.

The cloudiness in your tank is a bacteria bloom. It's a harmless free floating bacteria that feeds off of excess ammonia. Compared to the normal BB it's much less efficient so it won't stick around.

The mopani wood in your tank will turn the water yellow colored for quite a while but water changes, activated carbon, and purigen are methods to control it.

 

[FishSim]

There's always going to he a trace amount of ammonia in your tank. You won't be capable of getting it low enough to starve out bacteria.

As for bottled bacteria, just skip it. It's a sketchy procedure at best that isn't guaranteed to work.

The cloudiness in your tank is a bacteria bloom. It's a harmless free floating bacteria that feeds off of excess ammonia. Compared to the normal BB it's much less efficient so it won't stick around.

The mopani wood in your tank will turn the water yellow colored for quite a while but water changes, activated carbon, and purigen are methods to control it.

Ok, so while I was out and about I decided to stop by one of my lfs. I told them about the water situation and they recommended I stop my 50% pwc for the day because my fish are getting stressed out. I bought a bottle of Seachem Stability on their advice. I tested the water and ammonia is at 1ppm, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates. I dosed the water as per the bottle instructions and I'm hoping that speeds up the cycle.

I'm conflicted with advice. I'm just going to try thebottled bacteria the next couple days and if I see no changes or rise in ammonia I'll do the pwc again. This will be a good lesson for me when/If I upgrade to a larger tank. Don't add any livestock before the cycle is complete! That way there aren't any casualties if something isn't right.

Oh and it's been about 6 hours since my last pwc and the water is still clear and clean. Does it take awhile for mopani to color the water? The wood came from a friend's aquarium. They haven't had one for awhile and gave me the wood.

 

[Mebbid]

I would like to know their reasoning behind your fish getting stressed out. The only way to tell if the fish care about the water changes is to see it in person. Having personally done 3 50% water changes back to back with an hour in between like I suggested to you; I can safely say my fish didn't give a crap. I would also like to add that each time I refilled the tank they came and played in the stream of water going into the tank.

If they are acting erratic, hiding, or darting around within an hour or two after the water change has been completed then sure it's possible that they are stressed. But if they are swimming around normally after that time frame then they are perfectly fine.

Even so, I am a firm believer that a little stress from water changes are well worth it for better water parameters which will help prevent sickness all on its own.

Fish in cycles are perfectly safe to do, as long as you have the knowledge to care for water chemistry. Doing water changes every time you see a .5ppm level of ammonia / nitrite is a sure fire way to safely complete a fish in cycle

The bottled bacteria will possibly (hopefully) speed up the cycle. I used bio spira once for my salt tank and it showed no actual improvement on the tank. It cost me a ton of money in salt to keep the water safe during my fish's treatment not to mention the $15 in pointless bottled bacteria.

 

[Cactuspixie]

I would like to know their reasoning behind your fish getting stressed out. The only way to tell if the fish care about the water changes is to see it in person. Having personally done 3 50% water changes back to back with an hour in between like I suggested to you; I can safely say my fish didn't give a crap. I would also like to add that each time I refilled the tank they came and played in the stream of water going into the tank.

If they are acting erratic, hiding, or darting around within an hour or two after the water change has been completed then sure it's possible that they are stressed. But if they are swimming around normally after that time frame then they are perfectly fine.

Even so, I am a firm believer that a little stress from water changes are well worth it for better water parameters which will help prevent sickness all on its own.

Fish in cycles are perfectly safe to do, as long as you have the knowledge to care for water chemistry. Doing water changes every time you see a .5ppm level of ammonia / nitrite is a sure fire way to safely complete a fish in cycle

The bottled bacteria will possibly (hopefully) speed up the cycle. I used bio spira once for my salt tank and it showed no actual improvement on the tank. It cost me a ton of money in salt to keep the water safe during my fish's treatment not to mention the $15 in pointless bottled bacteria.

+1
Love your work Mebbid

 

[Mebbid]

+1
Love your work Mebbid

Hehe thanks

 

[FishSim]

I would like to know their reasoning behind your fish getting stressed out. The only way to tell if the fish care about the water changes is to see it in person. Having personally done 3 50% water changes back to back with an hour in between like I suggested to you; I can safely say my fish didn't give a crap. I would also like to add that each time I refilled the tank they came and played in the stream of water going into the tank.

If they are acting erratic, hiding, or darting around within an hour or two after the water change has been completed then sure it's possible that they are stressed. But if they are swimming around normally after that time frame then they are perfectly fine.

Even so, I am a firm believer that a little stress from water changes are well worth it for better water parameters which will help prevent sickness all on its own.

Fish in cycles are perfectly safe to do, as long as you have the knowledge to care for water chemistry. Doing water changes every time you see a .5ppm level of ammonia / nitrite is a sure fire way to safely complete a fish in cycle

The bottled bacteria will possibly (hopefully) speed up the cycle. I used bio spira once for my salt tank and it showed no actual improvement on the tank. It cost me a ton of money in salt to keep the water safe during my fish's treatment not to mention the $15 in pointless bottled bacteria.

Hi Mebbid, they didn't give me any reason other than saying 4 changes of 50% in one day is "too much". He looked stunned that I was going to do that many pwc. I didn't want to argue since his jaw almost dropped when I said I already did 2 in the span of 2 hours this morning.

I will test the water when I get home today and see how the fish are doing. They were fine yesterday when I did the 2 50% pwc and were swimming around happily.

I really appreciate yours and everyone else's comments/ideas here.

 

[Mebbid]

Hi Mebbid, they didn't give me any reason other than saying 4 changes of 50% in one day is "too much". He looked stunned that I was going to do that many pwc. I didn't want to argue since his jaw almost dropped when I said I already did 2 in the span of 2 hours this morning.

I will test the water when I get home today and see how the fish are doing. They were fine yesterday when I did the 2 50% pwc and were swimming around happily.

I really appreciate yours and everyone else's comments/ideas here.

In the future when going to a fish store go in and ask some feeler questions to get to know how much the LFS people know. I do this and ask some simple but straight forward questions that I know the answer to and if they answer wrong I tune out all advice form them.

Also, I'm glad we could help.

 

[Bix22]

People on this app generally know more than LFS workers who probably don't have fish tanks themselves. The stores are in it for the money, selling you "bottled bacteria" nets them more money than suggesting water changes which nets them 0 profit!

 

[Fishperson]

People on this app generally know more than LFS workers who probably don't have fish tanks themselves. The stores are in it for the money, selling you "bottled bacteria" nets them more money than suggesting water changes which nets them 0 profit!

+1!

I want to tell new people to this website that almost everyone on here knows more than the average lfs employee (which is probably true), but that sounds really biased. What you said is a great way of explaining it!

 

[Fishfur]

At least you went looking for help sooner rather than later. Personally I disagree with fish in cycling. It can be done without fish, avoiding all risk to the fish, and I think that is both kinder and more responsible than using fish to cycle.

It's even better if you can get some media from an established filter, and get a virtually instant cycle as a result. But not all of us have a filter to call on, or a friend with filter to call on.

Local fish stores often employ folk who have little to no knowledge, and if they can't see what you are doing or why, they often get it wrong.

I do completely agree with Mebbid that multiple changes, with some time between if possible, are much, much safer for fish than leaving them in high ammonia or nitrite conditions, which do permanent damage and likely will result in fish living only short lives, or dying within weeks, or a few months time.

I have done this type of multiple change several times, and not yet lost a fish as a result. Just match the temperatures closely as you can. In fact, I had one emergency, as a result of filter failure while I was out, and a large dead snail, so that when I got home, the nItrite spike was already pretty advanced in a small hospital tank, only 5G. I had to do four changes pretty much back to back. Only loss was the snail. Tank had a few snails, many shrimp and a few kuhli loaches in it, all remained alive and well.

 

[FishSim]

Okay, after some more reading on forum topics I went home and did another 50% pwc and reduced ammonia to 0.5ppm. Nitrates and Nitrates still read 0.

I'm not going to dose seachem stability. Yesterday's dose was all I did. I'll continue to monitor and cycle. My platies still look healthy and happy. My water is crystal clear since doing the pwc. I hope it's nothing to be concerned about as I've heard the cloudy water was bacteria bloom? Hope I didn't stop the natural cycle.

I'll try todo another 50% pwc later today.

 

[FishSim]

In the future when going to a fish store go in and ask some feeler questions to get to know how much the LFS people know. I do this and ask some simple but straight forward questions that I know the answer to and if they answer wrong I tune out all advice form them.

Also, I'm glad we could help.

I'm grateful this forum exists! Awesome people on here willing to help.