Ammonia won't go down

[ImACoolguy]

Hey guys/gals.

Got my puffer tank set up and now I cannot get the ammonia to go down. I've water changed like 20 times and I'm about to rip out the substrate....

10g tank
Established filter from another tank
Live plants
PPS-PRO ferts
API liquid co2
DIY root tabs(suspected culprit)

pH: 7.0
Ammonia: sits at 2.0ppm with water changes it goes to 0.25ppm and won't budge.
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm because of all the water changes.

I really don't know what to do. If I have to I'll pull the the substrate and rinse all the root tabs out of it. Any other suggestions. The puffer is sitting in the snail culture tank...


Caleb

 

[azmodan]

Have you tested the tap?

 

[ImACoolguy]

Have you tested the tap?

Yes tap is 0ppm.


Caleb

 

[coralbandit]

Have you tried adding a cycled filter from one of your other tanks?
IMO (not necessarily correct) I would not use ferts or ANYTHING "for plants"while trying to cycle a tank.
Search silent cycle if you don't know about it?(I am not versed in this so maybe no help?)
I would add another cycled filter before tear down.
But if this is not an option or going to happen then I would tear down and NOT even re use the sub.
I would not add anything for plants at all on next attempt?
How is the puffer holding up?

 

[PassengerTN]

I think there's a bigger play factor in this some where. As many plants are in the tank, combined with established bio filter, 0.25ppm ammonia should disappear rather quickly than continue to climb. Perhaps pull some biomedia from one of your community tanks that are used to processing a heavier load. 0.25ppm isn't toxic anyhow.


Jesse

 

[ImACoolguy]

Have you tried adding a cycled filter from one of your other tanks?
IMO (not necessarily correct) I would not use ferts or ANYTHING "for plants"while trying to cycle a tank.
Search silent cycle if you don't know about it?(I am not versed in this so maybe no help?)
I would add another cycled filter before tear down.
But if this is not an option or going to happen then I would tear down and NOT even re use the sub.
I would not add anything for plants at all on next attempt?
How is the puffer holding up?

Been trying to talk with mebbid to see about the root tabs... There's a good 10-15 in there planted all around the tank. One surfaced the other day which let to my conclusion of the ammonia spike. I pulled out what I could find and shoved the rest deep down in the substrate.

He's doing alright. It's only a 2.5g. He's not acting stressed from what I can tell but I still worry.

I think there's a bigger play factor in this some where. As many plants are in the tank, combined with established bio filter, 0.25ppm ammonia should disappear rather quickly than continue to climb. Perhaps pull some biomedia from one of your community tanks that are used to processing a heavier load. 0.25ppm isn't toxic anyhow.


Jesse

Thanks Jesse I'll try some more established media.

I worry about adding him with any sign of ammonia. Especially since it's still spiking.


Caleb

 

[bcarl_10gal]

10-15 root tabs in a 2.5 gallon tank is A LOT. I assume you used the 00 size? The general guide is one for ever 3in by 3in square. How deep did you place them and what kind of substrate?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[ImACoolguy]

10-15 root tabs in a 2.5 gallon tank is A LOT. I assume you used the 00 size? The general guide is one for ever 3in by 3in square. How deep did you place them and what kind of substrate?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

No no no no no no no sir. Puffer is holding in the 2.5g.

His tank is a 10g tank.

Floromax substrate with some black sand. (12 pounds Floromax 5 sand)

Substrate is 2-2.5 inches deep.

I planted them like 2 inches apart from each other so that might be my problem


Caleb