HELP!!! Ammonia Out of Control

[JSB3]

Here is the situation I have had an aquarium most of my life (50+ y.o.) on and off in some form or another. I had Discus back in the 80's I got from Jack Wattley(sp.), went to his house and picked them up. I have bred many different of fish never a problem. Recently I decided I wanted a fish tank again, something small (10 gal)some guppies to set on my night stand. Well I set it up planted it and cycled it. got the guppies severasl weeks later and slowly but surely they died. Oh, well. Start over again the ammonia was was high did water change after water change (even drained 90-96% of the water to move it), the ammonia is still HIGH. NO nitrates or nitrites. Kept doing 50% water changes twice a week and no change. Used that white gravel like ammonia reducer, no change. The aquarium is planted and the plants are thriving and overtaking the tank including a Madagascar Lace Plant. Any ideas on getting rid of the ammonia???

 

[Autumnsky]

Did you test your tap water for ammonia?

 

[JSB3]

Did you test your tap water for ammonia?

Yes, several times.

 

[Fishkid16]

Go too like petco and ask for ammonia remover for aquarium fresh water. That's what I did when I had a fresh water tank

 

[JSB3]

Actually have used several products like:
Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater

API AMMO-LOCK Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Ammonia Detoxifier

Marineland PA0382 White Diamond Ammonia Neutralizing Crystals

And1 other that I can't find right now.

 

[Autumnsky]

How did you cycle the tank?

If you had tap water with 0 ammonia, and did a 96ish % water change there should have been basically 0 ammonia.

How long has the tank been running? Since you started it initially, and since it was cycled?

What kind of test are you using?

What kind(s) of fish food are you using?

What is your stock for the 10G tank? That is a pretty small space.

Top reasons there is ammonia is new tank - not cycled, ammonia already present in tap water, and hugely - overfeeding.

One other tidbit is that ammonia detoxifiers will detoxify ammonia changing it to ammonium which is not toxic to the fish BUT still registers on the ammonia test.

__________________________
And if you can share other details

pH tank and also
pH of tap water left out and tested after about 48 hours

GH & KH

 

[JSB3]

How did you cycle the tank?

If you had tap water with 0 ammonia, and did a 96ish % water change there should have been basically 0 ammonia.

How long has the tank been running? Since you started it initially, and since it was cycled?

What kind of test are you using?

What kind(s) of fish food are you using?

What is your stock for the 10G tank? That is a pretty small space.

Top reasons there is ammonia is new tank - not cycled, ammonia already present in tap water, and hugely - overfeeding.

One other tidbit is that ammonia detoxifiers will detoxify ammonia changing it to ammonium which is not toxic to the fish BUT still registers on the ammonia test.

__________________________
And if you can share other details

pH tank and also
pH of tap water left out and tested after about 48 hours

GH & KH

How long has the tank been running? Since you started it initially, and since it was cycled? The tank was set up and cycled over a year ago. June 2018




What kind of test are you using? API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT 800. Ph, Nitrite, Nitrate, High Range Ph & Ammonia




What kind(s) of fish food are you using? None


What is your stock for the 10G tank? Just plants. This was supposed to be a nano tank after the guppies died 6 months ago. There were 1.3 guppies at that time so no overcrowding. I have several other small aquariums as well as a 70 gal and all are doing well except this one


Tank Ph is: 6.0
I keep a 40 gal industrial trash can on wheels with water in it and that Ph is: 6.0

 

[Autumnsky]

Ammonia and low pH can be problematic. (I don't fully understand the whole thing)

Basically the ammonia doesn't process as it would in a higher pH.

BB doesn't produce as plentifully. Low amounts of BB which live in that way

pH needs carbonates and magnesium (maybe other minerals) to create the buffering effect needed in the aquarium.

Do you know or can you get a check up on GH /KH from a lfs?

Ammonia feeds BB as in a fishless cycle. But my understanding is that the BB which survive in the lower pH can be different (more specifically suited to that more acidic environment) than the ones in that survive in the higher pH.

Low pH below 6 also keeps the ammonia from being in its toxic form. When it as at 6 I wouldn't have any idea.

I would clean /vac the substrate well, make sure to get out any muck, though it doesn't seem it would be much.

If the Guppies you had were from the store it would be likely the difference in pH could stress them, also Guppies like higher pH. If you got Guppies from a local breeder using same tap water parameters, they would likely be alright. So you might try locally bred fish if that is the case.

If you changes the filter pad/ media and or rinsed in untreated tap water you could have killed off most or all the BB.

 

[JSB3]

"Do you know or can you get a check up on GH /KH from a lfs?"
Very hard water comes directly from the limestone mountains nearby. Live in Upstate SC at the base of the Blue Ridge mountains. I am Lucky to be this near the mountains water hasn't been processed and reprocessed like it is at the beach.


"I would clean /vac the substrate well, make sure to get out any muck, though it doesn't seem it would be much."
Little over an inch of substrate (Seachem Flourite Black) Just stirred it 2 weeks ago along with mt routine twice weekly 25-50% water change.


Guppies were bought from a breeder and were acclimated over a period of about 6 hour. Did fine the 1st month and then started dying off (young fish)
Have a sponge filter and a power filter that has a media bag in it with carbon and or ammonia and it is always change with reactivate materials that have been soaked in a salt and distilled water solution rinsed and dried for approx, 10 days.This is what I have done with all of my tanks and they look great except this one. Plants are flourishing, just not the fish.

 

[Autumnsky]

Hmmmm.

Yeah the plants like the ammonia!

I would still check the GH/KH you can get it from the lfs where they test for free, or buy a test kit.


With limestone water source I would think you would have harder water with lots of calcium and probably magnesium. Not acidic low pH at 6.

Anyhow that is all my guesses without knowing KH/GH.

My water has low pH most of the year depending upon whether my town water supplier get it from the lake from snow run off (0 kH) or the reservoir with a stone bottom (more hardness). I need to supplement minerals like calcium and magnesium.

With my lower normal pH, I also have a harder time keeping Guppies and Endlers. My regional southern neighbors have very hard water and keep them more easily.