Losing the ammonia battle. Help.

[fishywishywowoo]

Been cycling my tank for 4 weeks now. It is a fish in cycle (didnt know any better when bought tank and fish). Got the api testing kit. Ph stable at 7-7.2 nitrite and nitrate 0 but ammonia 8.0! Was like this few days ago and had come dpwn to 1.0 but today bavk to 8.0. Its a 20g tank with 7 wcmm and 4 hillstream loaches. The fish all appear happy and healthy. Wcmm as goofy as ever and loaches often swimming about or exploring. Just dont know why we not cycling. I do 30-50% pwc every day. The filter is a big sponge 1. Not sure what called but has about 5 layers. Each square bout 2 1/2" square. Workimg well. Got airstones for plenty of airation. Please help. As said fish all doing well. Tested tap water and was 0. Just done a 80% water change

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[J1Time]

Ever seen nitrites or nitrates? Is there ammonia in the tap water? Whats the temp?

 

[fishywishywowoo]

No ammonia in tap. Temp 18 degree cel. Never had nitrire or nitrate

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[libertybelle]

Really....because If the ammonia was actually 8 your fish would not be fine....

Old test kit perhaps?

 

[libertybelle]

are you using prime or some kind of ammonia detoxifier in the meantime and that's why they are fine?

 

[fishywishywowoo]

Nope. Had them 2 weeks. Thats what I don't get. Fish are acting completely normal. Wcmm even spawning. No babies though cos loaches eat the eggs. Dont know where im going wrong. It def going dark green though. Stayed yellow on tap water

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[fishywishywowoo]

Have used some previously but not fpr a week or so?

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[libertybelle]

Well unless I am missing something there has got to be something wrong with the test kit or something is protecting your fish from the ammonia. Does your water conditioner say anything about detoxifying ammonia.

 

[fishywishywowoo]

Its bioactive tapsafe. Sayd adds aloe vera and beneficial bacteria and remives chlorine and metals but nothing about ammonia

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[libertybelle]

I assume you tested a few times to be sure....Perhaps your pH is high enough that the ammonia is actually in its ammonium state which is less toxic to fish?

Either way you have a relatively small uncycled tank with too many fish thrown in right at the beginning. The low temperature of the tank combined with high unstable ammonia levels are stalling your cycle.

Fish in cycling takes ages anyway even in a heated tank, and you have to keep doing water changes to keep ammonia low or it will stall out completely.

If your water conditioner does not say detoxifies ammonia and nitrite switch to one that does before you have dead fish to worry about.

 

[fishywishywowoo]

Will do. Cant really turn up the heat cos of the loaches. They wont do well in any warmer I dont think. Ill just stick at it and carry on doing pwc until cycles. As said I dodnt know any better when I started. Was badly advised advised from lfs and now im left trying to do best by the fish. Thanks for your advice

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[libertybelle]

Sure, that's a common problem. I don't know what it is with fish stores....they make this a much more painful process in the long run.

So yeah water changes and prime. prime stays active for 24 hours so while you have ammonia make sure you are doing daily water changes. If for some reason you have to skip a day dose prime anyway to make sure the ammonia doesn't turn toxic again.

 

[tomtom14]

I would check your test kit as 8.0 would kill most fish. Do you have another tank? If so i would move the fish you have into that tank for the last 2 weeks of the cycle just to speed it up. If not just keep doing what your doing with the water changes and regular tests.

 

[libertybelle]

I would check your test kit as 8.0 would kill most fish. Do you have another tank? If so i would move the fish you have into that tank for the last 2 weeks of the cycle just to speed it up. If not just keep doing what your doing with the water changes and regular tests.

The only thing I can guess is the pH above 7 is protecting the fish for now?

If you can take your water to a fish store to be tested that would rule out (or in) a faulty test)

 

[fishywishywowoo]

I cant understand why fish ok either but the wcmm are swimming happily and all 4 loaches out grazing on the rocks or glass so no unusual behaviour. No other tank unfortunately so will continue with pwc and prime. Im new to fish keeping all new but test kit showed a 0 on tap water so would this indicate working ok? Hubby just come back with some prime so gonna pop some in

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[libertybelle]

As long as you tested multiple times it testing 0 on tap would tell me it was probably working. But sometimes you don't get an accurate read if you don't shake well enough or something. It would definitely be worth taking some to a fish store to have them test just to be sure.

 

[fishywishywowoo]

Good idea. I can take to lfs when next off work in few days

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[ArtistGardener]

The only thing I can guess is the pH above 7 is protecting the fish for now?]

Higher pH makes ammonia more toxic, not less. Either the pH is really low, or the test isn't correct--and I am guessing that is the case.

OP, are you rinsing your tube well after testing (in regular tap water) then rinsing it again before filling it to test?

How big are your water changes as your tank is cycling? You should be doing at least 50% every day while it cycles with fish in.

 

[libertybelle]

Oops, you're right. Either way, live fish doesn't make any sense.....It's gotta be the test....

Until you can confirm otherwise though I would treat it as though you have a massive ammonia problem. Maybe the conditioner they are using actually does have some ammonia binding properties?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

+1 ammonia is more toxic at higher ph.

Also, nitrite is less deadly than ammonia, but in hard water it can be even worse than ammonia.

OP, something is up with the test, otherwise your fish would be dead. Keep your daily water changes up to schedule as best you can.

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