Pesky persistent ammonium at 0.25 ppm

[newfish42]

Hello everyone,

I am new to fishkeeping and seeking some help with my ammonia/ammonium levels. For the past 3 weeks my ammonium levels have been consistently at 0.25 ppm. I have been doing a 30% pwc every day for the past 2 weeks to try to lower the levels, but with no luck. I have also cut down on feeding significantly. My fish are all acting fine but I am concerned that the levels have been elevated for this long. My pH is ~7.8 and my nitrates are 0. I tested my water source and read 0ppm ammonium. I want to keep my tank healthy and would appreciate your help

Some tank history: The tank is around 2 months old. I did a live cycle with the 2 black skirted tetras and biozyme over the course of a month. After a month I measured ammonium and nitrates at 0, so I added 2 cories. A few days later I started to see ammonium rise to 0.25ppm, and it has stayed at 0.25 every day now for the past 3 weeks. I added some biozyme about a week ago after my pwc but that did not seem to help. Am I going through a mini-cycle? Should I continue to do daily pwcs?

I have a 10gal freshwater tank (aqueon starter pack) with a Aqueon QuietFlow 10 hanging power filter, Aqueon submersible heater at 76 degrees F, stocked with 2 cory cats and 2 black skirted tetras. I use aqeon water conditioner to condition my water during pwcs.

Any help is much appreciated!!

 

[ZxC]

Likely a mini cycle. Keep ammonia levels low via water changes and wait, what are your nitrite levels?

 

[newfish42]

Thank you!

I thought nitrites and nitrates were the same thing :O whoops. Should I also be measuring my nitrite levels?

 

[ZxC]

Ammonia is converted to nitrite which is converted to nitrate during the nitrogen cycle. ammonia/nitrite should be 0, nitrates are less toxic and are removed via water changes for the most part, (in a cycled tank of course). So yes, you should be testing for nitrite.
If you have a nitrite reading, you are not cycled.

 

[newfish42]

Thank you so much, will do

 

[Discusluv]

As fish grow their bioload increases: the amount they eat relative to body size leading to higher expenditure of waste. This is normal.
When the amount of beneficial bacteria is no longer sufficient to convert organic waste efficiently, that is when you see an ammonia rise.
The beneficial bacteria will attempt to match bioload, but, it can only do this to a point.
So, you will either see, in time, the beneficial bacteria matching the bio-load or the inability of your system to meet this increased bioload and a continual elevated ammonia issue.
How do you combat the later?
1. Increase surface area for biological bacteria to grow by adding more bio-media to filter or by adding a sponge filter.
2. Increase frequency and volume of weekly water changes.
3. Re-home some fish.

 

[newfish42]

Thank you all for your help. As a quick update, my ammonia has gone down to 0! I cleaned my mechanical filtration for the first time in quite a while, and there was a lot of waste in it. I'm wondering if this was possibly the source. As soon as I cleaned it the next day the ammonium already was starting to go down. My nitrites are also zero so I am hopeful that the problem has been solved.

Thank you all again!

 

[Upstate TBarbs]

Good to know about your levels.

Just something to consider, your tetras and corys prefer larger groups of their own kind. You may want to consider having 5 Black Skirt Tetras, and 4 or 5 Corydoras, not sure what type you have.

The bad news is that in a 10 gallon tank, this will probably be close to the maximum amount of fish you could have.

 

[B-4]

Don't quit testing your water, when you cleaned your mechanical filter you probably cleaned out a bunch of beneficial bacteria.