Koppriecht
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 92
The filter is an Aqueon QuietFlow (30 I think).
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Emergency? Ammonia at .25 ppm
- Thread starter Koppriecht
- Start date
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It is possible that your bioload is too high for your filtration and that is why your ammonia is high. It also possible you are at the very end of a mini cycle caused by replacing your filter pad.
I would wait a little while more and see if it goes away on its own.
Just make sure the ammonia doesn't get any higher.
Also, if your nitrates are at 40ppm you probably should do larger water changes or do them more often.
I would wait a little while more and see if it goes away on its own.
Just make sure the ammonia doesn't get any higher.
Also, if your nitrates are at 40ppm you probably should do larger water changes or do them more often.
Caliban07
Aquarium Advice Addict
Actually the tap water vial on the right to me looks like 0ppm yellow. It is very hard to distinguish between 0.25 and 0 but there is a difference. 0 is definitely yellow as the chart indicates. You can use some bottled water to compare with tap and tank.
Nitrates are getting quite high though. What is your stock and when was your latest addition?
0.25ppm is nothing to worry about as in imminent danger to your fish but the fact that ammonia is now present and nitrates are quite high tells me that something has changed recently.
Can you think of anything that you have done/changed recently no matter how insignificant it may be?
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Nitrates are getting quite high though. What is your stock and when was your latest addition?
0.25ppm is nothing to worry about as in imminent danger to your fish but the fact that ammonia is now present and nitrates are quite high tells me that something has changed recently.
Can you think of anything that you have done/changed recently no matter how insignificant it may be?
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Koppriecht
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2014
- Messages
- 92
I did the test again after adding prime last night and the ammonia reading is 0 ppm. I guess all that is left is the high Nitrates. I will do a wc ASAP. The only changes to the tank were:
1) Filter media changed 1 month ago
2) Water change last weekend
3) Guppy death in middle of week
1) Filter media changed 1 month ago
2) Water change last weekend
3) Guppy death in middle of week
Great news that all is well now.
This is probably a stupid question but when you did the water change last weekend are you sure you remembered to use the prime?
Assuming that wasn't the issue I suspect your problem was the filter pad change. What can sometimes happen is that a huge percentage of your bacteria can be in the pad so when you pull it out it can take your bacteria colony with it.
Although honestly, it could have been a lot of things. The good news is that it seems like you are back on track now.
This is probably a stupid question but when you did the water change last weekend are you sure you remembered to use the prime?
Assuming that wasn't the issue I suspect your problem was the filter pad change. What can sometimes happen is that a huge percentage of your bacteria can be in the pad so when you pull it out it can take your bacteria colony with it.
Although honestly, it could have been a lot of things. The good news is that it seems like you are back on track now.
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
word of advice for the future;
You really should set-up two filters or divide your filter media into two bags. Then only change half at a time and it should help avoid these type of issues in the future.
Also when you do change the filter media, cut back on the feeding for about a week to allow the new filter media to be fully colonized and help preclude any spikes in parameters.
You really should set-up two filters or divide your filter media into two bags. Then only change half at a time and it should help avoid these type of issues in the future.
Also when you do change the filter media, cut back on the feeding for about a week to allow the new filter media to be fully colonized and help preclude any spikes in parameters.
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
just looked at the Aqeon filters...
poor design for sure, you are forced to remove the majority of the filtration media every time you clean it.
another example of a product designed specifically to force the owners to continually re-purchase consumable items.
Same racket as printer manufacturers use, the unit itself is relatively inexpensive, but the consumables is where they make the $$$
In my opinion/experience, most HOB filters are inadequate junk, especially ones that force you to use "cartridges".
Canister filters get my vote over HOB if for no other reason than you can usually use whatever media you choose in them.
poor design for sure, you are forced to remove the majority of the filtration media every time you clean it.
another example of a product designed specifically to force the owners to continually re-purchase consumable items.
Same racket as printer manufacturers use, the unit itself is relatively inexpensive, but the consumables is where they make the $$$
In my opinion/experience, most HOB filters are inadequate junk, especially ones that force you to use "cartridges".
Canister filters get my vote over HOB if for no other reason than you can usually use whatever media you choose in them.
Seryiouz
Aquarium Advice Activist
If it makes you feel better, my tanks stay @ .25 even after water changes, I also have a tank w/one fish in it & it still reads .25, which leads me to believe that these are just trace readings. I was freaking out too, but no more.
