in need of some help

[dman0617]

Im having a continuing issue ive made a posting about this same issue but all the the suggestions ive received didnt really help my issue ive attached a pic of my issue. Could someone please help!

 

[severum mama]

So... ammonia is off the charts. I would suggest a couple of back to back large water changes. That needs to come down.

 

[dman0617]

So... ammonia is off the charts. I would suggest a couple of back to back large water changes. That needs to come down.

Im doing WC every day just about the ammonia is just not coming down and ive tested my water source and it has a low ammonia count

 

[dman0617]

How is it possible to have that high of ammonia but no nitrites and low nitrates

 

[Brad M]

How is it possible to have that high of ammonia but no nitrites and low nitrates

You need a bio filter to creat nitrites. Please explain your set up. What size tank how many fish how long has the tank been running how often do you feed them what do you have for a filtration system

 

[severum mama]

Im doing WC every day just about the ammonia is just not coming down and ive tested my water source and it has a low ammonia count

Try back to back water changes of like, 75% and see what happens. I bet it will come down.

 

[dman0617]

You need a bio filter to creat nitrites. Please explain your set up. What size tank how many fish how long has the tank been running how often do you feed them what do you have for a filtration system

10 gal
3 guppies
4 neon tetras
I feed em once every other day
Tank was cycled for two months then gradually added fish not all on one day
Then suddenly the tank got cloudy and then it cleared now i have this ammonia i just cant seem to get rid of
I have 2 HOB filters a aqueon 20 and a top fin power 10

 

[Brad M]

10 gal
3 guppies
4 neon tetras
I feed em once every other day
Tank was cycled for two months then gradually added fish not all on one day
Then suddenly the tank got cloudy and then it cleared now i have this ammonia i just cant seem to get rid of
I have 2 HOB filters a aqueon 20 and a top fin power 10

Is it a simple hang on back filter? When was the last time the filter media was cleaned? Do you have another tank or clean 5g bucket?

 

[dman0617]

Is it a simple hang on back filter? When was the last time the filter media was cleaned? Do you have another tank or clean 5g bucket?

It a simple hang on back filter and i havent really cleaned the filter if i did wouldnt i be getting rid of the BB i have another tank but i have fish in that as well and i do have a clean bucket

 

[Brad M]

It a simple hang on back filter and i havent really cleaned the filter if i did wouldnt i be getting rid of the BB i have another tank but i have fish in that as well and i do have a clean bucket

The fish need out of that soon. I would put my fish it the 5g bucket with the heater and replace 95% of my water. I would also vaccum the gravel very well with all of the decor removed. Clean the decor in boiling water before its put back in. By this time a couple hours have passed and the declorinator has worked to make the tap water in the tank safe. Test the water once more before adding the fish back in tonight.

 

[dman0617]

The fish need out of that soon. I would put my fish it the 5g bucket with the heater and replace 95% of my water. I would also vaccum the gravel very well with all of the decor removed. Clean the decor in boiling water before its put back in. By this time a couple hours have passed and the declorinator has worked to make the tap water in the tank safe. Test the water once more before adding the fish back in tonight.

Ive removed decor already tank is empty when i do WC i vacuum the gravel anx im doing wc every other day

 

[severum mama]

Again, try back to back water changes of 75% and I am quite sure the ammonia will come down.

There is no need to remove filter, decor, or fish, and no need to boil anything. A quality dechlorinator like Prime will make the replacement water safe for fish immediately. I do all my water changes by filling straight from the tap and dosing dechlorinator for the volume of the tank. Works just fine even for delicate fish.

 

[Brad M]

Ive removed decor already tank is empty when i do WC i vacuum the gravel anx im doing wc every other day

Have you tested the water after a water change yet like directly after. There has to be something in the gravel then. Maybe it would be better to run a bare bottom tank till this gets fixed. Remove the fish in the bucket of clean water and remove the gravel. After the gravel is out and all the debris settles back to the bottom drain 75% of the water while sucking the debris up. Test the water before adding the fish back to make sure the ammonia levels are safe. Run the tank like this for a while. Once we know the problem is fixed and your filter is handeling the cycles then add your cleaned gravel back. If its still good a week later add the decor back.

 

[Brad M]

Again, try back to back water changes of 75% and I am quite sure the ammonia will come down.

There is no need to remove filter, decor, or fish, and no need to boil anything. A quality dechlorinator like Prime will make the replacement water safe for fish immediately. I do all my water changes by filling straight from the tap and dosing dechlorinator for the volume of the tank. Works just fine even for delicate fish.

The extra steps are not just to remove the ammonia but find the source of whats causing it. If we bring it down to 0 only to have it hit 10ppm again tomorrow then were back were we started.

Only reason I recommend this is due to the fact of constant water changes have still not helped this issue.

 

[dman0617]

Have you tested the water after a water change yet like directly after. There has to be something in the gravel then. Maybe it would be better to run a bare bottom tank till this gets fixed. Remove the fish in the bucket of clean water and remove the gravel. After the gravel is out and all the debris settles back to the bottom drain 75% of the water while sucking the debris up. Test the water before adding the fish back to make sure the ammonia levels are safe. Run the tank like this for a while. Once we know the problem is fixed and your filter is handeling the cycles then add your cleaned gravel back. If its still good a week later add the decor back.

So during this whole situation the fish is in the bucket how long before i can put my fish back in

 

[severum mama]

Every other day of an undisclosed percentage does not equal constant water changes IMO.

If you get the ammonia all the way down, it's not going to go off the charts by tomorrow. There simply isn't enough of a fish load for that to happen. Will there be many water changes necessary in the near future, until the problem resolves itself? Yes, I'm sure that will be necessary. Is it necessary to do a tank teardown and boil decorations? Absolutely not, IMO. The OP should try back to back large water changes and test the tank again before anything drastic is done. Get the ammonia level down, add some filter media from the other tank, and things should resolve before too long.

 

[Brad M]

Every other day of an undisclosed percentage does not equal constant water changes IMO.

If you get the ammonia all the way down, it's not going to go off the charts by tomorrow. There simply isn't enough of a fish load for that to happen. Will there be many water changes necessary in the near future, until the problem resolves itself? Yes, I'm sure that will be necessary. Is it necessary to do a tank teardown and boil decorations? Absolutely not, IMO. The OP should try back to back large water changes and test the tank again before anything drastic is done. Get the ammonia level down, add some filter media from the other tank, and things should resolve before too long.

I see your point if only 10% is being changed then yes a couple large changes would solve it quicker then tearing the whole tank down pretty much.

My concern is that a large amount of food or maybe a dead fish is under the gravel somewhere causing all of this. Any time I tackle an issue I prefer to follow the path that will solve the issue for sure even if it means hours more of work.

 

[dman0617]

I see your point if only 10% is being changed then yes a couple large changes would solve it quicker then tearing the whole tank down pretty much.

My concern is that a large amount of food or maybe a dead fish is under the gravel somewhere causing all of this. Any time I tackle an issue I prefer to follow the path that will solve the issue for sure even if it means hours more of work.

Ive checked for dead fish all fish has been accounted for but ill try the back to back wc as soon i get home

 

[dman0617]

Update....
1 causality so....
3 guppies
4 neon tetras

 

[severum mama]

So... did you do the back to back 75% water changes, and if so, what were the results?