Need Help Lowering Ammonia

[Ld123]

I cannot seem to get my ammonia reading down????

 

[Scouser]

Is your tank fully cycled?

What size tank is it and what is the stocking?

 

[Ld123]

29L tank. 10 endler guppies, 2 oto cats and 2 Corys. Yes it's been running about 10 weeks

 

[Scouser]

29L tank. 10 endler guppies, 2 oto cats and 2 Corys. Yes it's been running about 10 weeks

29 litres?

That seems like way too many fish for that size of tank.

What are your exact readings for ammo, trites and trAtes?

 

[Ld123]

Nitrates 20
Nitrite 0
Ammonia .25

 

[Scouser]

Nitrates 20
Nitrite 0
Ammonia .25

Well the trAtes prove the cycle has been completed.

The Ammo can be either from stocking or base ammo in the tap water.

I'd go with the first option at this point, but to be safe test your tap water and see what it reads

 

[aqua_chem]

The small ammonia reading can also be a false positive from large water changes and prime.

 

[Ld123]

How can large water changes and prime affect this?

 

[LyndaB]

If you use Prime and test within 24 hours, you'll get false readings.

 

[Botanica]

If you use Prime and test within 24 hours, you'll get false readings.

So...if you're cycling with fish IN...and doing two pwc's a day using Prime to condition the water...how will you ever know where your ammonia reading really is? Do you just watch for the nitrites to rise to know the cycle is moving forward? Does Prime slow down the growth of the bb colony?

I'm new to this and am just trying to understand it better. . Thanks!

 

[aqua_chem]

In theory, the BB can still access the ammonia when it's been sequestered by Prime, so it's not a detriment to them. Usually, the 'false positives' that I see are not quite .25, but also not quite yellow. To minimize false readings, make sure you read the test 5 minutes after adding the reagents (or whatever the test says to do) and not any longer.

 

[Botanica]

In theory, the BB can still access the ammonia when it's been sequestered by Prime, so it's not a detriment to them. Usually, the 'false positives' that I see are not quite .25, but also not quite yellow. To minimize false readings, make sure you read the test 5 minutes after adding the reagents (or whatever the test says to do) and not any longer.

I like that..." in theory"...lol...but thank you...that helps. . I've seen that 'not quite yellow...not quite green' color before in my readings...I understand. Thanks!

 

[aqua_chem]

I figure it's either not enough ammonia to be harmful or a false positive, so I don't worry about it until it's clearly .25+, then it's PWC time!

"In Theory" is of half what keeps Seachem afloat.

 

[Ld123]

How many pwc and when?