Weird Readings

[DGAFPolar]

my pH is 7.2, NitrIte is 0ppm, NitrAte is 20pp....but my Ammonia is like 4ppm.....the tank was fine a week ago....what would make the ammonia spike? No new fish have been added and non of the other levels have changed. I cleaned the tank today and i didn't even find more then like 4 flakes of extra food in the bottom....the tank is the nicest it's ever been, why the spike?

 

[eco23]

my pH is 7.2, NitrIte is 0ppm, NitrAte is 20pp....but my Ammonia is like 4ppm.....the tank was fine a week ago....what would make the ammonia spike? No new fish have been added and non of the other levels have changed. I cleaned the tank today and i didn't even find more then like 4 flakes of extra food in the bottom....the tank is the nicest it's ever been, why the spike?

The ammo is 4ppm with fish in the tank? You need to do immediate large pwc's. I'd suggest two back to back 50% water changes or at least a 75% ASAP. How long has the tank been up and running? Did you cycle it? You're either having a heck of a mini cycle or the tank didn't fully cycle.

 

[DGAFPolar]

it was cycled, it's been running for like 2 months or more. I'll do a 75% PWC in the AM when my kids are away.

 

[eco23]

it was cycled, it's been running for like 2 months or more. I'll do a 75% PWC in the AM when my kids are away.

Okay, cause if the readings are correct...the water is absolutely devastatingly toxic. Do you have Prime? Try to add some in ASAP at the very least to try and detoxify some of that ammo.

You're gonna have to treat this as a fish in cycle until you get the ammo under control. I can't even begin to explain how damaging the 4ppm is to your fish.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now-116287.html