Ammonia spike!

[Barbastic]

Hey guys so iv had a big ammonia spike and am thinking of doing like a 90% water change, iv got fish in there already so do you think I should do a 90% or should I wait a day? My bacteria must have died off and I dont want my fish to do the same!

 

[nirbhao]

How high is your ammonia?

 

[Barbastic]

Was about 1 ppm which I feel is super high! Iv got this bottle of nutrafin cycle that I had for my first ever betta but I read the instant cycle isnt good for a tank? Also this stuff if like a year old so idk if I should even attempt using that

 

[nirbhao]

1ppm does not warrant a 90% water change. Do 50% now and add Prime water conditioner. Bacteria in a jar isn't going to help all that much.

Do you know why you had a spike?

 

[Barbastic]

I recently added 2 fish then shortly after a snail and a dwarf cray, the dwarf cray is what really is getting me worried cuz I kno they dont like ammonia and dont want him to die! Not sure if my cycle is restarting cuz I added to much to fast, thats kinda what I feel like has happened

 

[Barbastic]

Iv got nutrafin water conditioner

 

[nirbhao]

How big is your tank? Which fish did you add? How many fish total?

 

[Barbastic]

Its a 10 g iv got 3 black ruby barbs theyre still small going to move them to my 60g once I get it going have to wait till after Christmas sadly :/ and 2 albino cherry barbs, its a full load I believe! Im running an aquaclear 20 loaded with biomedia and iv also got a whisper 1-3 on there which I had biomedia in but I put in the normal cartridge to keep water clear which I think may have been foolish

 

[Barbastic]

And I added the cherries and actually one ruby a few days after this was about 3 days ago and all seemed fine until lastnight

 

[nirbhao]

I was hoping someone else would chime in here. You have five barbs, the crayfish, and what kind of snail? Anything else?

Has your crayfish eaten any of your barbs yet?

 

[Barbastic]

Its a dwarf cray theyre known to be more chill thats why I got him lol and a mystery snail, thinking of getting another for a better cleanup crew but I should wait till it recycles if thats whats happening