Semi high ammonia

[Fishygirl7]

I have a ammonia problem. My tank is a 20 gallon with a power filter with a bio wheel for a 30 gallon tank. My tank is 2 months old. I had my water checked everything is fine except ammonia I do 6 gallon water changes every week. The fish place said do a bigger water change. I haven't changed the media only rinsed it once with aquarium water when I did a water change about a month ago. Should I buy a new one? Would it help with the ammonia?Any suggestions on how to bring it down.Fish all seem fine and healthy eating brine shrimp with garlic guard and a few flakes at night they think I may be feeding to much. Any suggestions on this also any input would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

How high is it?

Do a couple 50% water changes and re test every few hours. Keep doing them as needed

 

[Fishygirl7]

I don't have a test kit I been going to the fish place it was on the first light green strip he said it wasn't bad to do a 50% water change to I'm doing it tomorrow. So u think I shouldn't change the media then? Only do the water change then have it tested. I take my decorations out I don't rinse them. I vacuum the gravel well replace the decorations then refill tank is that ok to do. I do that every other change the other time I just vacuum around everything.

 

[Fishygirl7]

I also have a little algae growth on one artificial plant on top it's closest to the light is that normal?

 

[BBradbury]

Water Chemistry

I have a ammonia problem. My tank is a 20 gallon with a power filter with a bio wheel for a 30 gallon tank. My tank is 2 months old. I had my water checked everything is fine except ammonia I do 6 gallon water changes every week. The fish place said do a bigger water change. I haven't changed the media only rinsed it once with aquarium water when I did a water change about a month ago. Should I buy a new one? Would it help with the ammonia?Any suggestions on how to bring it down.Fish all seem fine and healthy eating brine shrimp with garlic guard and a few flakes at night they think I may be feeding to much. Any suggestions on this also any input would be appreciated. Thank you.

Hello Fishy...

Water changes smaller than half the tank's volume do little to maintain stable water properties. Bump up the weekly water change to 50 percent and get some Brazilian Waterweed into the tank asap. This plant thrives in nitrogen rich water and is the best natural water filter available. A mechanical filter does little to maintain pure water conditions, because it just takes in dirty water and returns the water a bit less dirty. The water in the tank must be removed and replaced with pure, treated tap water weekly to maintain safe conditions for your fish and plants too.

B

 

[Fishygirl7]

Thank you I will look for this plant going to invest in my own water testing kit as I've heard strips aren't the best to use. I've been going to the fish place once a week before water changes to get it tested I will start doing 50% water changes . I think ill have it tested after I do a water change to just to c the difference. So I would still like to know would changing the media help or hurt my tank at this point? Is the algae from this ? Will the reel plants help the algae growth.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Algae is from the way it tested. Changing the filters will make it worse as you'll throw out the bacteria

 

[Fishygirl7]

Ok I thought that might be what would happen ok then ill do the 50%water change and see what happens got to get my own testing kit then I can test when I want. So algae is ok it's not bad just don't want it to get worse I think ill go back to feeding once a day. And get a timer for my light.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Ok I thought that might be what would happen ok then ill do the 50%water change and see what happens got to get my own testing kit then I can test when I want. So algae is ok it's not bad just don't want it to get worse I think ill go back to feeding once a day. And get a timer for my light.

Yes cutting back on feedings will help. Try feeding every other day till the ammonia gets better. The algae may get worse but it should come to a Holt once you fix the water issue.

How long does your light run? If it's more than 6 hours cut it back to 6. Most lights will promote the algae growth.

 

[Fishygirl7]

Ok thank you. I'm going to buy a timer today. And a test kit. I don't know how much they are but I hope I can afford one I know strips are not that much but I don't like them.

 

[BBradbury]

Miscellaneous Tank Info

Ok thank you. I'm going to buy a timer today. And a test kit. I don't know how much they are but I hope I can afford one I know strips are not that much but I don't like them.

Hello Fishy...

If you keep aquarium plants in your fish tank, they're mainly tropical and used to long hours of daylight. I keep my planted tanks' lights on timers too, and set them for 12 hours on and 12 off. You'll have a bit of algae, but that's normal and a natural part of a tank.

As far as testing, if your tank is established (cycled), you don't need to test the tank water, provided you remove and replace half the water every week. Waste products (nitrogen) produced by the fish need time to dissolve in the tank water and make it toxic to the fish. If you flush a lot of pure water through the tank every week, there's no time for the toxins to build up before you remove them through a water change.

I'm a water change fanatic and change half the water in my tanks weekly, so I never have to use expensive test kits. I know the water in my tanks is always stable. However, if for whatever reason you're unable to change that much tank water, then you must invest in a water testing kit and test for toxins weekly.

B

 

[Fishygirl7]

I have been doing 6 gal out of my 20 gal tank once a week. I am going to do more this week my ammonia is always a little high I have been told to stop to one feeding a day or every other day. And leave my lights on less to help with algae. I do have some my tank is only 2 mo old so I'm a newbie stil learning.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Your pm is full and you need t clean it out.

Ok Ty that's what I thought maybe they want my fisheys to die so I buy more how much of a water change u think I should do I usually do 6 gal for my 20 gal tank also u say don't clean do u mean NO cleaning at all NO vac of the top of substrate nothing just change the water? Btw the fish like the bubble wall they play in it I have it on the timer w my light so they have some quiet time to cuz it does make the water current stronger not a whole lot but stronger

Do what your doing twice a week or do a extra couple gallons a week on top of that. When you clean its okay to clean the top of the gravel in a swirling motion about an inch above it. Just don't stick the vac down inside, till.the problem is fixed. Don't clean the filter or replace anything inside it. Don't clean plants or any other decor. This will make the bacteria grow stronger to control the water quality.

When cleaning only clean half of the gravel a week. If the filter isn't really dirty don't clean it or replace it. When cleaning it only run the old tank water threw the sponge in the filter to wash it out. It doesn't need to be sparkling and the more time you take to clean it the more bacteria you may rinse away.

If your going to replace the stuff in the filter then don't clean the substrate that week. Replace with new pad and tear or cut some of the old pad and place in with it for a couple weeks to save some of the bacteria.