Ammonia not dropping :(

[janky]

So I'm still new to aquariums and made the mistake on my first tank of just introducing 5 fish to treated tap water.
Obviously as the nitrogen cycle began, we lost 2 fish to ridiculous ammonia levels.
I've been doing non-stop research in between, and even bought a testing kit.
The problem is, for the last 2+ weeks, even with regular water changes and gravel vacuuming, the ammonia has been STEADY at 2.0ppm.

What gives?! Am I doing something wrong? Does it take longer than 2 weeks to start dropping?

We even purchased one of those "ammonia remover" bags from petco and had that in for a week. Even after that, and a water change, it's still at 2.0 ppm.

 

[LyndaB]

Did you purchase an API master kit (liquid)? The test strips are horrible.

It takes roughly 4-6 weeks to cycle a tank. Don't put anything else like ammonia remover in the tank. All you're doing is messing the process up.

With a fish-in cycle, you need to do tons of water changes. That's a toxic living environment for them.

What kind of fish do you have?

 

[mozcheez]

+1 for not using ammonia remover.

How much water are you changing out? Are you testing the tank immediately after the change and still getting 2ppm?

If you test the tank and it's at 2ppm, only a 50% water change (which may seem substantial) should reduce ammonia to 1ppm (.25ppm or lower is recommended). If you're waiting a day before testing again, then you did actually reduce the ammonia previously, it's just back up again due to waste/food.

To get a tank at 2ppm ammonia down to .25ppm, that would require about a 90% water change. If you're able to do this now, and then try to stay on top of the ammonia readings and do a water change when it gets above .25ppm (at which point you can get away with 25-50% changes), you should fair pretty well.

I hope that helps some? Good luck

EDIT: I know a 90% water change may be tough depending on the fish you have.... just do the biggest change you can, and keep monitoring that ammonia.

 

[Scouser]

Have you tested the water from the tap? That could have a sizeable amount of ammo in.

It could also be an issue with an expired test kit, checking it's in date will eliminate it.

What size tank and what is the stocking, also what filter are you using and what GPH is it?

Thanks

 

[janky]

Did you purchase an API master kit (liquid)? The test strips are horrible.

It takes roughly 4-6 weeks to cycle a tank. Don't put anything else like ammonia remover in the tank. All you're doing is messing the process up.

With a fish-in cycle, you need to do tons of water changes. That's a toxic living environment for them.

What kind of fish do you have?

Yes. API Master kit with the color indicator drops.
The fish are:
3 GloFish danios
1 fancy guppy
1 x-ray tetra
2 snails, 2 ghost shrimp

+1 for not using ammonia remover.

How much water are you changing out? Are you testing the tank immediately after the change and still getting 2ppm?

If you test the tank and it's at 2ppm, only a 50% water change (which may seem substantial) should reduce ammonia to 1ppm (.25ppm or lower is recommended). If you're waiting a day before testing again, then you did actually reduce the ammonia previously, it's just back up again due to waste/food.

To get a tank at 2ppm ammonia down to .25ppm, that would require about a 90% water change. If you're able to do this now, and then try to stay on top of the ammonia readings and do a water change when it gets above .25ppm (at which point you can get away with 25-50% changes), you should fair pretty well.

I hope that helps some? Good luck

EDIT: I know a 90% water change may be tough depending on the fish you have.... just do the biggest change you can, and keep monitoring that ammonia.

20-25% changes every couple days.. and I have usually been waiting a day or so and then testing the water. If it dropped, what is causing it to go right back up again so fast?

I also have diatoms ... I dunno if that is adding to the problem.

I'm about to do a major scrub/vac/huge water change today, so I can test the levels again after that...

Have you tested the water from the tap? That could have a sizeable amount of ammo in.

It could also be an issue with an expired test kit, checking it's in date will eliminate it.

What size tank and what is the stocking, also what filter are you using and what GPH is it?

Thanks

I have not tested the tap water. Is there a better source I should be using?
I don't think the test kit is expired...
The tank is a 12 gallon hexagonal, 5 fishes, 2 snails, 2 ghost shrimp. Overcrowded, maybe?

The filter is an old top fin 10 that came with the tank. May be time to replace it, but the people at petsmart said it looked ok (I know, I know....)

I'm not sure what GPH is. Sorry...

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Try doing back to back 50% water changes. Waiting half an hour then test. If the ammonia is still over .25ppm do more water changes. 20-25% every few days will not be doing anything. You need to do at least one large eater change daily once it's under control.

 

[Dbouchard]

im in the midst of fish in cycling as well, and If i go more then 12 hours without testing or changing the water then my ammonia levels go too high,

from my limited experience maybe your better off testing 2x daily and changing the water accordingly...I have luckily been able to keep my ammonia to 0.25 by doing that

 

[janky]

I will definitely try doing larger, back to back water changes and then test the levels right after.

Thanks for the insight.... we'll see how this goes!!!

 

[mozcheez]

I agree with Mumma and Dbouchard as well. Doing a 20% water change will only reduce 2ppm to 1.6ppm, which is still way too high. Fish will continue to be fed and go to the bathroom and the ammonia level will just climb back up, not to mention that you're only reducing it every couple of days. Hopefully you can do a really big water change when you do the vac/cleaning tonight to get your tank closer to being on track. Good luck!

 

[janky]

So I should be doing fairly large changes daily? For how long... couple weeks? Sorry, I'm still really new to this Appreciate the patience and replies!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

So I should be doing fairly large changes daily? For how long... couple weeks? Sorry, I'm still really new to this Appreciate the patience and replies!

Yes large daily (sometimes twice daily) water changes for ad long as it takes until your tank starts to read 0 ammonia and nitrite and climbing nitrate.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html

 

[janky]

Ok. We also just acquired a 55 gallon that we're doing a fishless cycle on (learned the first time!) so I can prob use some of the rocks from the 10 gal tank in the filter of the big one to get that started off right

hooray for learning!!!!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Yay for bigger tanks!
I'd suggest moving all the fish, filter, substrate and decor from the smaller tank to the 55g and continuing the fish in cycle. The more water, the longer the ammonia and nitrite take to build up so the healthier the fish.

 

[janky]

Well, I would... but we're going to be putting the small tank in our son's room now that we have the big one and starting over with new fish in the bigger tank
That's why I'm here asking 100 ?s lol... wanna make sure I do it right!

In the meantime, I have great news! I changed probably 60% of the water today AFTER gravel vac and scrubbing the walls with a brush (diatom outbreak). After the change we went to dinner and I tested the ammonia when I came back...

It's down to 0.8 ppm!!!

I'm going to keep doing the water changes and monitoring it.. but this is very exciting, as this is the lowest I've ever seen it!!


I also took some of the gravel and put it in the back of the filter tank for my 55 gal, so hopefully that will kickstart the cycle there.

Thanks so much for the info. I'm glad to have it clarified!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The fish are:
3 GloFish danios
1 fancy guppy
1 x-ray tetra
2 snails, 2 ghost shrimp

The tank is a 12 gallon hexagonal

Just so you know glofish need schools of 6 or more and a 20g long tank for swimming space and x ray tetras need schools of 6 or more and 20g tank also. They would be better off in a bigger tank with friends.

And good job getting the ammonia down!

 

[Nreal]

Yay for bigger tanks!
I'd suggest moving all the fish, filter, substrate and decor from the smaller tank to the 55g and continuing the fish in cycle. The more water, the longer the ammonia and nitrite take to build up so the healthier the fish.

What about using distilled water in a change? At less than a buck a gallon, one 20 gallon water change with distilled should do a major positive jump on all issues - just an idea.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

What about using distilled water in a change? At less than a buck a gallon, one 20 gallon water change with distilled should do a major positive jump on all issues - just an idea.

Nope. Distilled water will do more harm then good IMO. It will change the pH of the tank. It doesn't contain the necessary minerals/buffers used by plants and fish and for a stable pH. When using distilled water you need to add a product to replace these such as kent RO Rite or SeaChem Replenish.

 

[Nreal]

So, then by adding one of these products, the benefits of water with necessary "additives" will be gained - without the ammonia and trite/trate, right?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

So, then by adding one of these products, the benefits of water with necessary "additives" will be gained - without the ammonia and trite/trate, right?

I'm not sure I understand.
The ammonia is from the fish so no matter what water you use ammonia will be produced and converted to nitrite by bacteria then converted to nitrate.

 

[Nreal]

I suppose it is I who needs to be more educated on this cycle... It has been some time since I had my 55 going. I have done soon much research on plants and fish and starting the tank prior to introducing fish or plants... It gets to the point where I have EVERYTHING but because the distributor lost my shipment of plants- and this adds the substrate question, I have no substrate and what is best to use, then I say can I cant just use sand- and hey, what about the need of a co2 supplement tank..for $200.
Finally my anxiety looks around the room littered with boxes and tools, and say I'm going to tackle this tomorrow as I have invested 6 hours in setting up the equipment (canister, inline heater, led lighting, etc.) and i have yet to get more.. I guess I'm a little tapped out on my project as these questions float around like a fish that needs to be disposed of.