Ammonia Problem

[mass31bass]

Hello everyone, so I recently purchased a 60 gallon tank with a fluval 306 canister filter. I bought a fluval live bacteria and used it as it was written on the instructions and added 3 small chiclids on the third day, after a week i added another three, and then another three on the third week. The water levels were perfectly fine up until one fish died. I did not notice he died for possibly a few days and cannot find his body, so I'm assuming he got eaten. After that the Ammonia levels are through the roof, well over 8 ppm. Its been like this for well over a week and I'm wondering what can i do to bring it back down. I am now using API Ammo Lock as well as adding more beneficial bacteria. Ive also gravel vacuumed the whole thing and did two 50% water changes but the ammonia is still so high.

Anyone know what i should do to fix the problem?

Thanks

 

[Mebbid]

Keep doing 50% water changes. That's about all you can do at this point.

When you say the water levels were fine all along what exactly were they?

 

[DragonFish71]

Keep doing water changes until you get it down to zero and stop using the ammo-lock. Your tank needs to cycle and by adding the live bacteria then stocking, you started the cycle with fish. Not a big problem except now you'll need to keep the ammonia down to keep from killing them until the beneficial bacteria colonize the tank properly. The ammo-block only stalls the cycle.

Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/i-just-learned-about-cycling-but-i-already-have-fish-what-now/

 

[mass31bass]

Keep doing water changes until you get it down to zero and stop using the ammo-lock. Your tank needs to cycle and by adding the live bacteria then stocking, you started the cycle with fish. Not a big problem except now you'll need to keep the ammonia down to keep from killing them until the beneficial bacteria colonize the tank properly. The ammo-block only stalls the cycle.

Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice

The ammonia was still at about 8 ppm even after a 50% water change, do you recommend doing them every day?

And would it be better to use "prime" or nothing at all to control the ammonia?

 

[DragonFish71]

The ammonia was still at about 8 ppm even after a 50% water change, do you recommend doing them every day?

And would it be better to use "prime" or nothing at all to control the ammonia?

Daily and yes, Prime is the best thing to use.

 

[LostInFish]

Sounds like you need to do 2x daily water changes as ammonia is way to high. I would do 75% water change and then another in the same day that will get u back on track then 50% each day 25% at a time so 2 water changes. This will clear most of the ammonia out. Keeping the fish safe and as you test daily after water changes you will see the test showing better conditions for your fish. Some say not to do big water changes but in this case it's necessary. Good luck and don't get discouraged. It will cycle over time.

 

[mass31bass]

Thanks for your info guys, i will keep doing big water changes for a week using prime and let you know how it goes

 

[LostInFish]

Thanks for your info guys, i will keep doing big water changes for a week using prime and let you know how it goes

Good luck!

 

[mass31bass]

Okay so i have been doing 50% water changes daily and the ammonia has dropped to around 2 ppm. I am using prime as a water conditioner. Now my question is when should i stop doing these water changes, and when should is the best time to start adding beneficial bacteria again?

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Okay so i have been doing 50% water changes daily and the ammonia has dropped to around 2 ppm. I am using prime as a water conditioner. Now my question is when should i stop doing these water changes, and when should is the best time to start adding beneficial bacteria again?

Keep doing water changes until you get it down to .25 ppm. If you're at 2, then (4) 50% changes will bring it down to .25ppm. This is not accounting for the ammonia being produced by the fish. I would do a 75% water change, then a 50% water change soon after. That should get you down to .25ppm if I did my math right.

Given the fact that your other fish aren't dead right now, I'd say they'll be alright as long as you keep changing the water. Be on the lookout for lowering ammonia and rising nitrite- WELCOME TO FISH-IN CYCLING.

 

[abw0004]

Would adding Microbe-Life help? Thats what I am doing to help relieve my slight ammonia problem.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Now my question is when should i stop doing these water changes, and when should is the best time to start adding beneficial bacteria again?

You don't have to add any bacteria to the system, you need but two things to complete the cycle: water changes and patience. The bacteria that convert the ammonia into nitrite and ultimately nitrate exist naturally, they just have to multiply to keep up with demand- that takes time. During this time, you will have to change the water to safeguard your fish. A great way to jump start this process is to use filter media, or a scoop of gravel from an established tank. If this is not available, you're stuck waiting.

Ultimately, you will never stop doing water changes- you will only reduce the frequency. The 'standard' recommendation is 50% weekly.

 

[mass31bass]

Okay so i did another two water changes today and my water is at about .25 ppm. My next question is when do i change it again? By this i mean if the ammonia starts to raise again at what point should i change the water to drop it? Or should i maintain the .25 until the cycle is complete and it goes to zero?

 

[abw0004]

I will say you are not alone in your problem. I have been following your thread closely. I too added fish 5 days after I turned the tank on and I have been battling ammonia. It hasn't been extremely high but it is still there. I feel your pain and being anxious worried about your fish. Just be patient. I could be wrong but you can maintain the .25 for now. I have used Microbe-Life to help with the ammonia and I would recommend it for you too. It contains no chemicals and helps plant growth, lowers ammonia and in turn nitrites naturally. Someone correct me if I am wrong in recommending this but that's my two cents.

 

[NDPTAL85]

Microbe-Lift is great, cycles your tank immediately. It's just bacteria in a bottle, no chemicals.

As for the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels that can be kept in check with extremely fast growing plants like Hornwort. I use it myself and all 3 of my levels are down to undetectable levels. I have a 20 gallon tank with 4 goldfish. First I tested with strips and then did liquid tests just to be sure. Look at my pics.



I've only had the plants in my tank for about 4 days and they've already grown about 3 inches. Crazy.

 

[flitabout]

Bacteria in a bottle is notoriously inaccurate and can't be depended on, even under the best of circumstances. Using test stripes is also not up there on the accurate list of things.
Your question about how long you will have to keep up these water changes is (and this is a Dr. Phil quote) Until. You will do them until your tank is cycled. bb in a bottle is not a magic fix it. So you will do them any time your ammonia is at or above .25ppm.You will do them when you notice nitrites are at or above .25ppm. When you start to show nitrates you will know you are close to the end. Once you have a zero reading on your ammo, nitrite, and 5+ on your nitrate you will have a cycled tank. Don't invest in bb in a bottle and other chemicals the only thing you need is prime and a syphon/water changer. Don't over think it, The only way to truly speed things up is to get some used
filter material from a an already cycled tank. Otherwise you will do the water changes, until...

Microbe-Lift is great, cycles your tank immediately. It's just bacteria in a bottle, no chemicals.

As for the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels that can be kept in check with extremely fast growing plants like Hornwort. I use it myself and all 3 of my levels are down to undetectable levels. I have a 20 gallon tank with 4 goldfish. First I tested with strips and then did liquid tests just to be sure. Look at my pics.

View attachment 218379View attachment 218380

I've only had the plants in my tank for about 4 days and they've already grown about 3 inches. Crazy.

By looking at your test strips and you liquid regent tests, it looks as if you may be confusing nitrite and nitrate which are separate chemicals. Also a 20g tank isn't enough by half for 4 goldfish. You need to figure 3 gallons per inch of adult fish. Which will be 30-36g need per fish. He also said he has cichlids so unless they are SA cichlids they don't need plants.

 

[NDPTAL85]

Bacteria in a bottle is notoriously inaccurate and can't be depended on, even under the best of circumstances. Using test stripes is also not up there on the accurate list of things.
Your question about how long you will have to keep up these water changes is (and this is a Dr. Phil quote) Until. You will do them until your tank is cycled. bb in a bottle is not a magic fix it. So you will do them any time your ammonia is at or above .25ppm.You will do them when you notice nitrites are at or above .25ppm. When you start to show nitrates you will know you are close to the end. Once you have a zero reading on your ammo, nitrite, and 5+ on your nitrate you will have a cycled tank. Don't invest in bb in a bottle and other chemicals the only thing you need is prime and a syphon/water changer. Don't over think it, The only way to truly speed things up is to get some used
filter material from a an already cycled tank. Otherwise you will do the water changes, until...



By looking at your test strips and you liquid regent tests, it looks as if you may be confusing nitrite and nitrate which are separate chemicals. Also a 20g tank isn't enough by half for 4 goldfish. You need to figure 3 gallons per inch of adult fish. Which will be 30-36g need per fish. He also said he has cichlids so unless they are SA cichlids they don't need plants.

I know the difference between Nitrite and Nitrates. The test strips showed that both were either zero or near zero. The top most pad on the 6-1 is Nitrate, the second pad is Nitrite. I was a bit suspicious of the low readings because of what everyone says about test strips so I also did tests with the liquid kits which confirmed the readings. So far in my experience the strips have not been inaccurate once.

As for the goldfish, yes I know 4 is more than most people would say should be in a 20 gallon. What most people don't realize is all of the standard stocking recommendations are based on either unplanted or tanks with very slowly growing plants. If you have hornwort in your aquariums, it changes the game. All of the stocking measurements need to be redone with Hornwort, Anacharis, Wisteria and or Cabomba. All of these plants grow so fast under normal lighting that it permits higher stocking levels vs non-planted tanks.

 

[gilpi]

Hello everyone, so I recently purchased a 60 gallon tank with a fluval 306 canister filter. I bought a fluval live bacteria and used it as it was written on the instructions and added 3 small chiclids on the third day, after a week i added another three, and then another three on the third week. The water levels were perfectly fine up until one fish died. I did not notice he died for possibly a few days and cannot find his body, so I'm assuming he got eaten. After that the Ammonia levels are through the roof, well over 8 ppm. Its been like this for well over a week and I'm wondering what can i do to bring it back down. I am now using API Ammo Lock as well as adding more beneficial bacteria. Ive also gravel vacuumed the whole thing and did two 50% water changes but the ammonia is still so high.

Anyone know what i should do to fix the problem?

Thanks

First thing I would do is to stop using any so called beneficial bacteria in a box and do not use any Ammo Lock or chemicals other than a good de chlorinator.

The only bacteria you should put in your filter is from a running, established, old tank, like a piece of filter media into your filter and do partial water changes. If that is not available, do water changes adding only a good de chlorinator like Prime, nothing else to keep your ammonia level under control while your filter cycles.
In time your filter will cycle and you should not have this problem any longer.

I also suggest you read about the nitrogen cycle to give you some idea how this works. It's easy, just takes time.

 

[NDPTAL85]

Another thing to consider is the fish may have been sick before you brought him home from the LFS. I have a separate 5 gallon tank that I use to quarantine new fish in and proactively treat them with medicine. I use Metronidazole as my QT tank now has plants in it but if there are no live plants in your QT tank you can use Tetra Lifeguard. Either way you want to treat each new fish before you put them into your main tank because if one fish is sick the illness, (parasites, bacteria, fungus) can spread to the other fish in your tank.

Watch your fish closely and if you see any weird bumps or nodules or worms hanging on the scales then you may want to consider using some medicine on them. Keep in mind whenever you use medicine you need to remove the carbon from your filter for the duration of the treatment as the carbon neutralizes the medicine.

I'm going to have to disagree with gilpi on the bacteria in a bottle. I use Microbe-Lift myself and I saw a rapid reduction in ammonia and nitrites just 36 hours after introducing it so I know that it works. The bacteria has a shelf life in the bottle so its possible some folks have purchased expired bottles and had bad results. On the bottles it says Unopened 2 Years, Opened 1 Year. Not all of the brands come with expiration dates.

Good luck!