Ammonia spike after water change?

[pankelephant]

Around midday today I did a 50% water change. I rearranged a bunch of things in the tank (rocks, clay pot, fake driftwood, fake plants, etc.), then re-filled the tank. I didn't add anything, just moved things around. Everything seemed fine and the fish seem content.

About 6 hours later I tested the water only to find a small amount of ammonia. Nothing crazy - less than .25 ppm, but there nonetheless. Everything else is exactly as it should be: pH 6.8, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10 ppm. The numbers have been identical every time I've tested during the last month, except today. I forgot to test before the water change, but I tested 2 days ago and everything was perfect.

Could this have come from moving things around? The only other thing that has changed is that I moved my filter intake to the same side as the outflow, but I can't imagine that would have anything to do with this. I know it's not a large amount, but given that I've never had any ammonia show up in the tests, this has me concerned.

Thoughts?

(15g, 6 Harlequin rasboras, 4 albino cories. Eheim 2213. Testing w/API Master kit. )

 

[patrickriley2010]

Around midday today I did a 50% water change. I rearranged a bunch of things in the tank (rocks, clay pot, fake driftwood, fake plants, etc.), then re-filled the tank. I didn't add anything, just moved things around. Everything seemed fine and the fish seem content.

About 6 hours later I tested the water only to find a small amount of ammonia. Nothing crazy - less than .25 ppm, but there nonetheless. Everything else is exactly as it should be: pH 6.8, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10 ppm. The numbers have been identical every time I've tested during the last month, except today. I forgot to test before the water change, but I tested 2 days ago and everything was perfect.

Could this have come from moving things around? The only other thing that has changed is that I moved my filter intake to the same side as the outflow, but I can't imagine that would have anything to do with this. I know it's not a large amount, but given that I've never had any ammonia show up in the tests, this has me concerned.

Thoughts?

(15g, 6 Harlequin rasboras, 4 albino cories. Eheim 2213. Testing w/API Master kit. )

I moved stuff around in mine and changed the water and it spiked also happened today !

In fact I just did about another 25% water change and it has gotten worse !!!

 

[Rivercats]

If enough detris was distrubed it can cause a small ammonia spike or even a bacteria bloom. Doing another WC should take care of it.

 

[patrickriley2010]

If enough detris was distrubed it can cause a small ammonia spike or even a bacteria bloom. Doing another WC should take care of it.

I did 2 for a total of 50% just gets worse

 

[Rivercats]

Does any of your decorations have areas in them that can fill with detris? Is there still alot of detris in the tank that settled? All you can do is more WC's at this point and try to remove any detris you can, plus check the decorations or remove them until you get things under control and clean them while out of the tank. You have to keep the ammonia down to .25 or lower for the safety of your fish. Also dose Prime if you have any. Do a 60% WC and see if that helps.

 

[MurderComplication]

Hey, I had the exact same problem - went from 0 to 8ppm overnight after a 50% pwc and replanted all my plants, gravel vacced all the spots that my mom couldn't get to when she was taking care of it for me. I've done 35% water changes twice a day, in the morning and evening. But after three of my gouramis died - I did a 50%. As well as a larger dose of prime. I've been trying to find melafix but apparently it's not sold in my part of Canada so it may have to be ordered online as a precautionary if it happens in the future.

Hopefully it won't be as bad as my jump - over half my tank was decimated.

Good Luck and hope your fish will be well.

 

[patrickriley2010]

Hey, I had the exact same problem - went from 0 to 8ppm overnight after a 50% pwc and replanted all my plants, gravel vacced all the spots that my mom couldn't get to when she was taking care of it for me. I've done 35% water changes twice a day, in the morning and evening. But after three of my gouramis died - I did a 50%. As well as a larger dose of prime. I've been trying to find melafix but apparently it's not sold in my part of Canada so it may have to be ordered online as a precautionary if it happens in the future.

Hopefully it won't be as bad as my jump - over half my tank was decimated.

Good Luck and hope your fish will be well.

Amazon sells everything