Ammonia spike

[Camescu]

Followed all the advise to the letter.
Fish less cycle
Got water tested and came back clear
Started off with small stocking numbers (3 neons)
More water tested (all clear)
Since then, 6 more neons and 3 assassin snails


All was well then boom. Ammonia has rocketed. Today at 4ppm.

I have a 23L tank that is well planted (approx ten bunched plants and some driftwood).

I have been doing frequent water changes / gravel vacuum ( about every 2 or 3 days) and I have reduced feeding to a pinch of flake food every other day. I have also started treating with ammoblock to reduce the harmful element.

Any advice?

 

[Camescu]

Oh. And I recently attached a pre-filter. This shouldn't have any negative impact should it?

 

[PerfectDepth]

That's a really small tank, and it simply can't handle the bioload. You'll have to either get a larger tank or reduce your stock or else you'll have a constant high level of ammonia.

If you want to keep the neons, my advice is to double the size of your tank.
At the very least, for now:
1) do several 60% water changes until ammonia tests less than .25 ppm
2) remove and return at least 4 of the neons and the snails

 

[Camescu]

Ta for the advice. It conflicts considerably with what I have been told and read so I am left a bit confused. For all the stocking calculators it suggests I am under the threshold.

But then I am finding conflicting information everywhere.

Cheers for the advice. I will act accordingly.

 

[PerfectDepth]

Ta for the advice. It conflicts considerably with what I have been told and read so I am left a bit confused. For all the stocking calculators it suggests I am under the threshold.

Try this one:
AqAdvisor - Intelligent Freshwater Tropical Fish Aquarium Stocking Calculator and Aquarium Tank/Filter Advisor

 

[rmiller]

9 neons wouldn't be too much for a well cycled 10 gallon tank. I've never kept that particular snail so I'm not sure of its bioload.

You say you did a fishless cycle and took your water to be tested? How often were you having it checked and how did they do the tests? Did they use strips or a kit that had drops that were added to your sample?

 

[PerfectDepth]

9 neons wouldn't be too much for a well cycled 10 gallon tank.

It's only 6 gallons

 

[Mebbid]

A 6 gallon is sadly too small for most fish including neons

What happenned is you most likely overloaded your bio filter and with the small water volume the changes in water chemistry happen very quickly. I would suggest at least 4 50% water changes at this point to get the ammonia levels down to manageable levels, just be sure to wait at least an hour between the changes.

 

[Caliban07]

Yes. Without being insulting. Did you mistake 26 litre for gallon when you have been reading? 6 gallon is barely enough for 1 single betta.

 

[rmiller]

My bad! Not a clue where I got 10 gallon. I've read so many threads here lately about nano tanks, they all run together after a few hours.

My apologies to the OP if I caused any confusion. Maybe look in a small school (5-6) of chili rasbora or embers tetras if you want more that a single fish.

 

[BBradbury]

Fishless Tank Cycling???

Followed all the advise to the letter.
Fish less cycle
Got water tested and came back clear
Started off with small stocking numbers (3 neons)
More water tested (all clear)
Since then, 6 more neons and 3 assassin snails


All was well then boom. Ammonia has rocketed. Today at 4ppm.

I have a 23L tank that is well planted (approx ten bunched plants and some driftwood).

I have been doing frequent water changes / gravel vacuum ( about every 2 or 3 days) and I have reduced feeding to a pinch of flake food every other day. I have also started treating with ammoblock to reduce the harmful element.

Any advice?

Hello Cam...

So, you're cycling your tank with fish. Okay. But, you've got too many fish in a 5 g tank. When you put fish into the water, their waste creates ammonia and then nitrite. So, you have to test the water daily and if you have a positive test, you remove and replace 25 percent of the water to keep things relatively safe for the fish and still feed the good bacteria. The process is simple. You test the tank water daily and remove and replace the water when needed. When you have several daily tests with no ammonia and nitrite, the tank is cycled.

B

 

[Camescu]

Cheers for all the feedback. Seems I stocked based on some poor advise.

Fish less cycle then water was tested at LFS. After the first stocking (3 neons) I have been testing with API master kit. All was well and I suspect you guys have nailed it (overloaded the bio load). Admittedly at the start I probably over fed a bit. Ive scaled that back to a pinch every other day. Water changes as adviced and I will do another test later.

For the record I am not convinced I got the test correct on nitrate and nitrite (both reading 0). I'd expect some and yes I've been shaking the bottle to release the chemicals as advised elsewhere.

So. Looks like I will be re homing the neons.

Once I get this under control I will ideally be wanting some shrimp and possibly a single fish.

From reading around, the advice on what can be kept in 23L varies but generally limited.

So, what can be kept in 23L other than shrimp? Doesn't have to be a shoaling fish etc. I'd just like to build a (albeit short) list of species that can thrive in such a small tank.

 

[rmiller]

I like the Scarlet Badis.

This website sells several species of "nano" fish that could be suited to your tank. I have never ordered from this company so I can not speak to quality of fish or reputation, however it gives you a jumping off point.

Nano-Fish