Ruutah
Aquarium Advice Activist
So.... I bit the bullet the other night, and bought a bag of Miracle Grow Organic Choice potting soil, put about an inch of it down the new tank I was setting up. capped it with Carib sea sand, and planted a about 10 plants/cuttings in it, and filled it with distilled water. Put a pair of guppies in it, and have been watching the ammonia steadily rise. Even with TSS the ammonia is not coming under control. When it hit 2PPM, I did a 30% water change, even though it says not to on the tetra site. that brought it down some. but it started climbing again. so I dosed it with API Ammo Lock.
I checked it this morning, and it was climbing again so I checked it again about 2 hours ago, and it was off the chart. The fish look fine, no signs of stress, they're happily chasing each other around and surfing the current when not chasing each other (2 boys in a 14 gallon tall tank)
Filtration is via, a sponge filter that was running in my cory tank for a month before I moved it over (PERFECT numbers on that tank ) and a Cascade 300 HOB.
So is the Ammo lock just playing hell with the ammonia test, or what am I missing? I get off work in 20 min and I'm going to do another large water change. I threw a huge handful of floating plants (pretty much covered the surface of the water) in while I was on break and checked it 2 hours ago. I'm kind of curious if they help my readings at all.
I checked it this morning, and it was climbing again so I checked it again about 2 hours ago, and it was off the chart. The fish look fine, no signs of stress, they're happily chasing each other around and surfing the current when not chasing each other (2 boys in a 14 gallon tall tank)
Filtration is via, a sponge filter that was running in my cory tank for a month before I moved it over (PERFECT numbers on that tank ) and a Cascade 300 HOB.
So is the Ammo lock just playing hell with the ammonia test, or what am I missing? I get off work in 20 min and I'm going to do another large water change. I threw a huge handful of floating plants (pretty much covered the surface of the water) in while I was on break and checked it 2 hours ago. I'm kind of curious if they help my readings at all.