Post-Ammonia Spike

[ThomasG07]

Ok so I recently had an ammonia spike (4 ppm) during my 3rd week of a fish-in cycle. I performed a couple of 75 percent water changes and added some Microbe-lift ammonia remover and my levels dropped to .25 ppm. Everyday the ammonia level climbs to .50 and I have been doing 30 percent water changes every two days. Should I just continue with the water changes until my bio-filtration kicks in?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Yes. Continue with the water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite down until they stay down by themselves.

 

[ThomasG07]

Yes. Continue with the water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite down until they stay down by themselves.

No signs of Nitrite yet but a slight nitrate reading. Ammonia increases by .25 ppm daily

 

[boadams87]

The ammonia could be coming from your tap.

 

[ThomasG07]

The ammonia could be coming from your tap.

No ammonia in my tap water

 

[tamtam]

So are you allowing your ammonia to climb? Anything above a .25 is harmful to your fish, same goes for nitrite when you get that nitrite spike happening. You want to keep these levels below .25 during a fish in cycle. Depending on the size of your tank you should probably up the frequency of changes or the amount you are changing to keep these number down.

I'd also suggest testing your tap water to see whats going on. To see nitrates when you haven't had any signs of nitrites yet makes me wonder if your tap water has a bit of nitrate in it. It can't uhrt to be sure you don't have any ammonia in there either.

Thats the big downside of fish in cycles, the constant water changes but it's what is needed to keep your fish happy and healthy.

 

[ThomasG07]

So are you allowing your ammonia to climb? Anything above a .25 is harmful to your fish, same goes for nitrite when you get that nitrite spike happening. You want to keep these levels below .25 during a fish in cycle. Depending on the size of your tank you should probably up the frequency of changes or the amount you are changing to keep these number down.

I'd also suggest testing your tap water to see whats going on. To see nitrates when you haven't had any signs of nitrites yet makes me wonder if your tap water has a bit of nitrate in it. It can't uhrt to be sure you don't have any ammonia in there either.

Thats the big downside of fish in cycles, the constant water changes but it's what is needed to keep your fish happy and healthy.

No I've been keeping it at .25ppm and I just ordered an aqua clear 20 gallon filter instead of my crappy top fin 10 filter

 

[tamtam]

No I've been keeping it at .25ppm and I just ordered an aqua clear 20 gallon filter instead of my crappy top fin 10 filter

A bigger filter is always good, be sure you keep this media of course. Stuff it into the new filter or even run both of them! Can't hurt. I'd still suggest upping your frequency or amount. You really want to keep in below .25. I've had fish deaths at as low as .5

 

[ThomasG07]

A bigger filter is always good, be sure you keep this media of course. Stuff it into the new filter or even run both of them! Can't hurt. I'd still suggest upping your frequency or amount. You really want to keep in below .25. I've had fish deaths at as low as .5

You mean .05?

 

[tamtam]

You mean .05?

no, um .5. Like .50ppm - second reading on the ammo test chart. Like double .25, and half of 1ppm? .05 would be a fifth of .25 and would most likely come up as 0 on an ammo test.. Am I making sense? lol