Using Prime, now high ammonia

[illuzion7]

I have a newer tank, up and running a month now. I was using Tetra AquaSafe+ for my conditioner. About 2 weeks ago I got a big spike in ammonia and used AmmoLock for a few days with water changes. It finally calmed down, but I am still doing 30% water changes daily and stopped using AmmoLock. The tank was running fine with the changes. 3 days ago I went to Prime. Ever since then I get a high ammonia level that I can't get to go away...30%, 30%, 40%, 30% each day. The fish are almost at the point of starving, I feed them very little to get ammonia down.

So I am around 2ppm with API, and checks with Alarm using Seachem Ammonia Alert. The fish seem happy and no signs of ammonia affecting them, but I am so confused on why this is happening. Isn't Prime supposed to be better?

With the 30% changes I am adding 4mL of Prime. I know it says do it in a bucket and let it sit, but also read you are ok with the Python water changer to add directly. I have been adding with a dropper, drops at a time.

I haven't added fish to the equation either. Anyone seen this before? Suggestions?

 

[Brookster123]

So wait? There are fish? Let's have your stats here, tank size? Age? Stock? It sounds like you're doing a fish-in cycle but I'm not sure?

 

[illuzion7]

Yes, in my signature is the fish and setup...its a month old. It is a fish in cycle.

 

[illuzion7]

the clowns and plecos are baby's

 

[Brookster123]

It sounds like you over stocked a new tank and are trying to suppress the effects of your fish waste in an un cycled tank with chemicals??? Not really conducive to a healthy tank. This is not meant to sound mean but in irder for your tank to cycle properly you will need to let ammonia build up and than change water to keep your fish safe while at the sane time developing beneficial bacteria in your filter . That being said your tank is ridiculously over stocked at the moment. Clown loaches get wayyyy big! They will not do well in your setup. Think about keeping only the danios for the cycle or be prepared to do anywhere from 1-3 50% water changes a day to keep your water safe for the fish. Check out the fish in cycle section here and good luck!

 

[illuzion7]

I will accept that, however...the missing link here is why when I shifted to Prime did it start doing that? Those fish have been going for at least 2 weeks..and I finally had a grasp on it until Prime was introduced to the equation.

 

[tangs27]

Prime is supposed to help with ammonia from what I've heard. If it started when you switched I would just switch back to aqua safe. I agree you should up your water changes to help keep ammonia down.

 

[Brookster123]

Prime is a tap water conditioner first and foremost, while it will temporarily detox amm and trite it will not reduce the need for water changes, are you testing your water with API master kit?

 

[illuzion7]

API Master Kit for total, but I have the Seachem Ammonia Alert as well...I am not using Prime to reduce ammonia. I am using it for the water conditioner. I am doing daily water changes. I'm just going to go back to Tetra AquaSafe+ for a bit and see what happens. I just finished a 40% will see what happens..maybe I need to stick with this until I get some good bacteria. I don't mind doing the water changes, and like I said...the fish show no signs of any stress

 

[Brookster123]

API Master Kit for total, but I have the Seachem Ammonia Alert as well...I am not using Prime to reduce ammonia. I am using it for the water conditioner. I am doing daily water changes. I'm just going to go back to Tetra AquaSafe+ for a bit and see what happens. I just finished a 40% will see what happens..maybe I need to stick with this until I get some good bacteria. I don't mind doing the water changes, and like I said...the fish show no signs of any stressr

ditch the ammonia alert doohickey, it's inot helping. Just use prime for water changes and test twice daily, you wil be fine, ditch the tetra stuff too . If your amm is reading .5 ppm do a 50% wc to reduce to .25, this will be safe enough for fish.trick is keep amm and trite below .25 ppm to keep your fish safe throughout cycle . Shortcuts usually never help.

 

[tangs27]

If you anyone in you area that has a tank you can get some gravel or a used filter pad from them to help boost your bacteria. It will help it stabilize faster.

 

[Caliban07]

I will accept that, however...the missing link here is why when I shifted to Prime did it start doing that? Those fish have been going for at least 2 weeks..and I finally had a grasp on it until Prime was introduced to the equation.

It has probably just taken a week for ammonia to build up. Ammonia won't just appear after you put fish in. Sounds like the high ammonia just coincided with you switching to prime and it was destined to rise anyway due to your stocking levels.