Cannot manage Ammonia! 75% H2O changes daily, 3 mo tank

Multifarious5

Hi All, I have had fish for years but moved up to a 30 gallon. I've had the tank 3 months and only have 3 fish (Kribensis, leoporinus and algae eater). My ammonia levels are out of control. I am doing daily 75% H2O changes with Amquel+ but the ammonia is staying between caution 5% to toxic! What can I do, or what am I not doing?

Mikaila31

Your tank by the sounds of it is cycling. How long have you had ammonia problems? Also what are you using to test it?

First I would read up on cycling/ the nitrogen cycle so you understand what your tank is doing.

Multifarious5

Thanks for the reply! I know the ammonia is part of the cycling stage, but the toxicity levels worry me. I AM wondering if the lesser version of ammonia (ammonium?) is triggering the reader. I am using the marcel in-tank reader, where it goes from yellow to blue green. I have had ammonia problems from the beginning, but they have been spiking the last 2+ weeks. I know the ammonia is the first part of the cycle. Should I play russian roulette and do bi-or-tri weekly H2O changes instead of daily? Thanks so much!

P.S. the fish are bottom feeders and have not been coming to the surface like they say ammonia poisoning can do...

"]Your tank by the sounds of it is cycling. How long have you had ammonia problems? Also what are you using to test it?

First I would read up on cycling/ the nitrogen cycle so you understand what your tank is doing"

Cody

Test your tap water, or whatever water you are using in the tank.

Byron

After three months the tank should not be in the first stage (ammonia) of cycling, so there is a problem somewhere. As previous replies have mentioned, have you tested your tap water? Some areas have high ammonia in the municipal water. Three fish in a 30g will not be causing ammonia that the bacteria cannot handle by now unless something else is occurring. However, the Amquel should handle that, especially with daily water changes.

A partial water change once every week is standard permanent maintainance, so don't get below this. I don't know about the ammonia detector you mention, but I would suggest a good test kit (liquid) like the API. Or take a sample of tank water to your lfs to test, most stores will do this for you if you are a regular customer. Your readings may not be accurate, and this certainly needs to be resolved.

On your question of ammonia/ammonium, ammonia is highly toxic and ammonium is not. Test kits available to aquarists like the API read both as "ammonia' and both are consumed by noitrosomonas bacteria as part of the normal nitrogen cycle. So ammonia or ammonium should have no effect on test kits or cycling. It does matter to the fish however, as ammonia (which occurs in acidic water but not in alkaline) will not harm the fish. However, the nitrite (the second stage of the nitrogen cycle) is also toxic, so it is not wise to just ignore things because it is ammonium.

jeaninel

I agree with Byron. After 3 months your tank should be cycled. I also suggest ditching the Mardel tester and going with the API liquid test kit...much more accurate. Try testing your tap water for ammonia as suggested. Another possibility is overfeeding. Are you vacuuming the gravel regularly?

How big is the Leporinus? I believe it will eventually need a bigger tank.

SinCrisis

the marcel readers are akin to strip readers no? those are usually inaccurate. Try a liquid test or take a water sample to your local lfs and see if they will test it for you.

JohnnyD44

my dad has one one of those in his tank...it can be terribly inaccurate....I agree with the others, get a test of your tap and tank water at your LFS and while you're there pick up an API master test kit

Romad

Not to question your intellect but was the tank washed with Windex or other glass cleaner by any chance? My bf thought he was doing me a favor by washing down my aquarium (inside and out) with Windex before he gave it to me for Christmas. I found out the hard way when I couldn't add fish to my tank for a full two months while cycling because the ammonia level was off the charts.
After many trips to the LFS (with all of us scratching our heads), he casually mentioned that the tank should be perfect because he washed it twice with glass cleaner before I set it up. DOH!!!

So, many many gravel rinsings and tank rinsings later, I was able to start the whole process over.

Just a thought.........

Maybe I can save someone the grief I went through by mentioning this.

Good luck!