50% Water Changes Everyday

[alien-planet]

So i been doing a 25% water changes to my tank everyday with no ill or stress effects to my fish so i was wondering if its possible to do a 50% water changes to my tank on a daily basis to help get rid of the 0.25 ammonia i have on my tank , it seems its maintained this number for approx 3 wks now but i want it to be 0 any ideas ?

tank 550 ltr

i treat my new water everyday with aqua one conditioner.
i also use drops NOT strips to test my water for 100% accuracy of ammonia

 

[DrRob]

Out of curiosity, have you tested your tap water? Mine comes out of the tap at 0.25 on the ammonia tests.

 

[the_lock_man]

Think about it mathematically.
 
You have changed 25% everyday for the past 14 days. 0.25ppm of ammonia, reduced by 25% 14 times should mean that you have around 0.005 ppm ammonia. Your test kit is not sophisticated enough to pick up that little amount of ammonia, and yet it is still showing a constant 0.25ppm.
 
Now think about it logically.
 
It is quite possible for a filter to have enough bacteria to just process the ammonia produced by the fish, and no other ammonia that happens to be in the water. But bacterial colonies want to grow. They have grown from nothing to a stage where they are able to process the ammonia produced by the fish. Why would the colony stop growing at that point, when there is, apparently, spare ammonia available?
 
I'm guessing you are using the API kit. With this kit, you need to have the test tube actually touching the white card, and some people say that you need to view it under natural light, rather than artificial.
 
In any event, it's pretty impossible for a cycled filter to maintain a constant level of ammonia for 3 weeks, especially where water is being changed. As far as I can see, you have 0ppm.

 

[alien-planet]

Ok thanks yes i am using an API test kit cost enough money pretty expensive stuff. My water is crystal clear with 25% water changes everyday my fish do not appear to be ill health but very / extremely happy. So its safe to say my water in tank is really 0 ammonia even thou test show 0.25 ?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yes, I have had readings of 0.25 ppm ammonia before even though I know my tank is fully cycled.

2 possible causes that commonly shows this, tap water may contain traces or false readings from the API kit, more likely false readings.

Even if the test is accurate and you're getting 0.25 ppm ammoninia, this is not a level, IMO, that would cause major harm or have effects on your stocking, most species will be fine, however if you get 0.5 ppm, that's when you will need to do water changes or do tap water test again etc.

 

[fluttermoth]

Ok thanks yes i am using an API test kit cost enough money pretty expensive stuff. My water is crystal clear with 25% water changes everyday my fish do not appear to be ill health but very / extremely happy. So its safe to say my water in tank is really 0 ammonia even thou test show 0.25 ?

Bear in mind that really accurate, laboratory standard, tests can cost into the hundreds of pounds! Our kits are good enough for day to day use, but you do have to remember they're a guide only, not 100% reliable.

If your fish are healthy and behaving normally, then I would agree with the other posters that it's almost certainly a false positive. This is a very common issue with the API kit.

 

[evan47]

i am having the same results with the API kit, lighting, variation of the colour chart and different peoples perception all play a part in false results.
my seachem ammonia alert badge reads safe but even this can become tricky to read depending on the light.
API gives a reading of total ammonia, there are two types of ammonia in your tank, the one is harmful and the other is not.
At the moment i am more concerned with a nitrite spike, my nitrates are starting to show though so i may not be too far off from finishing my cycle. 

 

[DrRob]

Also, the water will almost certainly contain chloramines. The dechlor will bind it, but there's ammonia in those and a daily dose will likely still be showing up from that.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

 Us human beings are pretty smart. But if I were yo challenge anybody who is a member of this site to replicate the problem you described with no holds barred- that is you can dose ammonia any way you wanted into a tank, there is now way any of us could replicate the results you report. You are basically stating that no matter when you test you get .25 ppm. Uou can leave the water alone and its .25 or you can change it and its .25 ppm. It wont go up and it wont go down every day for 3 weeks.
 
This this is simply an impossibility. Therefore one has no option but to conclude that the test results are incorrect.
 
For those who wish yo argue the other side of this, it is simple. Tell us exactly how it is possible to replicate theses results intentionally an have them be real and accurate. I know how it can be done, but it would require some mighty expensive testing and dosing equipment- continuous ammonia analyzers cost in the $17,000- $20,000 range. Then you need to control the bacterial reproduction. They must be kept .25 ppm from being able to handle all but that amount. The problem is these bacteria have the ability to increase their processing capacity before they divide. Similarly they can survive fine with no excess ammonia at all or less than their full capacity to process.
 
Like I said, there is absolutely no way to have a mostly or completely cycled tanks that then can read a real .25 ppm of total ammonia day in and day out for weeks at a time.

 

[FingersofFish]

I find API works best when you hold it up to a very bright light and put it against the white background... But That's just me.

Me and my partner have constant arguments about whether it is 0.25 or 0 just from variation in eyesight, but nevertheless the fish seem perfectly happy with the water and there's no ammonia burns etc.

My honest opinion, you are safe to add fish providing nitrite is also 0ppm. - that test is a lot more obvious!

 

[shrimply]

I have to say, when I use the API ammonia test, after 5 minutes, there is no doubt at all that it is yellow, sometimes when the chemicals are first added there is a greenish tinge but after the 5 minutes no one would argue that it was detecting any ammonia - I know there is no chloramines in the water supply though.

 

[fm1978]

Why don't you get your LFS to do a double check just for ammonia? They might use a different kit and it could tell you if yours is faulty.