Ammonia issues

[marine76]

I have a 28 gallon Tetra curve freshwater that consistently keeps the ammonia level between 5 and 1 no matter what i do or use. I've used Tetra Safe Plus; Topfin Ammonia Remover and Seacham Safe. I've changed 25% water. The tank is only about a month and a half old. It sat for 2 weeks after the initial filling before putting fish in. I started with 6 fish and it's down to 1. What else is there? TIA

 

[Slaphppy7]

Welcome to TFF.

Your tank isn't cycled, hence the high ammonia, and fish deaths, see here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

 

[marine76]

Welcome to TFF.

Your tank isn't cycled, hence the high ammonia, and fish deaths, see here: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

Thanks. I've had different tanks for years and kept wondering why the fish would never survive very long! No one ever said a word about having to do the "Cycle" thing. Just run it for 2 weeks with no fish, with feeding simulation and you will be good to go!

 

[carligraceee]

I have a 28 gallon Tetra curve freshwater that consistently keeps the ammonia level between 5 and 1 no matter what i do or use. I've used Tetra Safe Plus; Topfin Ammonia Remover and Seacham Safe. I've changed 25% water. The tank is only about a month and a half old. It sat for 2 weeks after the initial filling before putting fish in. I started with 6 fish and it's down to 1. What else is there? TIA

I won't even read past the title.

Any ammonia issues accompanied by fish deaths means an uncycled tank. Ammonia issues, usually without fish deaths, are considered ammonia spikes and can be dealt with by changing large amounts of water.

For your situation, refer to this article: Cycling Your Tank

Sorry for your losses. It seems you might have been misinformed

 

[marine76]

So what is your opinion, leave the fish in the tank and begin a "Cycle" or....? I want to do this the right way.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Thanks. I've had different tanks for years and kept wondering why the fish would never survive very long! No one ever said a word about having to do the "Cycle" thing. Just run it for 2 weeks with no fish, with feeding simulation and you will be good to go!

Never trust what the people at the fish store tell you...regardless of their intentions, they are usually wrong

 

[Slaphppy7]

So what is your opinion, leave the fish in the tank and begin a "Cycle" or....? I want to do this the right way.

If you are down to only 1 fish, return or rehome it...then do a fishless cycle before getting more fish, as outlined in the link I provided

 

[carligraceee]

So what is your opinion, leave the fish in the tank and begin a "Cycle" or....? I want to do this the right way.

My opinion is to never ever try to do a fish-in cycle only because my experience was so bad with it.
I would recommend either rehoming your current fish or moving them to a cycled tank for the time being (I prefer the first option) and begin your cycle the right way.

 

[marine76]

Thank you all for the help and suggestions! I will begin anew!!

 

[Slaphppy7]

If you are down to only 1 fish, return or rehome it...then do a fishless cycle before getting more fish, as outlined in the link I provided

Thank you all for the help and suggestions! I will begin anew!!

 

[Tenaj]

I have a 28 gallon Tetra curve freshwater that consistently keeps the ammonia level between 5 and 1 no matter what i do or use. I've used Tetra Safe Plus; Topfin Ammonia Remover and Seacham Safe. I've changed 25% water. The tank is only about a month and a half old. It sat for 2 weeks after the initial filling before putting fish in. I started with 6 fish and it's down to 1. What else is there? TIA

Sounds just like what I’m experiencing. I feel like I am now doing a water change everyday . The cycle seems to never come to an end.

 

[itiwhetu]

You can recover from this with just a lot of live plants. They will settle things down.

 

[marine76]

So it's been cycling for 10 days without fish and PH is at 7, Nitrite is 0, Ammonia is at 0, Nitrate is 5. I'm hesitant to think that it cycled that quickly. Is it possible; should I do the large water change now? I was expecting 5 weeks of cycling! TIA

 

[Slaphppy7]

So it's been cycling for 10 days without fish and PH is at 7, Nitrite is 0, Ammonia is at 0, Nitrate is 5. I'm hesitant to think that it cycled that quickly. Is it possible; should I do the large water change now? I was expecting 5 weeks of cycling! TIA

You've been dosing ammonia, per the cycling sticky?

 

[marine76]

Followed what the sticky said. I only needed the first dose. Nitrite never went up. Ammonia started at 3 and as of today 0 along with nitrite at 0.