Ammonia Level

[tibby25731]

Another big water change and it is less than 0.25 now.... so very nearly yellow, my test result, just with the tiniest hint of green! Yay! Getting there!

 

[st24rsap]

nice one, keep up the good work

 

[tibby25731]

Thank you! I hope you lot don't mind my running commentary but I am petrified of messing up and losing my fish. Everyone on here is so lovely and helpful, thank you all for being so welcoming

 

[st24rsap]

thats what we are here for, and most of us have been through situations similar so dont worry about it

 

[tibby25731]

Yet another change this morning, and now we are at 0, just about! do I now start testing ammonia and nitrites?? I am to expect a rise in nitrites any day now, am I correct?

 

[st24rsap]

just keep checking for ammonia and nitrites each day and carry on with the water changes if either level gets above 0.25ppm. you may not see any spikes dues to all the water changes you have and will be doing so its just a case of check and change the water from now on.

 

[tibby25731]

Brilliant, thank you!

 

[tibby25731]

Well I am still battling to keep my ammonia down, it keeps creeping back up! I think I may have slowed things down by leaving the filter sponge in the filter when i have been doing water changes, I noticed today that the top part dried out real quickly though the bootm stayed wet. Will start taking it out at the beginning and popping it on the bottom of the tank so it stays wet.
A quick question - if I forgot to turn my filet and heater back on, how long would be too long to leave the tank like that? i did a water change before work this morning and for the life of me cannot say for sure whether I switched them back on.... we had a friend stay over last night and my normal routine was disrupted somewhat! If I leave it till I get home it will be 11-12 hours without filter or heater - is this gonna cause major problems? Cos if it is, I'll phone my father in law and ask him to pop in and check it for me!

 

[tibby25731]

Right, father in law is on his way over to check for me... keep your fingers crossed..... argh. I will never forgive myself if I have killed my beautiful fish

 

[st24rsap]

i wouldnt have thought the levels would have rose to a dangerous level within a few hours if you did a change this morning so that shouldnt be a problem, and as long as the bacteria hasnt dried out which it shouldnt have just becuause the filter was off then i cant see it would have died off. the temperature reduction will have just slowed the bacteria growth as far as i am aware so id have thought you would be ok to be honest

 

[tibby25731]

but if the filter is not on then nothing is aerating the water is it? would that not be dangerous?

 

[st24rsap]

after a period of time it would yes but i am unsure of how long bacteria can survive with no circulationg oxygen or water, im sure someone on here will know

 

[tibby25731]

OK, well i will know soon enough about the fish, calling him in about 20 mins....hopefully the worst thing to happen will be the tank takes longer to cycle cos i have killed the bacteria!

 

[st24rsap]

from what i have just read the good bacteria will start to die off after 12 hours with no food sorce (ammonia) and no oxygen circulation on a fully cycled tank, as yours is cycling the ammonia should be present in the water to feed them still but i am insure on the oxygen timescales in a cycling tank

 

[tibby25731]

Update: I had forgotten to switch them back on but apparently there are no obviously dead fish so thats good. Will have to check ammo levels etc as soon as I get home, hope my bacteria didn't die....