Ammonia Not Budging Yet!

[ProHaloSniper]

I'm having the exact same problem. I have gotten a reading of around 5ppm from my API kit for the past week. I was told to add 15 feeders to kick start my nitrItes to kill off the ammonia, but still nothing. I also added AMMO-CHIPS to my media filter inside my Emperor 400.

Ill keep checking this thread!

--Jim C.

 

[rdd1952]

I was told to add 15 feeders to kick start my nitrItes to kill off the ammonia, but still nothing. I also added AMMO-CHIPS to my media filter inside my Emperor 400.

You got very bad advice. Nitrite is the end result of ammonia being processed. It has nothing to do with actually processing ammonia. Both ammonia and nitrite are toxic. If you have fish in the take and an ammonia reading of 5ppm, you need to do an immediate water change of at least 50% and continue to do smaller ones in the 25% range every 2 to 4 hours until the ammonia is back under .25 ppm. From that point on, do 25% WCs as often as necessary to keep the ammonia and nitrite under .25 ppm.

I know we have covered this in the thread you posted but allowing the ammonia to spike in no way helps the bacteria to develop. In actuality, very high levels of ammonia will inhibit bacteria growth because of the amount of oxygen required to break it down. If you continue to let the ammonia go unchecked, you have bacisally sentenced your fish to a very painful death.

Back to the original post, even if it is dropping slowly, sometimes a partial water change will trigger the process. It certainly won't hurt as you can simply raise the ammonia back up to 4 or 5 ppm after the water change. If you haven't done it yet,raising the temperature to the uppper 80s to low 90s will also help. Just make sure you have plenty of aeration.

 

[stuhyde]

OK an update
Just tested again, ammonia is now on 1PPM - AWESOME!!!!

BUT.............

NitrItes are still ZERO

I have an air carpet in there and another air clamshell thingy, water temperature is high 80's.

Any Ideas???

Cheers!

 

[stuhyde]

bttt

 

[Kevstir]

keep an eye on the pH through the cycle m8, if it falls below 6 the cycle will stall.

Kev

 

[stuhyde]

UPDATE

Checked yesterday, Ammonia virtually zero, topped back up to 4ppm
Tested todaym ammonia again nearly zero, topped back up to 4ppm and tested nitrItes

Almost off the scale

WOOOOHOOOOOO

Maybe I'm finally getting somewhere.

Also tested NitrAtes and they have rose from 20ppm to 40ppm