Ammonia Reading 1

[cybortech]

Hello,

I have had some problems with pH recently but have now added coral sand to try to bring back up it is reading 6. Tap water is reading 7.2.

To my horror on checking stats have found Ammonia spiking at 1.

Completed a 50% water change so will check later to see what the readings are, My question would be why the sudden jump?

I have ran the tank for about 10mths and Ammonia and all other stats have been fine until a few weeks ago with the pH problem.

Other stats are

pH 6
ammonia 1
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 50

I do a 20% water change every week have no live plants as tinfoils eat them all.

Can this be down to just over feeding I feel i have been feeding more as the Pangasius have been struggling to get food as the tinfoils are so greedy.

Have started running an external ex1200 but the valve broke so waiting on a new part from tetratec but the juewl filter is still running.


Any help really appreciated.

 

[TammyLiz]

It is possible for a big increase in feeding to cause an ammonia spike. That and one of your filters going down at the same time sounds to me like enough to cause a mini-cycle. If so, do extra water changes, reduce feedings, and it will sort itself out very soon.

Another possibility is that you test kit could be giving you a false reading on the ammonia if you took the test after a water change. What water conditioner do you use, and what test kit?

 

[cybortech]

Hi Tammy

I use stress coat and the test kit is Aquarium master test kit.

I completed the test before the water change then 4 hrs after the change and the results were almost the same, I believe it could be the filter maybe needing some sponges changed.

They have been rinsed in tank water on previous water changes.

Can you clean all the sponges in tank water or is it bettor to do only a few. I have the juwel filter just now and its made up of wool then Active carbon, Nitrate sponge, coarse blue,Fine blue x 2

Thanks.

 

[MHunt]

Clean all your sponges in tank water. Then you're not going to kill the good bacteria with the chlorine that's in tap water.

Overfeeding will contribute to the waste in the tank, and so the increase in ammonia. You could try using something like ammo lock to nutralise the ammonia. Or a nitrasorb bag which should absorb any excess ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, while your tank recycles, and you get your external filter up and running.

 

[TammyLiz]

I'd bet its from the other filter cutting out and there are not enough bacteria in the remaining filter. In time it should catch up, though. It sounds like everything else is OK. I wouldn't go and replace any filter media right now because it would remove even more of the beneficial bacteria. Wait until you have the ammonia problem sorted out.