Ammonia Spike

[scotty]

my tank has been running for a few months now,fully cycled for about 2 weeks,for the couple of days i have been getting a reading of 0.25 ammonia,and i don't know why it is happening,nothing been added to tank,and i have been doing waterchanges,larger ones now with the ammonia spike,any suggestions on how this may be happening,nitrites are fine,they are 0

thanks
scott

 

[waterdrop]

Perhaps you've stirred up things somehow, cleaning the substrate or such? Or perhaps some plant leaves are deteriorating?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[scotty]

just remembered,cleaned the filters too,but cleaned them in tank water,maybe i just set them back a bit

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, that could be it. WD

 

[scotty]

would it be better not to feed my fish for a few days?

 

[waterdrop]

I would just feed more lightly.

 

[scotty]

the waterchange seems to have got things back on track,ammonia still reading 0,

 

[scotty]

thought things were ok,but got another ammonia spike of 0.25,done a 40% waterchange,and pruned all plants,seems to be back to 0,lets hope its ok now,no idea why its happening

 

[scotty]

still reading 0.25 i think,its inbetween0 and 0.25,anysuggestions onhow this is happening?

 

[waterdrop]

I assume you've been doing a weekly gravel-clean-water-change since after you got fish, right? What is your filter cleaning interval, two weeks? Do you have any plants that might be in the starting stages of breaking down but you just haven't realized it yet?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[scotty]

doing waterchanges once a week,pruned plants yesterday,and removed any dead leaves,cleaned the filter last week

 

[Twinklecaz]

Can I ask a really stupid question.....if you do a large water change (say 75%) - what do you do with the fish?

 

[scotty]

i only do a 50% maximum

 

[waterdrop]

Can I ask a really stupid question.....if you do a large water change (say 75%) - what do you do with the fish?

As you get beyond 50% with fish in there and the level gets closer and closer to the substrate it becomes a judgement call about the fish. Certainly most of the smaller species are just fine with it, even seeming to enjoy it if I may be allowed some anthropomorphism. Of course, I'd be especially careful with a tall species such as angelfish. I often leave my cannister filter running even during large changes and the water coming out of the spraybar forms a noisy waterfall. Sometimes the fish seem to enjoy riding the streams. I'm sure some species were regularly afforded opportunities like this in their natural habitat.

scotty, I'm out of ideas at the moment. I've also once again forgotten the filter/media situation but my vague recollection was always that you were adequately filtered, so I sort of doubt that's it. Maybe one of the other members will come along and figure something out.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Twinklecaz]

Thanks WD. I won't have any fish bigger than a Platty so hopefully that'll be ok. I'm hoping ( I know I keep saying this) to get the rest of my bits today so I can set it up and get started with my cycle next weekend.