Ammonia Too High?

[hoarp001]

I dont know if this is an emergency or not, I was hoping you could tell me.

I just did a test on my 180L tank housing 6 baby red bellied pirahnas (only been in three days)

the tank is at 27deg and 7.9pH. the ammonia is showing at 0.8mg/l

Is this too high? In the booklet it says that the highest level acceptable for that tempreature and that pH is 1.2 but i was always told you want no ammonia at all...

Any help?

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Ammonia should always be 0 in a mature tank.
Is the tank cycled do you run a fitler in the tank.
Water change for now.
If the tank cycled once the filter might not be able to cope with the load of fish in the tank.

 

[hoarp001]

well I cycled the tank with 6 blue platys, for afew weeks and the levels stayed pretty level.

It has two fluval canister filters, a 304 and a 204.

Shall I do a water change now? How much water?

These fish make a lot of poo and waste, so maybe the bacteria cant cope with it yet...

Shall I organise a mature media transplant?

 

[WILDER]

There a bid difference from platys to those bigger fish, the tank benefical bacteria hasnt built up enough to cope with the fish so it still cycling, yes if you have a muture sponge add it to the filter.

Just a 30% water change. Good luck.

 

[hoarp001]

I dont, thats the thing...

Il see If i can arrange an exchange...

Thanks.