Ammonia

[Dmosier]

I am new to having a fish tank. I have a 55 Gal tank with 3 fish in it (2 silver dollars and a red fin shark). I have been keeping an eye on the chemistry as the tank cycles ( it has been set up for about 6 weeks). After my last two water changes I have seen a significnat increase in the ammonia immediatly after the water change. I thought that changing water should lower ammonia.

Any thoughts?

 

[Katchan]

Have you tested your water after treating with declor but before adding to your tank? It is possible that A-you have ammonia in your water supply or B-your declorinator isnt breaking the clorine/cloramine down properly and you need to try another brand

Hope this helps

Andrew

 

[Tolak]

It could be your tap water, or it could be the type of test you are using. Check your tap water.

Dechlorinator using sodium thiosulfate neuteralizes chlorine, and breaks the ammonia/chlorine bond in chloramine, neuteralizing the chlorine, leaving ammonia. Sodioum hydroxymethane sulfinate or another similar compound turnd ammonia into ammonium, which is harmless to fish, but still converted to nitrite and nitrate by your bio filtration. Some tests show ammonium as ammonia.

 

[Dmosier]

Thanks.

I have checked the tap water it is OK. I did not check the treated water prior to adding it. Will do that next time.

I am using a seachem ammonia alert and a mardel master test kit. Both showed the increase in ammonia levels.

I am using proquatics starter kit (water conditioner, bacteria starter, water clarifier) and Dr. Wellfish aquarium salt. This was the treatment regime that was recommened at the petsmart.

current water chem:

Ammonia .5ppm
PH: 6.4
alk: 80
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Hardness: 50

Any recommendations on other water treatments?

Thanks again everyone.

 

[rdd1952]

I agree that the dechlorinator you are using may be the problem. You really want one that removes chlorine and neutralizes chloramine. I use Stress Coat and have never had a problem at all. Also, are you cleaning your filters when you do a water change and how are you cleaning them. You should lightly rinse them in the old tank water you have just removed.

 

[Dmosier]

I agree that the dechlorinator you are using may be the problem. You really want one that removes chlorine and neutralizes chloramine. I use Stress Coat and have never had a problem at all. Also, are you cleaning your filters when you do a water change and how are you cleaning them. You should lightly rinse them in the old tank water you have just removed.

Thanks will try the Stress Coat. Cleaned the filters but used tap water.

 

[Tolak]

I've used Prime for years, great product. Besides containing the previously mentioned chemicals for dealing with chlorine & chloramine, it also contains EDTA, a chemical that binds heavy metals.

 

[rdd1952]

Cleaning the filters in tap water is probably the problem. The chlorine in the tap water will kill off a large percentage of the good bacteria present in the filter so your tank goes into a mini cycle every time. Just rinse the filter in the old tank water or in a bucket of dechlorinated water.

 

[Dmosier]

Cleaning the filters in tap water is probably the problem. The chlorine in the tap water will kill off a large percentage of the good bacteria present in the filter so your tank goes into a mini cycle every time. Just rinse the filter in the old tank water or in a bucket of dechlorinated water.

Thanks, Will not make that mistake again.