Ammonia?!?!

[Jimbo1984]

Hey. I've just done my first water change on my Rio 125 since the middle of December. I admit i've not done one for 3 weeks over Christmas but with the nitrate being so low when I last checked and the tank also being treated with Seachem Prime every change, I didn't think this would cause any problems. I tested the water in my bucket after taking 10 litres out (I take out 20 in total) to find a reading of 0.25-0.50 of ammonia?!?! I can't get my head round it! This is the first reading i've had since I cycled the tank over a year ago. To be sure, I tested again with some water direct from the tankto reveal the same. I immediately dosed the entire tank with Prime and took out the remaining 10 litres. There was 0 nitrite and also 20ppm nitrate. pH 7.2 as normal. Can anyone help me understand how this has happened? Thanks!

 

[Davo86]

have you got any fish that are unaccounted for, that may have died in the tank and gone unnoticed? or even larger fish that have recently died and then been removed?

 

[darrel69]

Im going through something simular to you jimbo1984, and im currently trying to find out what caused it. which i have no idea !!

 

[WILDER]

Any rotting debris in the tank.
Are you over feeding.
Do you remove ornaments and vac as debris can build up underneath them.

 

[Jimbo1984]

Hey! Thanks for your replies. Right, no fish unaccounted for. I had however just euthanized a female Emperor Tetra as she was all bloody and stuck to the filter inlet. They fight a lot and i've lost quite a few due to this so I presumed that was it. Other than that everyone is fine. No rotting debris. A few dying leaves on a few plants but nothing major. As for over-feeding, once a day and not too much. Lastly, I used to vacuum the gravel thoroughly every week but after adding plants and the fact it takes me hours, I only do so every now and then. Mainly when algae builds up in front of the gravel on the glass, I take a lot of ornaments out and clean that, moving all the gravel around to get to it then syphoning afterwards. When I water change, I do hover the syphon over the surface which picks up some poo and bits of leaf etc. What do you reckon?

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like your ammonia reading was due to the dead fish.
R.I.P.

 

[backtotropical]

Hi,

Have you disturbed the substrate recently?

You say you used to vac regularly, but have decreased the frequency, and also that you move everything around and rake through all the gravel. Ammonia can build up in the substrate, and when vacing/cleaning is performed and the substrate is disturbed, it can release ammonia (which would otherwise be undetectable) into the water column. Usually the filter / plants would deal with it reasonably quickly and it would probably go un-noticed. Maybe you have performed your clean and then tested soon after?

Could i be on the right track? Just a thought.

Regards

BTT