Ammonia

[Becks1985]

I have a slight reading of ammonia in my aquarium even after doing water changes an all. Has anyone any experience with putting ammo carb or ammo chips in there filter.. Is it any good are effective??

 

[Joshwainwright]

Personally, I wouldn't bother.
 
If your tank is fully cycled, it's likely that the ammonia is 0ppm and the test is slightly off. It can be difficult sometimes to decide what the reading actually is.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Yep, I've heard quite a few people say that they've seen the same. It's likely to be nothing to worry about and Ammonia of that level isn't a disaster anyway.

What test kit are you using?

 

[Becks1985]

I'm using the api test kit...
Its just my new fish is hiding up in the top corner an not moving about I have had him 4 days he just doesn't look comfortable at all there is no aggression in the tank are anything...
So only thing I think it can be is the ammonia...

Tank should be fully cycled I have it running 4 months...

Does that stuff not work then?..
Thanks

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Let's back up a bit.  You say the tank has been running for 4 months - have fish been in there for the whole 4 months? 
 
How many fish and for how long?  How big a tank?
 
How do you perform the water changes?
 
What is the new fish?  How long has it been displaying this behavior?
 
How high is the ammonia?  What dechlorinator are you using?
 
The more information you provide the better the help you will receive.

 

[Becks1985]

Yeah I had fish in it from the start only bout 5 fish when cycling I stripped down my old tank for the new tank an put the filter media in the new filter an used all of the old water....
I have started to get a reading of between o.25 ppm an 0.50 ppm the last week...

Tank is 350 litres with bout 25 small fish an 3 medium sized angels... Have only been adding bout 3 fish a week for last 2 months...some weeks I never added any...

The new fish is an angel fish has been acting this way since 20 minutes after he was released into the tank...

When changing water I turn of the filter an the heaters I drain the water straight out the window... Then I hook up to the tap after get the water the right temperature I start to fill tank back up I dose the tank with a quarter of the required amount of dechlorinater then as I'm gradually filling I add more then when it's full I add the last quarter of dechlorinater an mix it a little with my hand... Then after few mins I turn the filter back on...

I'm using easy life for the water an a pond dechlorinater that the woman in fish shop said is the same as tropical dechlorinater smaller doses of it does larger amounts of water... I read the back of the pond one an it says it suitable an everything it's says is nearly the same as the tropical stuff...

 

[the_lock_man]

Did I read somewhere that multiple angels is a bad idea?

 

[Becks1985]

Did I read somewhere that multiple angels is a bad idea?

No they will be ok at juveniles an when they get bigger an if I get a pair I will rehome the others...

 

[TallTree01]

Did I read somewhere that multiple angels is a bad idea?

Probably. But His tank is large for multiple angels.Most can only keep 1 or 2 in the standard 55/30 gallon tanks.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yeah I had fish in it from the start only bout 5 fish when cycling I stripped down my old tank for the new tank an put the filter media in the new filter an used all of the old water....
I have started to get a reading of between o.25 ppm an 0.50 ppm the last week...

Tank is 350 litres with bout 25 small fish an 3 medium sized angels... Have only been adding bout 3 fish a week for last 2 months...some weeks I never added any...

The new fish is an angel fish has been acting this way since 20 minutes after he was released into the tank...

When changing water I turn of the filter an the heaters I drain the water straight out the window... Then I hook up to the tap after get the water the right temperature I start to fill tank back up I dose the tank with a quarter of the required amount of dechlorinater then as I'm gradually filling I add more then when it's full I add the last quarter of dechlorinater an mix it a little with my hand... Then after few mins I turn the filter back on...

I'm using easy life for the water an a pond dechlorinater that the woman in fish shop said is the same as tropical dechlorinater smaller doses of it does larger amounts of water... I read the back of the pond one an it says it suitable an everything it's says is nearly the same as the tropical stuff...

 
 
Only the new angel is hanging out alone?  How big is it compared to the others?  How long have the other angels been in there?
 
 
I'm not experienced with angels, but if they aren't the same size they can be quite harsh to newcomers.  And while you may not see the aggression, its probably happening after dark.  If adding angels, to existing angels, its often suggested to add more than one to spread the aggression.

 

[the_lock_man]

Yeah I had fish in it from the start only bout 5 fish when cycling I stripped down my old tank for the new tank an put the filter media in the new filter an used all of the old water....
I have started to get a reading of between o.25 ppm an 0.50 ppm the last week...

Tank is 350 litres with bout 25 small fish an 3 medium sized angels... Have only been adding bout 3 fish a week for last 2 months...some weeks I never added any...

The new fish is an angel fish has been acting this way since 20 minutes after he was released into the tank...

When changing water I turn of the filter an the heaters I drain the water straight out the window... Then I hook up to the tap after get the water the right temperature I start to fill tank back up I dose the tank with a quarter of the required amount of dechlorinater then as I'm gradually filling I add more then when it's full I add the last quarter of dechlorinater an mix it a little with my hand... Then after few mins I turn the filter back on...

I'm using easy life for the water an a pond dechlorinater that the woman in fish shop said is the same as tropical dechlorinater smaller doses of it does larger amounts of water... I read the back of the pond one an it says it suitable an everything it's says is nearly the same as the tropical stuff...

 
 
Only the new angel is hanging out alone?  How big is it compared to the others?  How long have the other angels been in there?
 
 
I'm not experienced with angels, but if they aren't the same size they can be quite harsh to newcomers.  And while you may not see the aggression, its probably happening after dark.  If adding angels, to existing angels, its often suggested to add more than one to spread the aggression.

 
Certainly, hanging near the top is classic cichlid submissive behaviour. It's trying to let the others have as much water as possible.

 

[Becks1985]

Well I'm planning on getting more bigger ones.. The new one is bout 4 inches an the other 2 that I have are bout 1 1/2 inches I think the bigger one would be able to handle himself...
I ordinarily had 4 smaller ones bout 6 weeks ago but one died the day I got them an the other died bout 2 days before I got the new one... The one that died recently used to swim round with one of the other ones all the time so don't think it was belong harassed. They were always out in the open...

 

[Arcticfox1977]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're adding water straight to the tank THEN adding the de-chlorinator? You are suppose to treat your water BEFORE it goes in the tank.

 

[Becks1985]

I put dechlorinater in the tank first then add some water then more dechlorinater then more water till its full i use the right amount of dechlorinater to dose the whole tank.. The dechlorinater are suppose to remove whatever is in tap water straight away so I don't see the difference...

 

[eaglesaquarium]

That's fine with the dechlorinator. 
 
 
What other fish are in the tank besides the angels?