Another Ammonia Post

[Rorie]

So, i am sure a lot of you came rushing to answer, shouting 'oh, oh, i know this one'. Well, i hope to put a twist in that can make it trickier to answer!

I was getting fish from a friend, but as they would be transported for a long time first, i knew they would be stressed etc etc, so was going to quarantine them first.

I have a 26L QT with sand base. I put some mature filter media from my main tank into its filter, and then put the mini filter into my main aquarium. So effectively i have a mature filter running in a mature tank. Great.

Fishes arrive, pop them into the QT with their own water (no point making them more stressed, so i took 26L of the stuff with me!)in goes the now mature filter, and away we go!

2 weeks later, after doing 10% water changes every week, i have high readings of ammonia....why?!

I have 3 cardinal tetras, 2 almano shrimp and one small plec.

Not over stocked, water changes were regular (cleaning gravel (sand actually) at the same time), but even after water change, ammonia was high.

WHY?!

Fish have now moved into the main tank though and are fine - even the stroppy cardinals! But i need to understand as i may quarentine my ill dwarf gourami (in another post) but obviously dont want him going into the QT thats producing crazy Amonia

Thanks

 

[anon02]

You may have had a mini cycle, did you test the q tank water after you moved the fish to your main tank ?

 

[Rorie]

You may have had a mini cycle, did you test the q tank water after you moved the fish to your main tank ?

Sorry, the ammonia was in my QT. I moved the fish from there into the main tank today, as it had been 2 weeks, and the ammonia was not good. But i want to know why the ammonia did that as i need to move an ill fish in there tonight. That said, i have just changed the water in my QT, but i want to know why there was a high amount of ammonia in the first plac?!

 

[doresy]

Over feeding?

Check levels in the tap water used in water changing?

 

[james_fish]

Was the water they came in de-chlorinated? More than likely it was but always a possibility. Did you add any water without de-chlorinating it?

Maybe the small time filter couldn't work as well due to other filtration in your main tank, possibly killing off some bacteria? Only to remain with little or no bacteria to sustain the QT tank?

How is the inflow and outflow looking on the filter?

Just random ideas from the top of my head...

James.

 

[the biffster]

were the fish you bought in under any
treatment for anything when you got them
you said you used 26 ltrs of there water
from the old tank i wonder if it had any treatment
that would kill the newly established filter or media

but that's just a thought. if not how long was the filter
without water flow

 

[Bignose]

Check levels in the tap water used in water changing?

This is the most pertinent question that needs to be answered

 

[Rorie]

All the water was conditioned before adding - no worries there.

Maybe the filer was not mature due to the main filter, that would explain a lot.

I will check my water in my tap later today and then post - so keep an eye out!

In the mean time - i think my whole tank is infected now Have a look

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=342144&st=0

 

[Rorie]

Test results:

Main Tank:

PH : 7.4
AMMONIA: 0
NITRITE: 0
NITRATE: 5.0

(all normal readings)

QT

PH : 6.4!!! No idea why its so low
AMMONIA: 0
NITRITE: 0
NITRATE: Almost 5.0 (only one fish in)

Tap water

PH : 7.4
AMMONIA: 0.5
NITRITE: 0
NITRATE: just above 0

 

[the biffster]

were was the water originally from in your QT
from was it brought in with the fish you got

 

[Rorie]

The water in my QT is new conditioned water now that the ill fish is in. Originally, when i had loads of ammonia, it was 100% original from what the fish were in before, but then they'd been in it for two weeks before the problems started. Sorry for the confusion.

I wonder if the filter was just not able to cope with the fish in the tank, and despite being mature media, it maybe died wile running in the new tank, so the high ammonia was a spike developed from a new tank?

 

[the biffster]

The water in my QT is new conditioned water now that the ill fish is in. Originally, when i had loads of ammonia, it was 100% original from what the fish were in before, but then they'd been in it for two weeks before the problems started. Sorry for the confusion.

I wonder if the filter was just not able to cope with the fish in the tank, and despite being mature media, it maybe died wile running in the new tank, so the high ammonia was a spike developed from a new tank?

that is a possibility but what i was trying to say if that water was brought
from were ever you got the fish from there might of been ammonia
already in that water

 

[Rorie]

hmm could have been, but when i tested it last week, it was fine.

Well, the filter is working now with one fish!

Just hope the fish gets better, and also my glowlights in the main tank get better!

 

[the biffster]

hmm could have been, but when i tested it last week, it was fine.

Well, the filter is working now with one fish!

Just hope the fish gets better, and also my glowlights in the main tank get better!

just keep your eye on your ammonia and nitrite
it seem to be ok at the moment