Faint trace of amonia

[njnauticalnut]

I found a faint trace of amonia in my 75 gallon today. I did a 20% water change. Is that enough? I will continue to do daily water changes until it is gone.

The nitrites are 0 ppm. The nitrates are 0 after the water change 2 days ago, they were between 20-30 prior to that water change.

The tank was able to convert 5ppms of amonia within 24 hours so I hope this mini cycle is short-lived. I also hope it doesn't hurt the fish.

I had a little accident today with "Blue", my powder blue gourami. I used my small vaccum and apparently he was curious and stuck his nose in it and went up it before I noticed him poking around. It took a little bit to get him out, but he seems okay. He actually is very mellow so I hope this did him no harm. He looks physically fine except his mouth seems more rounded. He may have gotten it caught in the top of the small hose. I'm keeping an eye on him.

Appreciate your thoughts on water % changes!

 

[tstenback]

You are doing the right thing. Keep them up until this is over. Is this the tank you added the plecos to? If so then i would suspect this may be due to that addition they are messy creatures.

 

[njnauticalnut]

Yes this is the tank I added the little plecos who are messy but invisible. I actually saw two of the three today. At some point I may see the third!

I will keep doing 20% water changes until the traces of amonia are gone.

Thanks.

 

[canarsie11]

Water changes should put you back on track

 

[Tropjunky]

the water change should be fine but u should they and findout if the bacteria in ur filter is still alive do daily water tests and about 5% every day if u have any ammonia left in ur tank.

If it goes on too long (about 1 week) the use ammo-loc (don't know wot u have there) but basicaly it nutralizes ammonia but allows the tank to cycle.

 

[njnauticalnut]

the water change should be fine but u should they and findout if the bacteria in ur filter is still alive do daily water tests and about 5% every day if u have any ammonia left in ur tank.

If it goes on too long (about 1 week) the use ammo-loc (don't know wot u have there) but basicaly it nutralizes ammonia but allows the tank to cycle.

I think that the bacteria is still alive as I have a decent amount of fish and though I know the amonia should be at 0, but it is only at .5 or less and the nitrites are 0 and the nitrates are 0. I would think if the bacteria was not alive the amonia would be much higher, no?

The tank had no day of not feeding the bacteria. I added the amonia the day before I added the fish. The amonia went from 5ppm to 0 in that 24 hour period and when I added the fish it was at 0, and the same for the nitrites and nitrates. The next day it remained 0, it was last night that I noticed the amonia was higher than 0.

I am figuring the water changes will help it. So far it is still at .5ish.

 

[njnauticalnut]

I still have an amonia reading in my tank, .5ish.

I have done 20% water changes for the last few days and yesterday about a 40% change.

The tank is far from overstocked and most of the fish in there are still little. Is there anything else I can do to expedite getting rid of this bit of amonia. I lost a platy, but that was a few days ago. I don't think it was from the amonia, in fact some people cycle with them. I think she was just stressed from the move to the new tank. Everyone else is doing fine, but I want to get this amonia back to 0 as quickly as possible.

I really don't want to add a product like amo lock or amquel, would larger water changes be better? Or should I just stick with the 20% and be patient?

Also how detrimental is the amonia in a small amount?

Appreciate your thoughts.

 

[wetwetwet]

Hi nj,

If you're changing water every day I wouldn't do any more than 20%...

You could also make sure there is nothing decaying/dyeing in the tank - plants or an unaccounted for fish....

In addition cut right back on feeding for a few days and build up again slowly once things have settled down...

The benificial bacteria can duplicate relatively quickly so things should settle down soon.

hth


www

 

[tstenback]

There isnt much you can do other that ride it out. An ammonia reading of .5 while not desirable is controllable withdaily water changes. The ammonia will go away when the biological filter adapts to the new bio load. Some say that adding a bacterial source may help but there is no guarantee and it does cost money. The fish will be fine if you keep up the water changes and if it will make you more comfortable then do 2 per day. One early one late. The fish will also appreciate it. Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[digital_run]

I'd suggest testing your tap water...if you have im sorry...but if your tap water has a natural amonia reading than it may be hard to get to 0. .Water changes wont hurt either as long as you keep them within reason...fresh water is never a bad thing

 

[njnauticalnut]

You could also make sure there is nothing decaying/dyeing in the tank - plants or an unaccounted for fish....

I thought about this.

I only have artificial plants (not the plastic ones, the other silk-like ones) so it is not a plant.

However, when I added the fish on Saturday I added 3 rubber-lipped plecos and I have only seen two of them.

I have this rock structure that the two I see are going inside of. How can I find out if the third one is still alive! I mean if he died, he wouldn't be able to stick or suck on to anything so I assume he would be floating or laying somewhere in the tank. But I am wondering about inside the rock. Hmmm, not sure how to check because the other two plecos spend most of their time in there so I can't very well take it out of the water. Perplexing...

 

[tstenback]

Tonight when it is dark turn off the tank lights and then turn off the room lights and wait 10 minutes or so then turn on a small light in the room you may see all the plecs out and about. I had 3 in a100 gal and it took weeks before i could confirm that more than one was actually alive. But they do come out shortly after the lights go out so give that a try.

 

[njnauticalnut]

I just picked up the rock, it is actually a very large 2 foot tall rock with lots of big and little holes in it that you could attach an air pump to (I am not using one), and when I lifted it two plecos came out and were out and about, but still not the third. I started to pick it out of the water but still he didn't let go so I out it back down. There was a lot of yucky stuff that came out of the bottom of it though. I will vacuum that up later when I do the water change.

I tried turning off the light at night (left a light on in another room) and I waited 45 minutes and no plecos came out.

I think I may change out that rock because of the small pinholes in it, as pieces of food and whatnot are gettng inside of it. I just don't want to lift it out with a pleco in it! I'd think he would have run the way the other two did, but he didn't. I just hope he is not dead in there.