Help me diagnose my ammonia spike

[Retired Viking]

My S.W.A.G. is that your plants are not able to keep up with your fish's waste (ammonia) production. I may be wrong but most of your plants look like slow to medium growth plants. Some fast growing plants may help like Anacharis, water sprite, hornwort, moneywort and frog bite. I never had Sylvanias, I have salvinia in one of my tanks.

 

[Byron]

Just had a read, very interesting indeed.
However, author also seem to claim that ammonia, nitrite and nitrate is not a major concern... only chlorine is.

Careful how you take this. What he was getting at is the immediate effect of chlorine (it burns the gills rapidly), compared to the longer-term effect from ammonia, always depending upon the level to begin with.

 

[jonnyc88]

Careful how you take this. What he was getting at is the immediate effect of chlorine (it burns the gills rapidly), compared to the longer-term effect from ammonia, always depending upon the level to begin with.

Yes, to be fair there is a table of toxicity shown later which is pretty much what I’d expect.

I’m also intrigued by his stocking advice. I don’t think I’ll ever go for the overstocking recommendation but according to him my stocking levels are currently ok.

 

[jonnyc88]

Did water test today and noticed the Nitrite increased a little to 0.75ppm. Will do a 30% water change later.

Current water parameter (mostly same as yesterday except for Nitrite)
pH : 6.8
Nitrite : 0.75ppm
Nitrate : 20ppm
Ammonia : 0.35ppm (a little more than 0.25 but not quite 0.5ppm on the API Master Kit)

 

[jonnyc88]

Looks like nitrite is slowly climbing whilst nitrate dropped:
pH : 6.8
Ammonia : 0.5ppm
Nitrite : 1 ppm
Nitrate : 5 ppm

Really weird but suppose need to do daily water changes until ammonia and nitrites are zero.

 

[Essjay]

Yes, both ammonia and nitrite are toxic.

Nitrate testers are the least accurate of the ones we use, and the hardest to use correctly.

 

[jonnyc88]

Did a 50% water change and the results are much better this time around

I would say 0% ammonia and very close to 0% nitrite as well but it’s hard to tell sometimes.

Fingers crossed the parameters will stabilise now.

 

[Byron]

Looks good, but I agree the colours are not the easiest to distinguish. Something that may help that at least...always compare the tube and colour chart in diffused daylight. Never in direct sunlight, and never under artificial light. Daylight in light shade is best. I always stand inside the window (provided direct sunlight is not hitting the window).

 

[jonnyc88]

Looks good, but I agree the colours are not the easiest to distinguish. Something that may help that at least...always compare the tube and colour chart in diffused daylight. Never in direct sunlight, and never under artificial light. Daylight in light shade is best. I always stand inside the window (provided direct sunlight is not hitting the window).

Thanks for the tips. Suppose it will be tricky during winter time when daylight is shorter. Shame no other water test kits are comparable.

 

[seangee]

Thanks for the tips. Suppose it will be tricky during winter time when daylight is shorter. Shame no other water test kits are comparable.

By winter you won't need to be testing anymore

 

[jonnyc88]

By winter you won't need to be testing anymore

Good point mate

 

[jonnyc88]

Measured today at lunchtime at looks like whilst ammonia is still 0 Nitrite climbed a bit to 0.25ppm.

Looks like more water changes required. Bit strange it’s just Nitrite that increased.

Edit: I have some API Tress Zyme+ and thinking of adding it after water change. It’s recommended weekly and contains natural beneficial bacteria. Will that be recommended?

 

[Essjay]

If you have some you may as well use it. Once a tank is cycled, it is not needed no matter what they say - they just want you to buy more.

 

[jonnyc88]

If you have some you may as well use it. Once a tank is cycled, it is not needed no matter what they say - they just want you to buy more.

Curious question , since now ammonia is zero and nitrite has increased a tiny bit, isn’t that a sign that the cycle is starting?

Or is the best practice for a tank with live plants and fish present to change water daily if ammonia and nitrite are above zero?

 

[Essjay]

In a tank with no live plants, increasing nitrate shows that the second stage of cycling is underway. However, plants change the process of cycling. If there are enough plants to take up all the ammonia made by the fish, there would be no reading for ammonia - or nitrite or nitrate as plants turn ammonia into protein rather than nitrite. Bacteria will grow slowly but not nearly as many as in a tank with no live plants. In a tank with live plants, but not quite enough of them to deal with the ammonia made by the fish, the left over ammonia will be turned into nitrite then nitrate.

Whenever there are fish in a tank, if there is a reading for ammonia or nitrite, water changes need to be done.