High Ammonia

[luke2702]

Tank size: 190 L
pH: 7.4
ammonia:3.0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20
kH: Unknown
gH: Unknown
tank temp: 27

High all just done few test on the tank and found high ammonia!!!!!

I have recently done a bit of stuff to the tank moved stuff out and put new stuff in, added a couple of fish and removed a couple, i have also just added an external pump but left the internal one running.

Do water changes about every 3-4 weeks.

Would doing a extra few water changes help bring it down?

Thanks

 

[luke2702]

Forgot to say just had white spot from a bad fish so tanks has had chemicals added recently.

 

[LilyRose Tank]

you need to perform a 50% water change every day for at least a week to bring the level down. usually water changes should be perfomed weekly to stop the ammonia level rising, but as you have an ammonis level, I guess you havn't cycled your filter yet. This means you are in a fish-in cycle situation, This means that ammonia levels will continue to rise unless you do daily water changes, and daily testing to ensure you keep your ammonia and nitrite levels low. - until your filter is cycled anyway then a weekly change will suffice.
If you have had a white spot problem in the past, are you sure it has been irradicated.
the chemicals that you have added may well have wiped out your bacteria in your filter so this means that you need to build up a new colony unfortunately. also, the carbon in the filter will have removed any treatment, so if you need to treat again, remove the carbon from the filter first.
it looks like you are going to start colonising your filter again, so daily testing and water changes will have to be done to keep your water levels within safe limits.
good luck with your tank xx

 

[luke2702]

Thanks for reply.

My nitrate level is 0 so just dont understand why ammonia has suddenly risen so high? My new filter does have a UV light in it does that not help with killing the bacteria i need? Tank has run fine for the 8 years i have had the tank so this is really getting me down...

 

[LilyRose Tank]

I understnd that you will be dissappointed. I would be too. As for the uv light, i don't have the answer. Maybe ask one of the guys like Waterdrop, or OM47, they may have the answer there.. maybe PM them?! i have had ammonia spikes after a med treatment, so that could be the culprit.

 

[luke2702]

Thanks for the replies Jayne much appreciated. Will drop them both a pm and ask the questions.

 

[karin]

Yeah looks like there is a mini-cycle going on. The remedy is to do a huge water change to get that ammonia down as close to zero and then test your water morning and evening and water change anytime the ammonia or nitrite is above zero. Forget testing Ph and other stuff right now.
I have a UV sterilizer in the tank and it is meant to clean water and should not affect the stuff in the filters.
In the future, unless this is a planted tank, I would up your maintenance water changes to weekly or maybe every two weeks. Four is too long unless it is a densely planted tank.

Usually, Ich meds will not affect the filter bacteria. What did you use?

 

[luke2702]

Yeah looks like there is a mini-cycle going on. The remedy is to do a huge water change to get that ammonia down as close to zero and then test your water morning and evening and water change anytime the ammonia or nitrite is above zero. Forget testing Ph and other stuff right now.
I have a UV sterilizer in the tank and it is meant to clean water and should not affect the stuff in the filters.
In the future, unless this is a planted tank, I would up your maintenance water changes to weekly or maybe every two weeks. Four is too long unless it is a densely planted tank.

Usually, Ich meds will not affect the filter bacteria. What did you use?

No dont have any plants as the fish eat them... Will start weekly changes from now on. Did big water change today and it has dropped to 1.0, nitrite is still at zero. Just getting more water ready for tomorrow now or might do it later..

Will switch UV back on then now. Used king british ws3 for my ich problem.