High Amonia Levels

[whatwonderfulfishrsoles]

Hi, I'm pretty to new to fish keeping, I've got a 180l tanks with internal filter, I ran the tank for 4 weeks, there's plenty of weed in there, in fact it's like a jungle. I've treated the water regularly with Safe water, I carried out water tests several times and all was spot on.
When I finally added a few fish half a dozen guppies and half a dozen Neon tetras all seemed fine until about a week later a guppy died along with a Neon, I tested the water to find that the Amonia levels had shot right up, so I carried out water changes every other day, treating the tap water with safe water and also taking water out of my nans pond. I can't reduce the amonia for love nor money. I've even treated the tank with a Amonia remover.
I'm thinking if getting an additional external filter, I hear the new Tetratec ex700 is good, would this solve my problem

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[*Fishkies*]

Sounds like the problem is your tank needs to cycle. Also what type testing are you doing, are using test strips or a liquid test kit??

When you say your taking water from a pond...you mean an outdoor pond?? If so I would stop doing that as there could be all types of things in that water.

Next thing to be would be to test your regular house tap water. And post the readings on here.

Also if your tank is trying to cycle and you'd like some help cycling Click Here for a list of people who are willing to donate mature filter media.

Be sure to take a look here at this link... Click Here for the beginners resource. This will give you many helpful tips. Also read up on cycling a tank. The nitrogen cycle as it is also known as.


to the forum and good luck!

 

[rdd1952]

Running the tank without fish and no ammonia source doesn't do anything other than use power. I know that's what the books and even the instructions that come with most starter kits but it's pretty useless. Basically, the nitrogen cycle is that once the beneficial bacteria develop, they transform ammonia (fish waste) into nitrite and a different bacteria transforms nitrite into nitrate. You remove nitrate by doing weekly water changes.

Most guppies are some what hardy but neon tetras aren't so you will need to start doing water changes (20 to 25 percent) as often as necessary (2 to 4 times a day maybe) until you get the ammonia below .25 ppm. From then on, do them as often as needed to keep ammonia and nitrite below .25ppm. With the number of fish you have it may take a lot or water changes. Cut back on feeding to a maximum of once a day and possibly every other day. Less food means less waste.

I agree about the pond water. There aren't any beneficial bacteria in the water itself. They colonize on the filter. All you are doing with the pond water is at best putting dirty water in your tank and at worst you could be introducing some type parasite that will wreak havoc on your tank.

 

[whatwonderfulfishrsoles]

Sounds like the problem is your tank needs to cycle. Also what type testing are you doing, are using test strips or a liquid test kit??

When you say your taking water from a pond...you mean an outdoor pond?? If so I would stop doing that as there could be all types of things in that water.

Next thing to be would be to test your regular house tap water. And post the readings on here.

Also if your tank is trying to cycle and you'd like some help cycling Click Here for a list of people who are willing to donate mature filter media.

Be sure to take a look here at this link... Click Here for the beginners resource. This will give you many helpful tips. Also read up on cycling a tank. The nitrogen cycle as it is also known as.


to the forum and good luck!

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it greatly, I've carried out tests using strips on my tap water and it reads as follows -
GH = 180ppm
KH = 180ppm
PH = 7 - 7.5
NO2 = 0ppm
NO3 = 20ppm

I'm not sure if this is OK or not?

I then tested my tank water using solution test kits, they are as follows -
Amonia = 2.0ppm
NitrIte = 0.0ppm
NitrAte = 0.00ppm

I assume that the Ammonia levels are going to kill all my fish? Can this be avoided. I feel bad as it is and will be completely gutted if I lose all my fishy friends. Especially now my Guppies have had babies.

 

[scorphonic]

Your tank is definately not cycled.

Read Rdd's post above...never a bad piece of information and help from them.

 

[whatwonderfulfishrsoles]

Thank you for your response. I am doing a water change evey other day although I'm taking water straight from the tap and adding Safe water, is this OK, I've just been informed that the clorine in the tap water will kill the benefical bacteria in my tank? If this is the case can I assume that my tank is now void of all bacteria and will inevitable kill all my fish.

Kind regards

 

[scorphonic]

Thats fine...thats exactly what you should be doing for the water. The chlorine will kill the bacteria so you should be adding the safe water before the new water is poured in the tank, just to be safe. Others add the safe water to the tank and then add the water but I know from experience with solutions that this is not the best way to do it.

The readings are telling me that you have yet to grow any bacteria in the filter, since there are no nitrites or nitrates it means that the Ammonia that is building up in the tank has yet to be broken down...and this means you have no bacteria in your filter yet...give it time and they will grow. If you have fish you may consider removing them to your local pet store and cycle the tank using an artificial source of ammonia. This will ensure that you dont have to go through the heart ache of having fish die in your tank.

 

[whatwonderfulfishrsoles]

Scorphonic, thanks for that. Would you recommend I leave my new treated water in a bucket for a while say an hours or so or can I pour it straight into my tank from the tap with 10ml of safewater added, ( this is what I have been doing)

Also do you recommend any brand in particular, I purchased safewater quattro but I've seen several types such as tap safe?

Your advise along everyone else's is greatly appreciated, and at this time is invaluable.

Kind regards PAt

 

[scorphonic]

I use AquaPlus, but really I dont think it matters all that much so long as it states that it can clear the chlorine from the water and some will state that they can clear the chloroamines and heavy metals from the water. AquaPlus states all three...so thats why I buy it!!

When you are filling up your bucket??? or whatever you use to fill before adding the water to the tank just add the dechlorinator to this water as it is going into the bucket...that will make sure that its well mixed.

The AquaPlus, for me, states that I should add 10ml per 70 liters. I know that when I do a water change on my small tank I am only replacing about 35 liters per change but I still add in 10ml (why?)...well I do it because it ensures that the chlorine is gone (a reaction that occurs instantly when the water conditioner is added to the water). You should exceed the stated dose slightly just to be over cautious!!. If you left the water for a few hours then the chlorine will leave the water naturally.

I have never added water straight from the tap to the tank. I always fill a 45L bin that I purchased for this purpose. I also add in a heater to the bin and get the water up to temperature..which only takes about 2 hours. During that time I take out 45L from my tank using another 45L bin and an electric syphon which I can use to clean the bottom of the tank (gravel etc...) When the bin is filling from my tap water I put in my required water conditioner.

So my water goes in dechlorinated, and the correct temperature. Sorted!!

 

[rdd1952]

As mentioned, as long as it says that it removes chlorine and neutralizes chloramines, it is fine to us. I personally use Stress Coat but there are a lot of other products out there that are just as good as a dechlorinator. You don't need to leave the water sitting. Dechlorinator works instantly. I actually use a python system to refill my tanks after a water change with the watergoing straight from the tap into the tank. I add the dechlorinator when I cut the water off. Chlorine won't kill your bacteria instantly and there is even some research that shows that it won't hurt at all and that dechlorinator isn't even necessary (chlorine will actually dissipate from the water in about 24 hours anyway) but as long as it isn't any more expensive than it is, I will continue to use it formy peace of mind.

 

[LakeyGal]

Scorphonic, thanks for that. Would you recommend I leave my new treated water in a bucket for a while say an hours or so or can I pour it straight into my tank from the tap with 10ml of safewater added, ( this is what I have been doing)

Also do you recommend any brand in particular, I purchased safewater quattro but I've seen several types such as tap safe?

Your advise along everyone else's is greatly appreciated, and at this time is invaluable.

Kind regards PAt

Hi, I've successfully been using Bioactive Tapsafe from Interpet
adding some to each bucket before the water goes in, I like it as it adds aloe vera conditioner to the fish and works on warm water too so I can make sure the temperature is the same as the tank (though there are various thoughts on hot water which I'm sure will get pointed out) Can only avise on my experience and it's working for my fishys. However I'm sure they all have their plus points so that's going to be a personal choice.

 

[vinylman]

When you add hot water to raise the temperature in the bucket, do it with boiled kettle water, not from the hot tap. As RDD says, you can add the water to the tank as soon as it's been dechlorinated, no need to let it stand.

 

[whatwonderfulfishrsoles]

To everyone who has offered advise, a great big thank. I'll carry out the relevant water changes as advised and will let you all know my results.

My only other question is this. Why didn't Pets at home store tell me any of this? I was told fill your tank leave it a week add a few fish!!!!

Kind regards and once again thanks

 

[rdd1952]

I use warm water from the tap without any problems. I just let it run for 30 seconds to a minute before I start filling the tank. Unless you live in an old home with old pipes, any impurities in the pipes will be run out in that time frame. Most homes now have PVC pipes and not copper anyway so there aren't as many issues as there were in years past.

 

[whatwonderfulfishrsoles]

Hi everyone, just to let you all know what happening, as you can see above I've been having problems with my Amonia due to it not being cycled. So I've been following all your advise I bought a water declorinater an d carried out water changes every day for the last week now I have a new issue, I'm not sure that I should call it a problem though, or should I my new results are as follows

Ammonia - 0.00
NitrIte - 0.00
NitrAte - 0.00
PH - 7.8+

Is this expected, have I missed something?

I managed to get hold of some Mature filter media as advised by you helpful people I got a big wad of Filter wool of my friends mature tank.

Should I now do anything else, as in the last week I lost 3 more guppies but there are two babies left that seem to be thriving, they are now out of all the weed.

Kind regards all and thanks for everyones help.