I Can't Get The Ammonia Out Of My Tank!

[missigfunk]

I have set up a tank for my betta, but I can't get the ammonia out of it.

It's currently sitting at 1ppm

I've taken my betta (Moey ) out of the tank and put him in a double breeding net with the divider taken out in my community tank.

Before I put him in his own tank, I cycled it the way my LFS said to and all was good for a few days. I started noticing that Moey wasn't looking crash hot, so I tested the water.

I did a 50% water change after that, but it's still the same?

What can I do?

 

[ALEXF]

frequent large water changes are [retty much all you can do. They do make media that absorbs ammonia but im not sure what its called. I would just stick to large water changes daily. that would probably be your best bet.

 

[missigfunk]

Thanks for your fast reply!

I forgot to mention a few things too...

When I did the water change, I put in some water conditioner, water ager and this ammonia block thing. I'm from Australia and I assume that our products are a little different to US and UK (seems to be where most of you guys are from )

Do you still think large water changes is all I can do?

 

[ALEXF]

definately still. no matter what when it comes to water quality the best thing you can do is change out water. its like taking a vacuum to the sky and sucking the pollution out of the air (in this case water) the more you do it the cleaner the air (water) does that make sence? just out of curiousity how did your lfs tell you to cycle your tank?

 

[missigfunk]

Oh yeah, and I should tell you how my LFS said to cycle the tank...

He said to:

* set it up as usual and wait about a week. It will sort itself out


I thought it was a little strange they said that because I went in there asking for pure ammonia because I was going to cycle it the way one of the threads say to. The guy at my LFS made me feel like a complete idiot for wanting pure ammonia. I explained to him what the thread on here said to do, and he told me no, do it this way. He said "nah nah, you don't want ammonia in your tank". It doesn't sound bad in writing, but the way he said it was pretty mean



great minds think alike aye? I was writing it as you must have been typing!



This thread here is what I was following...


http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...shless-Cycling/

 

[ALEXF]

great minds think alike aye? I was writing it as you must have been typing!


http/www.fishforums.net/content/New-to-t...shless-Cycling/[/url]

lol definately, i had a feeling they had probably told you wrong. I mean you can do it with a fish in but its going to be more work in the long run, hince the constant water changes, but what you were doing looking for the ammonia was the right thig to do. If you can i would either take the betta back til you have it properly cycled, keep it in with your community, or keep it in the tank but do daily large water changes. If you can you should move some media from your community tank to the new one. as to kinda clone your big tank so the other will be cycled.

 

[missigfunk]

I will have to keep him in the breeding net in the community tank until I sort his own tank out. I can't take my lil Moey back, I love him too much


Media? Do you mean like some of the water and stuff? And if so, how much of it? Like half, quarter etc?

 

[ALEXF]

I will have to keep him in the breeding net in the community tank until I sort his own tank out. I can't take my lil Moey back, I love him too much


Media? Do you mean like some of the water and stuff? And if so, how much of it? Like half, quarter etc?

what is in your actual filter? just a filter pad? or do you have other things? based on your awnser im going to assume you have a filter pad? ummm if you have room in that main filter i would take the filter pad from the betta tank and stick it in with the other in your main tank. This will start the good bacteria growing, leave it there for id say at least a week then move it and the betta back to the betta tank. test the water the following day to see how things are. If you dont have room inside the filter itself do you have room for the betta filter to run next to the other filter on your main tank? this would do the same thing.

 

[missigfunk]

I have these silly disposable filter things...they came with the tank lol

I can't take them apart to get the pad thing out....they are REALLY stupid, but I haven't been able to find the right size filter for my tank. It's about 2 gallons I think?

A different LFS said that bettas don't NEED a filter anyway? Would I be better off ditching the filter all together?

 

[ALEXF]

I have these silly disposable filter things...they came with the tank lol

I can't take them apart to get the pad thing out....they are REALLY stupid, but I haven't been able to find the right size filter for my tank. It's about 2 gallons I think?

A different LFS said that bettas don't NEED a filter anyway? Would I be better off ditching the filter all together?

if you ditch the filter your deinfately going to have ammonia in your tank. That is noramlly where the bacteria that breaks down the ammonia grows on those disposable pads. so no i wouldnt throw that away...... umm disposable filters can you send a link of something similar online so i can see what your talking about or post a pic??? but dont throw it away.

if you need more help ill be back in 30-45 minutes. im at work and about to drive home but ill get online at home to help you out.

 

[missigfunk]

Wow! That's very nice of you! Thanks


Here is what they are like.....

http/www.petco.com/product/7401/Penn-Pla...tion-Units.aspx

 

[ALEXF]

Wow! That's very nice of you! Thanks


Here is what they are like.....

[URL="http/www.petco.com/product/7401/Penn-Pla...tion-Units.aspx"]http/www.petco.com/product/7401/Penn-Pla...tion-Units.aspx[/URL]

wow yea i would invest in a better filter. They do make small ones. I have no idea where to even begin with that.

http/www.jtdiscountstore.com/servlet/the...O-FILTER/Detail

this is the one i have on my betta tank and it works well.

 

[missigfunk]

I've cleaned the WHOLE tank out again and the ammonia is still high!

I need to get it fixed ASAP because my baby platy is stuck in this little plastic breeding thing and doesn't have room to grow, so I put Moey (my betta) in my community tank so I could put the baby platy in the double breeding net because it is much bigger.

Now Moey is being a menace and chasing everyone! I don't want him to stress and flare constantly at everyone, and I don't want my fish to get stressed from all the bullying.

I know he shouldn't be in there, but his own tank is full of ammonia that I can't get rid of!

I need help and names of small filters because I've been to a few LFS's and can't find any that would fit in my tank. Only those silly disposable things that I currently have.