Oh No!

[TammyLiz]

I figured out the problem. I have 1ppm of ammonia in my TAP! No wonder the water changes weren't helping! I feel a little embarrased that I didn't think to test this before, but I didn't even consider it a possibilty. ) I tested the water as I would add it to the tank with the prime and that had the same reading. I also tested the water in my 2 gallon tank, which I haven't been messing with (I was so sure it was cycled and the fish in there are hardy so I thought I would just let it cycle out), and it was at 0. I think that indicates that the problem isn't in the test kit, its in the water. I looked over my little log that I have sporadically kept since setting up the first tank a couple months ago, and I see that there is a possibility that it has been this way all along. Ammonia is obviously expected during cycling. I didn't have a test kit for it at first when I tested all the other stats in the tap. Some readings were ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 10 so I knew it was cycled, but when getting those results before a water change, who needs to test after? I detected ammonia in the 55 soon after setting it up but attributed it to a little die off of the bacteria when I moved the filter from the other tank. No wonder I had a little case of whitespot soon after moving the fish over. Poor things. I will be calling my water company in the morning. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? My LFS sells RO water but its a bit pricy. I didn't really consider water as an expense when figuring this thing. Is there a chemical I can use to remove the ammonia from the water before adding it to the tank or would that cause an unwanted byproduct? Obviously the prime is not taking it out.

 

[tttnjfttt]

I would just use a dechlorinator that neutralizes ammonia as well. Your water probably has chloramine in it rather than chlorine, as chloramine tends to be more stable. My recomendation for you would be to do regular weekly water changes of 15%. Eventually your filter will be able to handle the excess failry quickly, but you will always need something to neutralize the ammonia as long as it is in your tap water.

 

[reg2k2]

the API freshwater kit has 2 bottles.

afaik, API sells the two I listed.
Since you didn't respond Tammy, I assume you are using the 2-bottle kit.

Prime says it will remove about 0.6mg/l ammonia, and may be safely doubled for high chloramine readings.

 

[TammyLiz]

I would just use a dechlorinator that neutralizes ammonia as well.

Since you didn't respond Tammy, I assume you are using the 2-bottle kit.

Prime says it will remove about 0.6mg/l ammonia, and may be safely doubled for high chloramine readings.

I do use the two bottle kit, sorry for not saying that. It is the same brand tttnjfttt uses.

I am sitting here reading my bottle of prime and can't seem to work out exactly how much I would need to use to remove 1ppm of ammonia. I am not sure how ppm translates to mg. Judgeing by the fact that it doesn't seem to make much of a difference when I add it, I must need a lot. Maybe I should get something that is specifically for ammonia and add both. The only thing about that is I may be running into some sort of a reaction that I wouldn't be able to predict. Do you think I ought to start a new thread somewhere else to see if there are others who have this problem, who don't bother looking in the emergency section at three page threads?

 

[reg2k2]

mg/l = ppm...same thing.

So, I would say double recommended dose should do it. Ammolock will neutralize 1ppm. But I wouldn't use them together..no point. Personally, I figure since you already have the Prime, give it a shot. Also, don't expect the tap to read zero after adding Prime...tho the tank should in time.

How's the pH situation?

 

[TammyLiz]

mg/l = ppm...same thing.

So, I would say double recommended dose should do it. Ammolock will neutralize 1ppm. But I wouldn't use them together..no point. Personally, I figure since you already have the Prime, give it a shot. Also, don't expect the tap to read zero after adding Prime...tho the tank should in time.

How's the pH situation?

The ammonia in the tank is going down now that I am not doing water changes but it is still at .5ppm. One of the fish is looking a little red at the gill plate. It is the same one that I thought might be showing some red near the base of her tail. The others seem to be taking it better. Do you think I should add the prime directly to the tank? Even a single dose would be a lot (110 drops!) so I think I would put an estimate in a spoon and pour it in!

The pH is still bad. Reading at the bottom of the chart-6.0. It did read up a bit from that, maybe 6.2, after the last water change. I added 1 teaspoon of baking soda at that time. I think I will add another tonight. I didn't want to add too much since I was advised to exercise caution with the higher ammonia levels.

I have contacted my water company and they may come out to test my water. It is not coming out of the plant with that much ammonia in it.

EDIT: I did add a single dose of prime to the entire tank tonight. I also added two teaspoons of baking soda since the one teaspoon didn't seem to buffer the water very well and made no long term difference.

 

[reg2k2]

Given your source water is below neutral, I don't see where there's much worry about ammonium converting to ammonia.

>>not coming out of the plant with that much ammonia in it.

interesting.

>>added two teaspoons of baking soda

what results did this give you, pH/KH

 

[TammyLiz]

>>added two teaspoons of baking soda

what results did this give you, pH/KH

Yesterday:
KH didn't test
pH 6.9

Today:
KH 0
pH 6.5

Grr!

I guess the baking soda is not doing the trick with the KH. I didn't expect the pH to just go back down like that.
Poor fish.

 

[steelhealr]

In treating the tank, a very acidic tank will quickly eatup your buffering capability. If you truly wish to bring up the tank's pH and alkalinity, you must do it daily. Remember, a change in pH by 0.1 equates to 100,000 change. When I buffered my marine tank, I used one tsp daily mixed in my daily topoff water (24G tank). SH

 

[steelhealr]

If there is ammonia in your water, you could temporarily do water changes with spring water, however, this could really change hardness. Spring water is RO water that is then supplemented with minerals for taste. You could buy some and test it. The other thing you could use is RO or distilled..but...add some supplementation yourself until you get the ammonia issue worked out. SH

 

[reg2k2]

Bring a bucket of water to 4KH, and check the pH. I suspect you shouldn't see much difference...if this is the case, I would adjust each bucket you add, and perform 25%wc's for the next few days. You should end w/ the same values you adjusted the buckets to. Then decide before next wc whether to continue w/ b.soda or filter coral/other.

With the Prime, I don't think the ammonia in the tap should be a problem, now that we know the level...other than the water company indicates it shouldn't be that high. My tap reads .50, tank does not. But, if another water source sounds good to you, certainly another option.