Omg! Ammonia Spike!

[CJH0825]

OMG! I have done water changes 2 times daily, ( 50% ) added dechlorinator ( even tho my water has no chlorine in it ), nothing new has been added to the tank in 3 weeks, Tank has been up and running for almost 2 months now and my ammonia has spiked! For the last 3 days my ammonia has been testing at 8.0 ( API master test kit ). After doing water changes ( 50% ), I check my levels 1 - 2 hrs later and my ammonia is still at 8.0. My nitrites are 0.25 and my nitrAtes have a little orange tint to it. Ph is where it has always been ( 7.4 ) so I have no idea what more I can do now. Stocking is as follows...
 
9 Brilliant Rasbora
6 Pinapple Swordtail
1 Spotted Pictus Cat ( currently he is 2" )
4 Kuhli Loach
1 Golden Rainbow Shark ( currently he is 3" )
2 Red Wag Platy
 
Any idea what I can do to get my ammonia levels down?!

 

[techen]

AM guessing you are doing large water changes due to you dong a fish in cycle.
 
From the water stats your cycle has not finished so ammonia spikes are to be expected when so heavily overstocked.
 
The filter can't handle the bioload of the fish and will rise the ammonia through the roof.
 
That being said, No fish could survive in 8.0 ppm of ammonia so somethings up with your test kit...

 

[CJH0825]

I have 4 filters running in my tank, 2 corner filters ( 25gph ), Aquaclear 30/50, and a Whisper 3070FS.
 
Actually this 55g is a upgrade from a 20g high so fish, water, substrate, aquaclear30/50 filter, ect. were transferred over from the 20g fully cycled tank. Only thing that has been added to this 55 for fish was Rainbow Shark and Pictus Cat.

 

[techen]

Still overstocked too soon, The filters aren't coping. If there's nitrite it's still cycling.

 

[CJH0825]

Took a water sample in to be tested. Something is giving me a false reading. The water sample only showed ammonia at 1, nitrites at .25 and nitrate at 5.

 

[attibones]

Check the expiration date of your test kit. Be sure you are shaking the test liquids vigorously before adding them to the tubes.

However, I have to agree with techen that you are still cycling. Ideally, you need to do a large water change every time there is an ammonia reading above zero.

 

[CJH0825]

Expiration dates is 2017. I shake every bottle, every time. As I stated, I do 50% water changes 2 times daily. After doing water changes, I check my levels again ( 1 - 2 hrs later ) and my ammonia is still at 8.0. I'm frustrated now. The water sample tested ammonia at 1, Nitrite at 0.25 and nitrate at 5. Just as a precaution, I added Prime to detoxify everything. My fish are acting as normal. If my ammonia were actually at 8.0, my fish would be dead or acting really strange ( which they are not ). Not sure what to do from here.

 

[attibones]

What's the ammonia in your tap, by the way? I have to assume that your ammonia is not as high as your test is reading, too. Are your test tubes clean?

I know you've said you've been doing two water changes a day. How far apart are those water changes? Can you add another? Can you move out some of your fish?

 

[CJH0825]

I tested my tap water and everything is clean. I have nothing in it ( no chlorine or anything ). Once a week I boil my test tubes to make sure that everything is clean. My water changes are done every 10 - 12 hrs apart. I've thought about moving some of my fish, But have nowhere to move them to. I thought I was doing everything right, But it appears that something is wrong. My plants are thriving tho.