Unstable Levels

[bellabean]

I feel like I've been battling with Ammonia ( for a week now) and I'm the only one out there
I picked up Prime last night (22nd) and added to the tank around 9pm.

This is what I've been dealing with ...

Dec 22nd ~ did a 85% water change
PH - 7.4 / 7.8
Ammonia - 0.5
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5


Ammonia dropped to 0.25 3hrs later


Dec 23rd ~ did a 30% water change. Added prime
PH - 7.0 / 7.4
Ammonia - 0.5
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5-10 (between)

just checked again ...
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0.5 - 1 !!!
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5



Am I not adding enough Prime (1.5ml for 15g)
HELP !

 

[Akasha72]

first thing that comes to my mind is that the test can show a false result in poor light. Have you tested in the daylight?

 

[bellabean]

I only test in daylight

 

[CezzaXV]

Prime does not get rid of ammonia, it simply converts it to the less toxic ammonium. Your bacteria can still use the ammonium, but it's only slightly less toxic to your fish and it'll still be damaging them. I imagine the result you got where it appeared to have gone down was simply a false test, either on your part y misreading it or a faulty test.

Since most (if not all) test kits will measure ammonia by combining the ammonia and ammonium results, of course it's not going to test that it's going down, but for good reasons, as either way it's bad for your fish. To get rid of the ammonia you need to do big water changes (big enough that your fish only just have enough space to swim upright if need be).

Were you previously cycled and experiencing this problem, or are you in the process of cycling now?

 

[bellabean]

Thanks!
I never cycled prior. Knew nothging about it. Unfortunatly the LPS didn't say anything. Just set up tank and wait a week or so (we waited 3wks) then add fish. That was late July. I also knew nothing about filters and replaced a filter 2wks ago ... which brings us to my issues now.


Will perform a large water change.
At what level of Ammonia should I perform that large of a water change?

 

[CezzaXV]

Ah, that'll be your problem then. Replacing any parts of the filter will mean you've lost the bacteria that was on it.

Ideally you want to keep your ammonia as close to 0 as possible, but certainly never higher than 0.25. If your ammonia is edging up to 1ppm right now, you'll need to do at least one big water change. A 90% water change will get you down to 0.1, which is still higher than it should ideally be but it's not a MASSIVE problem at that level.

In the meantime, do some reading on fish-in cycling, as that's what you're effectively doing. You will have problems with ammonia as there's no bacteria in the filter to deal with it right now, which is what the fish-in cycle aims to achieve.

 

[bellabean]

Ah, that'll be your problem then. Replacing any parts of the filter will mean you've lost the bacteria that was on it.

Ideally you want to keep your ammonia as close to 0 as possible, but certainly never higher than 0.25. If your ammonia is edging up to 1ppm right now, you'll need to do at least one big water change. A 90% water change will get you down to 0.1, which is still higher than it should ideally be but it's not a MASSIVE problem at that level.

In the meantime, do some reading on fish-in cycling, as that's what you're effectively doing. You will have problems with ammonia as there's no bacteria in the filter to deal with it right now, which is what the fish-in cycle aims to achieve.

THANK YOU !!!