Well as a last resort to dealing with my continuing ammonia problems, I have replaced 1/2 of my fish tank water with distilled water. The pet store recommended trying the distilled water. Will it really make that big of a difference?
Could it really be something in my tap water creating my ammonia problems? I've tested my tap water for ammonia and its very low if any at all.
After a day or so, it takes typically three 30% water changes in the same day to bring the ammonia levels back down. So theres not really any extra food or waste in there as often as I'm vacuuming it out.
2007-02-16T20:43:10Z
The tank is 10 gallons.
After the tank had run for 3 weeks, the ammoina levels were off the charts, and water changes wouldn't bring it back down, so I changed all the water. The new water is maybe 2 weeks old
As for fish, 2 - Mollies ~1.5" -2" long 2- Xray tetras - ~1" long 2- dwarf frogs - ~1" long 2- small algae eaters ~1" long 1- spotted cory catfish ~1" long
I've stopped using all ammoina preventing products, based on some advice in a previous questions, and have just been changing water as necessary to keep the ammonia levels in check.
I have still been adding water conditioner to the water I have added, including the distilled water. My water here is extremely hard, and has a bunch of minerals in it, which is the reason I went along with the distilled water being a good idea.
The orange guys, which I believe are Mollies, require salt, which I have been adding the proper amount to any water I add.
2007-02-16T20:46:04Z
Also there shouldn't be excess food in there, when I feed them I drop food in, anything they haven't eaten within a minute or so I scoop back out.
I've tried both cycle, and Prime, niether has had any effect. But then again I've stopped using any chemicals other than water conditioner at the moment.
Liz2007-02-16T19:52:35Z
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How many fish are in this tank? If your tap water tests free of ammonia, the distilled water won't make a difference at all. It's something inside your tank that is causing the ammonia problem. Make sure your tank isn't overstocked.
Yes, the distilled water will help. If your water is very hard then odds are excellent your pH is also high. They higher the pH, the more toxic the ammonia is to the fish. The same is true of temperature. The lower it is the safer. But it is a trade off. The ammonia is less toxic art lower pH, but the fish can stand less exposure at lower pH. In other words, keep the pH lowered and still do the frequesnt water changes.
You can use some products such as amquel that will render the ammonia far less toxic to the fish, but still available for the development of our bacteria bed.
Your tank is rather heavily stocked for a new tank so I would suggest you stop feeding for the next 2 days and then feed only once a day every other day until the ammonia level begins to fall off.
Extra water motion will also help to gas out some of the ammonia, but this will really have a very minor effect, but any port in a storm as they say.
Don't change all the water at once, but do continue doing whatever water changes are needed until the ammonia level drops.
If there is any way to remove some of the fish for a week or so that would be an excellent idea as well.
It takes 5 or6 weeks minimum to cycle a tank. The reason for this is that the bacteria that do the work of de-nitifying only work after they have grown colonies on the solid surfaces of your tank,and filter and what ever they can grow on. The other required component for this to happen is well oxygenated water. The bacteria require oxygen to grow and function. The out-flow from a filter or bubbles from an airstone should provide ample oxygenation. The fact that your water is hard,probably with an attendant high pH increases the toxicity of the ammonia, therefore requiring extra care in maintaining your tank. As your tank completes it's cycle, this will become less of a problem. Be patient and continue your efforts in 2 or 3 weeks everything should improve,and you can go to a less rigorous water change schedule.-----Don't give up you're doing just fine.----PeeTee
Ammonia is produced mainly by fish respiration and urine, but also by fish waste and decaying matter (fish food, dying plants, dead fish, dying live rock, etc.)
An increase in fish population can also trigger ammonia spikes, as well as untreated tap water (chloramine contains chlorine + ammonia). The use of antibiotics sometimes kills off bacteria colonies, which in turn have to re-establish in order to convert ammonia within the natural nitrogen cycle. Massive cleaning or a power outage can also have the same effects on the bacterial colonies.
When testing your water for ammonia levels make sure the test kit hasn't expired and that it has been stored properly. Further, ammonia removing products often result in wrong readings indicating high ammonia levels (if the fish are fine, don’t panic). A new tank will not cycle if ammonia-binding products are used because ammonia is required to establish beneficial bacteria colonies.
After a tank has cycled ammonia readings should be undetectable at all times.
Red or bleeding fish gills, lethargic fish, or if your fish are gasping for air at the water surface, all indicate ammonia poising.
Ammonia is extremely lethal for your aquarium fish.
I don't know that I've seen any of your questions before (other than the biowheel one), so I'll have to ask how big is your tank? What kind, how many, and what sizes are the fish you keep in it? How long have you had this tank running? These will help to answer your question correctly.
I am not sure.
Have you tried using an ammonia neutralizer that is sold in pet stores?
Maybe there are too many fish in the aquarium.
Three changes a day is excessive. After major water changes, I thought that there is a spike in ammonia levels but it goes down after a while.
One: How big is your fish tank?
Two: How many fish are in your fish tank?
Three: How long have you had them all in there?
Four: How long did you let your tank cycle before you put the fish in there?
Five: Did you put them in all at one time?
These are questions I would have to know in order to help you out.
Just based on what you put alone, your ammonia levels are out of control because you don't have enough beneficial bacteria in your tank to help out with waste management. Go to your local fish store and ask for beneficial bacteria and follow the label. It might just help.
Also, I never reccomend using distilled water in fish tanks. It's too pure and doesn't have the needed minerals in it. I tell people to use spring water instead.
An ammonia peak in a mature aquarium indicates a short-term, immediate problem that if dealt with rapidly, will soon be remedied. So what is your best action should you be on the end of an ammonia spike?
Follow this eight-stage recovery plan:
1) Stop feeding immediately. 2) Aerate vigorously, check the filter and tank for any decaying matter. 3) Carry out a partial water change. 4) Retest for ammonia to confirm near-zero reading(s). 5) Allow the aquarium two days further “rest” without feeding, etc. 6) Retest and repeat steps 1-5, if necessary. 7) If readings are near zero, then start feeding sparingly. 8) Continue to test water to confirm that filter is now coping with ammonia and nitrite production. Much more info from the author here: http://www.animalnetwork.com/fama/detail...
As the others have said, there are many things that can cause ammonia spikes, Here is an excellent article about ammonia: http://www.animalnetwork.com/fama/detail... Zeolite is sold in pillows that can be dropped into your tank or filter: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FilStar Zeolite Ammonia Remover http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/aqphfi... There is another liquid product called "Prime" that is suppose to help your tank cycle the ammonia, I found a bottle of it at Petsmart.
Yes, the distilled water will help. If your water is very hard then odds are excellent your pH is also high. They higher the pH, the more toxic the ammonia is to the fish. The same is true of temperature. The lower it is the safer. But it is a trade off. The ammonia is less toxic art lower pH, but the fish can stand less exposure at lower pH. In other words, keep the pH lowered and still do the frequesnt water changes.
You can use some products such as amquel that will render the ammonia far less toxic to the fish, but still available for the development of our bacteria bed.
Your tank is rather heavily stocked for a new tank so I would suggest you stop feeding for the next 2 days and then feed only once a day every other day until the ammonia level begins to fall off.
Extra water motion will also help to gas out some of the ammonia, but this will really have a very minor effect, but any port in a storm as they say.
Don't change all the water at once, but do continue doing whatever water changes are needed until the ammonia level drops.
If there is any way to remove some of the fish for a week or so that would be an excellent idea as well.
Patience is the main thing you need here
Hope this helps
It takes 5 or6 weeks minimum to cycle a tank. The reason for this is that the bacteria that do the work of de-nitifying only work after they have grown colonies on the solid surfaces of your tank,and filter and what ever they can grow on. The other required component for this to happen is well oxygenated water. The bacteria require oxygen to grow and function. The out-flow from a filter or bubbles from an airstone should provide ample oxygenation. The fact that your water is hard,probably with an attendant high pH increases the toxicity of the ammonia, therefore requiring extra care in maintaining your tank. As your tank completes it's cycle, this will become less of a problem. Be patient and continue your efforts in 2 or 3 weeks everything should improve,and you can go to a less rigorous water change schedule.-----Don't give up you're doing just fine.----PeeTee
An ammonia peak in a mature aquarium indicates a short-term, immediate problem that if dealt with rapidly, will soon be remedied. So what is your best action should you be on the end of an ammonia spike?
Follow this eight-stage recovery plan:
1) Stop feeding immediately. 2) Aerate vigorously, check the filter and tank for any decaying matter. 3) Carry out a partial water change. 4) Retest for ammonia to confirm near-zero reading(s). 5) Allow the aquarium two days further “rest” without feeding, etc. 6) Retest and repeat steps 1-5, if necessary. 7) If readings are near zero, then start feeding sparingly. 8) Continue to test water to confirm that filter is now coping with ammonia and nitrite production. Much more info from the author here: http://www.animalnetwork.com/fama/detail.aspx?aid=26872&sts=all&gobtn=&cid=4262
As the others have said, there are many things that can cause ammonia spikes, Here is an excellent article about ammonia: http://www.animalnetwork.com/fama/detail.aspx?aid=26872&sts=all&gobtn=&cid=4262 Zeolite is sold in pillows that can be dropped into your tank or filter: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FilStar Zeolite Ammonia Remover http://www.animalworldnetwork.com/aqphfizeamre.html There is another liquid product called "Prime" that is suppose to help your tank cycle the ammonia, I found a bottle of it at Petsmart.