What happened!?

Twelve

Twelve

Ty, the blacklight betta
Sep 30, 2004
53
0
0
California
I recently started up a 10 gallon tank (it's been about 2 weeks). I have 3 African frogs and a plecostomus. Unfortunately, I found out about cycling AFTER I got the animals -- I was told nothing by the place I got them.

But after I got them, I got on the internet and discovered this site, among others, and I have been doing my best to keep the toxic levels of ammonia and nitrites down. I did manage to get a couple of potted plants which came in that wool that I have heard good things about. The plants are doing quite well, growing already.

I have been tracking my levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate each day, and I hadn't noticed any real huge spikes... until today. It was really strange, I had detectable levels of all 3 up until today. My ammonia has been between .5 and 1, my nitrite at .25, and my nitrate ranged between 2 and 5.

However, when I tested the water today, I got an ammonia reading of 2.0- 3.0! I immediately did a large water change. After testing both my nitrites and nitrates, they are both at 0. What happened? I have been doing around 20% water changes every day, the water has been clear, and no algae problems at all. Can anyone help?
 
First I must ask what type of pleco you have. Most get far too big for a 10 gallon tank, so watch out for that. And they also produce a ton of waste.

As for the ammonia, how often and how much do you feed your fish? What were the nitrite and nitrate readings before the big water change?

For now just keep doing the water changes. And also test your tap water to make sure it is not a source of ammonia (test it out of the tap and after you have added whatever chemicals you regularly add).
 
Yes, I believe it is a normal plecostomus. When it gets too large for this tank, I have a friend with a 50 gallon tank that is willing to take it.

I usually feed the frogs once a day, throwing in a few floating pellets at a time and watching them eat. Every other day I have been giving the plecostomus an algae wafer. I have been really careful about siphoning the gravel at the spot where the algae pellet lands, because I've noticed that if the pleco doesn't eat all of it, it tends to disintegrate.

Before the big water change, the nitrite and nitrate were already at 0. That's why I was so confused, I went from detectable levels of all three to only having an ammonia reading.

This morning, I just did another 50% water change. The frogs ate and seem happy, and the plecostomus is busily sucking on the gravel as I type this. They seem okay, but I am still worried!
 
No wonder I am having a hard time getting my ammonia down! I seem to have ammonia in my tap water!

Here are the ammonia readings I got:

Tap water (untreated) - 0.75 ppm
Tap water (treated with AquaSafe) - 0.40 ppm
Tank water (after 50% water change) - 1.5 ppm

What should I do? :(
 
First thing to do is check with your water company. You may have chloramines or something else happening. Then let us know.
 
Okay, gave the Water District a call and the lady there told me that the chloramines in the water would be the only thing causing this to happen.

So I guess my next question would be: Should I use more than the recommended amount of water conditioner? The normal amount does not seem to be ridding my water of all the ammonia present.

The woman at the water district suggested I take my water to Petco and have it tested. Then she told me to use AmmoLock, that she uses it in her aquarium. Eek!

Any suggestions? I've done a lot of water changes, but I'm having an extremely hard time getting the ammonia levels down!
 
I suggest buying "prime" from seachem. It removes a little bit of ammonia (read the back of the bottle) Removes chlorine & chloramine, plus it detoxifies nitrite & nitrate incase you ever get a spike of either one.
I use it in my tank and I like it alot.

Good Luck!!
~hc
 
You need a conditioner that not only “treats” chloramines but specifically states it deals with the ammonia that is left after the chloramines bond is broken. Here is a good site on water treatments:
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/rev-cond.htm

Important to read the *Note after the first table. The second tables gives a list of conditioners; you need any under the 2 blocks that start “[iI]Complete[/i] removal of….”

Also, what kind of test kit are you using? This is important because if you switch to the correct water conditioner for chloramines, your test kit may still register ammonia, depending on what kind it is.



Like hcgirl80, I also use Prime. My water supply company currently only uses chlorine but is switching to chloramines in February 2005.
 
I've been alternating use of Tetra AquaSafe and a combo of Kordon AmQuel and NovAqua together with every other water change. So one change with AquaSafe, then one with the Kordon conditioners, etc.

I looked over that chart, I seem to be fine on the conditioners I chose. I know that some people have recommended Prime, and that it was much less expensive, but when I went to the store to get it, it was the most expensive, and it didn't seem to have anything more than the conditioners I already had. So unless someone thinks it's a problem, I'd rather stick with what I have.

The test kit I got is from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It has the two part ammonia test, which I *think* is the one I want to accurately test the ammonia. I bought the big master test kit with all the different types of tests in it.

Also, thanks for the suggestions :)
 
Twelve-
I have an aquarium pharmaceuticals master test kit too. Mine tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and high range pH. It has never given me any trouble. The nitrate test is two-piece and the ammonia test is two-piece.

Good Luck and I hope everything turns out ok
~hc
 
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