Ammonia is 4.0ppm-8.0ppm

[kveeti]

I don't know how to test for chloromine. My water comes from the tap. But since Stress Coat removes chloramines...

Find out from your water utility whether they use chlorine or chloramines. Usually they have a web page and this information is there, otherwise phone them and find out. This is something you should know.

Your bottle of Stress Coat says something like “Instantly removes chlorine and chloramines” What this means is it breaks the chloramines bond of ammonia and chlorine. The product will then neutralize the chlorine but NOT the ammonia that results from this broken bond. IF your water supply has chloramines you must use a product that detoxifies ammonia as well.

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FAQ on Stress Coat:
http://aquariumpharm.com/en_us/productFAQ.asp?productid=1929

Quoting:

Does Stress Coat remove chlorine and chloramines?
It removes chlorine and the chlorine component of chloramine.

Will Stress Coat detoxify Ammonia?
No. If you need to detoxify ammonia use Ammo-Lock 2.

 

[CoreyMac]

If it is my Chloramine, why would the 50% water changes do anything? It's my tap water and I need a dechlorinator. If I do a water change, it is still adding fresh Chloramine that hasn't had any chance to filter. And I will get dechlorinator and a new ammonia test.

The problem is that many dechlorinators will take out chlorine and chloramine, but not ammonia. The byproduct of this neutralization of chloramine is ammonia.

 

[H3D]

Raphael Catfish, Pleco, and Iridescent Shark should be the first 3 that needs to go.

Ditto!!!

 

[IceH2O]

Best dechlor out there is Prime. It covers everything.

 

[thatsbetta]

doesnt A irridescent shark need 75+ gallons...
you are very very overstocked... i think thats why your ammonia is crazy.. but i also think you are getting a false reading. your fish would be dead if the ammonia was that high

 

[fishman1979]

i have been told that there is no chemical that is on the market to affectively remove ammonia. the only safe way to truely remove it is smaller more frequent water changes, like 30% every other day for a week or so. again, this is only what i have been told.

 

[kveeti]

A product such as Prime, does not remove ammonia, nor claims to. It binds it and turns it into the less toxic ammonium which is still available to the bio filter (and plants if you have them) and may still be read on some test kits.