Ammonia levels, so confused....
- Thread starter Kerilynne
- Start date
Sounds like a good plan...for now. You can almost never change "too much" water. Live plants can help...but not always...some are slow growing...
If you don't know what plants, post a couple pics & we'll try to help you ID them...
If you don't know what plants, post a couple pics & we'll try to help you ID them...
OK, here is an update! Ammonia levels are now 0-0.25, Nitrite is high at 2.0+, and Nitrate is around 40ppm. The plants we have added are all labelled "easy". large Sword plants, ferns etc.
I am just going to do more water changes to bring those levels down. It seems I DID interrupt the cycling of the tank when I changed the filters. Let this be a lesson for myself and others?
Thank you everyone for your help on this issue...I will clean my filters in tank water instead of changing them. The bio balls I added to the filter should be working in the next week. The Chloramine and Chloride check was interesting and insightful.
If there is anything else you can help with, I welcome it! In the mean time....water changes, water changes, water changes...and patience!
I am just going to do more water changes to bring those levels down. It seems I DID interrupt the cycling of the tank when I changed the filters. Let this be a lesson for myself and others?
Thank you everyone for your help on this issue...I will clean my filters in tank water instead of changing them. The bio balls I added to the filter should be working in the next week. The Chloramine and Chloride check was interesting and insightful.
If there is anything else you can help with, I welcome it! In the mean time....water changes, water changes, water changes...and patience!
You got that WC thing down right! Nitrite is BAD! But you should be "almost" cycled! Keep up the WCs!!! Even .25ppm nitrite can harm fish. You have fairly "sturdy" animals, WCs can help them get through this...Keep it up!!
I was having ammonia issues too after years of very little issues and realized several things I was doing wrong that probably caused the spike.. Recently I was taking off too much water off my tanks with water change and doing too vigorous a gravel vac and on my 36 gallon cleaning the glass inside the tank with a sponge stick too often and I might have been overfeeding on the 36 gallon the fish get fed every other day small amounts now. I had been feeding daily my bettas get fed daily very small amounts and 1 day fast. I was cleaning my 36 gallon too well. With the use of Prime I was able to get the tank back to it's ammonia free state and my nitrate levels as well. I also had issues with ammonia in my 2 g and 5 gallon but the issues are improving. I was frustrated as well with my readings. I do my wc's every 2 weeks usually. From what I have read Prime lasts between 24-48 hrs & was told that is one of the best products and to stay away from Ammolock I think it's called. I posted a question regarding the use of Prime and how long it should be used and if once the ammonia levels are at 0 should you switch back to a regular dechlorinator like Aqueon. Am still waiting on an answer on that. Good luck with your tank hope all goes well.
