Ammonia levels won't go down! :-(

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mrbranden

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Mar 20, 2003
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Hi.

I have a 30 gallon fresh water aquarium that I set-up back in early January. After a couple weeks I put a few Zebra Danios in to help my my tank cycle. Ammonia went up then down, nitrates up, water got cloudy, etc.. I thought everything was fine.
But now I seem to have an eternal problem with ammonia. The levels consistently stay at 6-7 ppm! The fish look miserable and am trying everything to fix it. I did regular 20-25% water changes, vacuumed the gravel, aerated it well, a bit stingy with feeding, and use Ammo Lock very sparingly.
Finally I tried a 50% water change. The ammonia level went down to 4-5 ppm. Yay. Still sucks though. I've used, and still use, THREE different ammonia test kits just to double and triple check.
Nitrates have now been consistently low. Did my tank somehow "uncycle"?

NO2 = <0.3 mg/l
NO3 = 2.5 pm

Temperature and pH are normal. I'm using a Penguin 170 filter w/bio wheel.

Anyone have any ideas??

Thanks!

---Branden
 
Ammolock prevents your tank from cycling--it takes the ammonia out before the bacteria colony can develop to consume it. However, another piece of the puzzle--do you have chloramines in your water? If so, what are you using to address them?

From what you're stated, it sounds as though you need to brush up on what cycling means. Please don't take this wrong, but it sounds like you've been told some misinformation, or I am missing some pieces. Adding danios to a tank will generate a fish cycle. A tank of water, with no fish or source of ammonia is not cycling. At most, it is aging. But without a food source, no bacteria colonies will develop. I highly recommend checking out some facts on: http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/
 
Could you get some seeded substrate from someone? Just to give it a boost? Where in MA are you? I would not change anymore water. If your fish die just buy more or try fishless cylcing. It will cycle, just give it time and don't mess with it.
 
If you intend to continue cycling with fish, you must continue to do water changes. While I understand that danios are cheap, the ammonia levels will rise enough that they inhibit the development of bacteria colonies.
 
Originally posted by OrionGirl
Ammolock prevents your tank from cycling--it takes the ammonia out before the bacteria colony can develop to consume it.
Click to expand...


Actually, the producer of Ammolock claims the Ammonia is still available to the bacteria colony, just in a form not toxic to the fish . This is the same thing Amquel does. So using AmmoLock should not inhibit development of your biofilter
 
Really? I was not aware of that claim. I have heard from a few people who indicated that their tank spiked following the removal of ammolock, so guess I would still advise caution on it's use in a cycling tank.
 
Just to clarify- I've rarely used AmmoLock. I have used it maybe twice in as many months, just to see if it would do any good.

I do not know what level of chloramines I have in my water.

Fishlips: I'm in N. Billerica, near Lowell.

I've never had this much trouble getting a tank going. I am probably within one week of giving up on it all together. Waiting three months for the thing to cycle is just ridiculous.
 
just leave it alone for awhile, continue to do your weekly 50% water changes(nothing else), and don't worry about it. The tank will cycle.
 
Indefinetly...it will be better on your constitution and peace of mind. Just let it do it's thing. just do a weekly 50% water change along with a weekly water test just before you do the water change(not after)..clean your filter as needed(usually once a month is fine) or when your water appears to have some particulates and detritus floating around..that is a pretty good indicator that the filter is overly dirty. Also, if possible, try to store some of your "new" water in jugs a week before you use it to change your water...this will give it some time to age a bit.
 
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