Ammonia Problem

[hugebass]

Some of you may have read my post in this thread: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78828

I've been battling an ammonia spike from adding too many fish too fast (I think). I've been changing the water daily about 25% adding ammo-lock each time to detox the ammonia and break down the metals. I also add BIOZYME hoping to enhance the bacteria growth. Here in PHX we have very hard water. It has been a week but I can't seem to get the ammonia levels to go away. It always drops after the water change, but the next day it's back up.

I have 10 1-2" africans in a 75G tank. I dropped my feedings to once a day and the fish seem to be thriving. However, I still have this ammonia problem. Nitrates and Nitries are at great levels. Ph is also perfect. Just this stupid ammonia.

Q: Could there be a biological filter problem?
Q: Am I not being patient? Will this take 3-4wks? (Its only been 1)

Thanks,

Reed

 

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Ammonia will take at least a week to "go away", since the cycle needs to establish itself. Do you have access to an established filter sponge from another tank? That will help seed your bacteria.

Keep in mind that when you add ammonia detox you will still test for ammonia, even though it will be in its less toxic form, thus will not have any terrible effects on your fish. Be testing for nitrite as well though, because that can be just as deadly as ammonia and will peak next during the cycle.

Now, that being said, you must be careful adding ammonia remover, since it will prevent the cycle from progressing onto the next nessecary stage (nitrite, and then finally nitrate). Its best just to keep doing water changed to keep the ammonia low, but allow it to cycle as nessecary.




-Diana

 

[hugebass]

Ammo-Lock causing problems....seems plausible

Perhaps me adding ammo-lock regularly to detox is causing the process to really slow down. I'm just a little concerned that the levels dont seem to be going down.

Filter Sponge? Not sure what this is. I have two Emperor 400's (biowheels).

I did cycle the tank before I put in the africans...and I made the mistake of overfeeding without sniffing the rocks and this caused my problem. Lessons learned, not to repeat; nothing like failing forwards.

Thankfully I haven't lost any fish, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm really getting at root cause being that my levels just shoot up again after one day.

I'll just keep on the water changes without adding the ammo-lock for a week or so and see if that helps out. I will continue to condition the water for metals each change.

If anyone has any other helpful information, please do tell!

Best in success,

Reed

 

[khombre]

Just a question. What is BIOZYME? Is this bacteria to help jump start your cycle? If it is, then better check what type of bacteria it has. Some products contain the wrong type of bacteria for an aquarium. Try using BioSpira. It contains the correct type of bacteria for your tank.

The reason I'm saying this is that the wrong type of bacteria will just die in your tank. Massive bacteria die-offs will cause some ammonia or nitrite spike. Best of luck to you

 

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Filter Sponge? Not sure what this is. I have two Emperor 400's (biowheels).

Usually filters will contain a sponge which houses all (or at least most) of the beneficial bacteria for the tank. In your case its the bio-wheels. If you can get an established filter sponge from another tank and add it to your tank (either in the filter or over the intake) then this will help add that good bacteria, which will only need to populate. It vastly speeds up the cycling process.


-Diana

 

[mostlycichlids]

Usually filters will contain a sponge which houses all (or at least most) of the beneficial bacteria for the tank. In your case its the bio-wheels. If you can get an established filter sponge from another tank and add it to your tank (either in the filter or over the intake) then this will help add that good bacteria, which will only need to populate. It vastly speeds up the cycling process.
-Diana

I do agree I use a filter from another established tank in the new tank this helps populate the bacteria in the new tank. I have done this with several tanks and have had no problems cycling new tanks in less than a week. If you are keeping lake malawis you dont have too many fish so i dont think that is the problem when it fully cycles you can keep up to 30 full grown africans from 5 different genuses in a 75 gallon. Make sure you have enough filteration to turn your volume over 10-12 times an hour. with the two emperor 400 bio wheels you are right on at 11 times/hour.

 

[hugebass]

Good Stuff

Thanks everyone for helping me out here. I'll get the BioSpira today and start adding that. I almost decided this morning to sell my fish back to my LFS. I think I'll give this one more go around for a week and see if I can't get this ammonia to go away. I stopped adding the Ammo-Lock and will do massive water changes to keep things at a minimum. My fish seem to accept the water changes ok.

I'm debating to just start the whole cycle over again with a few fish, new rock, etc.

I'm also worried because my family is leaving town next week for a couple days and I cannot afford to have my tank sit that long without a water change, or so I think anyway. Thoughts?

 

[hugebass]

Just a question. What is BIOZYME? Is this bacteria to help jump start your cycle?

It is. Petco told me to buy it when I started the tank for the first time with Mollies.

 

[mostlycichlids]

you are almost there let us know if you need anything else.

 

[IceH2O]

you can keep up to 30 full grown africans from 5 different genuses in a 75 gallon. Make sure you have enough filteration to turn your volume over 10-12 times an hour. with the two emperor 400 bio wheels you are right on at 11 times/hour.

30 in a 75 gallon? Is this true? Sounds pretty crowded.