Ammonia

Blackaddder

AC Members
May 2, 2006
14
0
0
59
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I've had a 29 gallon tank for about 3 weeks. Ammonia was at 0, so I added more fish and now have 4 danios, 1 betta and 3 corys. In the last several days, ammonia has been at between 1.0 and 2.0 ppm. I've done 25% water changes 3 days in a row and have vacuumed up all the crud at the bottom of the tank, but it seems to make no difference.

Help!
 
You need to see if you can return some of your fish and read the all the cycling information here. Your tank is NOT cycled properly and massive water changes are in your future every night for quite a while if you can't return your fish.

After the ammonia has come down, you will still have to do water changes - your nitrites will spike up and that will hurt your fish. These forms of nitrogen are toxic and are burning your fishes gills at the levels you have.

If you can't return the fish, is there some friend with a tank you can get some good seeded/dirty gravel from? Put it in a panty hose.

Also, go buy some bio-spira and follow the directions carefully! This will help get the good bacteria jumpstarted to help breakdown all that ammonia.

Bump up your water changes to 50%, feed the fish everyother day, not every day and don't overfeed them. I also wouldn't vaccuum the gravel - you are sucking up the good bacteria too.

What is your filtration system?

Cathy
 
Do what Cathy says.
 
If you can find a source of nitrifiers post-haste there's no need to return the fish. However, Cathy is correct the too many fish were added at once for a fishy cycle. Smaller LFS's will often sell you one of their established filter sponges at the cost of a new one. This is an excellent option if their tanks are healthy and you don't know anyone who has any established tanks. Also, try searching for a local aquarium club, these folks would definitely be happy to help you out with an established sponge and some mulm.
 
see if you can find some bio-spira if nothing else pans out for you.
 
AquariaCentral.com