Another Water Chemistry question

MikeO

MikeO

AC Members
Dec 7, 2004
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Pittsburgh, PA
www.mikeoconnor.net
What am I looking at here? Last night the ammonia levels were 8ppm. Today 10 minutes after doing a 7gals water change (tank is 20gals) the ammonia levels was 1ppm. So I believe that the ammonia level is dropping by itself (even if I had change ½ the tank would it not be at 4ppm if there was nothing going on in the tank) But the Nitrite level is still 0ppm and the Nitrate level is still 0ppm. I have plants in the tank could that be eating up the Nitrites and Nitrates?
 
You probably have ammonia buffers in your tap water which would explain your results. That's the only thing I can think of.

SB
 
Plants will consume ammonia, but I wouldn't expect that much that quick, maybe some planted guys can help there. There are lots of possibilities here so hard to say what the problem is - for example the nitrite test could be faulty (does happen). Have you ever had a positive NO2 test. I assume it's a new test kit. I haven't been following the thread on your tank real well, so need to get the history straight... This is a new tank up for about a week, right? You were doing a fishless cycle? With plants in the tank? Just to clarify...
 
Ok the tank is a new setup I started it on the 5th, the ammonia has spiked off the chart. I only got it back on the chart yesterday at 8ppm. The Nitrite is a liquid test, and I have not gotten a positive test yet. I just did another ammonia test and got a result of 1ppm ( can repost tomorrow with the results ) so I don't think there is anything in the tap water. I am doing a fishless cycle (I don't think any fish would have been able to survive how high the ammonia spiked to, I could not even measure it) for plants I have 2 Dwarf Anubias' and about 18 Elodia's. I put the plants in last wednessday, I did not start testting the tank stuff till sunday (probably a mistake when it came to the plants, but they seem to be fine still, infact on a stem I got that had no leafs on it when I got it, I see 4 new leafs coming in) pH is 7.8 in the tank (also that is what it is coming out of the tap)
 
At this stage it should just be a matter of doing daily test and that should give you some idea what's happening. No fish to worry over so just a matter of following through the fishless cycle. To me you should be getting nitrites 'real soon now'... Getting nitrAtes seems to be a slightly longer process... ie nitrites in the first week or two then another 3 or 4 weeks before the nitrite levels start to drop.

Not sure what is causing the odd readings, but maybe something else in the water chemistry...
 
plants

I'll guess the plants are sucking up the ammonia.

particularly if they get good light and are floating.
 
RTR said:
What on earth are "ammonia buffers"?
Click to expand...

Yeah I was going to ask that but then thought better of it :)
 
mayreee said:
I don't think that is right. Wait for some more experienced members to help out.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I guess my chemistry degree is not enough for a giving an hypothesis on a chemistry question.

:rolleyes:
 
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