Runnaway Ammonia spike, I'm going nuts

C

clawlan

Don't harass the sea turtles!
Dec 29, 2006
880
0
16
Atlanta, GA
Ok, this is in response to my last post. My ammonia levels are still no the rise, I added a whole new packet of bio-spira that should have gotten rid of the ammonia very fast bus hasn't. I have to think that the bio-spira was all dead when I got it. All my fish are losing color and not eating. The levels are up to about 2ppm or maybe a little more. I have added bio-safe now that should help reduce some of the ammonia and am considering adding zeolite granules to teh filter to absorb ammonia.

I have no idea how this happened. I had 0 levels of ammonia for a solid week then all of a sudden it spiked like this. I am using an Aquaclear 70 filter with the sponge, carbon, and 2 bio bags. Is there something wrong with this? I might also get one of the aquaclaer ammonia remover inserts. Should i remove the carbon and insert this? I'm starting to lost hope...
 
If you want to save your fish, do a massive water change. Like 50%, and then do another one asap. (Within a few hours). If you can't do that much that close together, do a 75% now, making sure the new water is the same temp as the tank and that it has proper conditioners, etc for the chlorine. The ammonia is burning your fishes gills and it will scar them so that forever onward they will have to work harder to get oxygen. For whatever reason the bio-spira doesn't seem to be working.

I re-read your last posts, you haven't seen any nitrite yet? And no nitrate?
Daily large water changes are in your future I'm afraid. You could also pick up a product called Amquel+. Perhaps Prime does the same thing? (Any Prime users out there can verify this?) These products will turn the ammonia into a less toxic form.

As soon as you see any nitrites, add salt. 1 Tablespoon per 10g's water. Dissolve the salt in a little tank water and pour it into the tank. The salt makes the nitrite less 'absorbable', therefore less toxic for the fish.

Do you have chlorine or chloramines in your tap water? If you have the latter, I do recommend Prime. Make sure you are using enough of the product to get rid of all the ammonia when the chloramine bond is broken.

Sorry you are having such a bad time of things. Many people just jump in and buy and tank and fish without understanding everything involved in making this little ecosystem work. There is a ton of info out there and lots to learn so you are in good company!

Hang in there and do those water changes.

Cathy
 
How long has the tank been set up - you seem to have your tank very over stocked - 23 fish is alot for an aquarium that small. Did you add all the fish at once?

You have NOT completley cycled your tank and that is the reason the ammonia levels are rising and will continue to do so until there is enough bacteria present to break down the waste into Nitrites - at that point you are going to see a spike in Nitrite levels.

Right now you need to continue to do water changes to keep the levels under control and also do water tests frequently - the real indicator of a properly cycled tank is a rise in the Nitrate levels. (Ammonia and Nitrite levels at that point will be at or near zero and will stay there).

With that many fish you will have to stay on top of water changes even after the tank has completely cycled but if you are persistant with it you should be ok.
 
donfenk said:
How long has the tank been set up - you seem to have your tank very over stocked - 23 fish is alot for an aquarium that small. Did you add all the fish at once?
You have NOT completley cycled your tank and that is the reason the ammonia levels are rising and will continue to do so until there is enough bacteria present to break down the waste into Nitrites - at that point you are going to see a spike in Nitrite levels.
Click to expand...

The OP has used two bad batches of Bio-Spira so I think was going with the directions and added the two at the same time, then when things started looking hopeless bought another batch and this is what is happening...

I'm sorry Clawlan lots of water changes and you should beable to save those fishies,, try not to use the rid Ammonia products you'll be starting over as it will kill it all and in your filter, Prime would be a good option as it detoxifies but still keeps it available for the bio cycle...
 
This is why I dont trust biospira, if it is dead already, then your screwed. The adverse reaction to bad biospira just makes your problem worse then it was when you started. Water changes 50% every 4 hours is the only way you are gonna get your amonia down to .25ppm and hold it there. Do you have a freind with an established aquarium? If you do, get a cheese cloth or some womans nylon hosiery. Get a couple of handfulls of thier gravel, and aclimate it to your auqarium water like you would a fish being added to the aquarium. That will help everything out, just letting that bag of gravel sit in the corner of the tank closest to whatever device is causing surface agitation. This way, when you are done resolving your NO4 and NO3 problems you can just give the sack of gravel back to your friend. (this is how i ususaly do cycling if i use fish.) Also you can add dirty water as "clean water" from an established tank to yours when you do water changes. It will have some bacteria in it too. but dont do that too much. that water will be high in nitrates witch arent BAD but they arent exactly good for your fish.
 
Ok, here is the current situation as of 3pm today.

Ammonia - 1.5ppm
Nitrites - 0ppm
Nitrates - 4-5ppm

As for the tap water, I live in a college dorm so I assume it has chlorine. When doing the water change, I add bio-safe for over 50% and Bio-coat for less that 50% changes. I assume i want to be doing this so that the chlrine isnt hurting the fish. I do teh change with a python system so I add the additives as the water is filling the tank.

So I will do some massive water changes tonight and get the ammonia down. Do i want to be adding the bio-coat/bio-safe everytime i do the change (which will be like every 30 minutes or so)??
 
It's good you are seeing nitrates.

I'm trying to picture what you mean about doing a water change every 30 minutes or so... are you taking out a bit of water and then adding clean water back in and repeating this every 30 minutes? If you, you aren't getting out enough dirty water because your 'dirty' water is now mixed with the clean you are throwing out.

Can you use a big - clean - trash can or large plastic tub and mix all your clean water in it? Drain off that same amount from your tank and then add all the clean in at once? I know you are in a dorm room and it might get tricky but it is the most efficient way of getting out the dirty water...

Oh, yes, use the biosafe on all your tap water. I don't know that I'd bother with the biocoat right now.

Cathy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom