Where is the ammonia coming from?

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Kaitlyn

AC Members
Sep 20, 2017
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Hi all!

I've been having people help me with this situation, but I thought I'd ask for some more insight just to see if anyone has any other ideas.

Ammonia has been spiking lately.

Just did a bunch of giant water changes and the ammonia is finally down to somewhere between .25 and .5 not perfect but it will work for the time being.

No live plants, no dead fish. Sand has been completely gravel vacced and cleaned out.

10 gallon tank with 6 barbs in it. Yes I plan to take them back, but not while my tank is in disaster mode.. I don't wanna risk restarting my cycle or hurting other fish...

I feed light- enough veggie micropellets to cover the tip of my pointer finger, two times, in the morning. They finish eating within a minute.

Two filters, an aqua clear that is half cycled and a tetra whisper. Whisper had no issues inside filter, neither does aqua clear.

Where else should I check for ammonia?
 
Last edited:

dougall

...
Mar 29, 2005
3,480
900
120
Test your source water... Also say what you are using to treat the water.
 
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Kaitlyn

AC Members
Sep 20, 2017
32
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Thanks Doug-

Tap water comes to 0/0/0.

Emergency run to the store at 1 am last night, who only had tetra products, so I bought their water conditioner (says it conditions, protects, and dechlorinates), and their safe start (beneficial bacteria). Treat new water with water conditioner, and after everything has settled in the tank, I add some bacteria. Planning to go to LFS and get prime, stress coat, and stability.
 

dougall

...
Mar 29, 2005
3,480
900
120
I'd go with prime, or maybe Ultimate if prime were not an option... both are supposed to be good and are well liked by a bunch of folks I know that use them.

you have to be sure to treat for Chloramines, it's possible your water supply has them, or has them occasionally when they clean out the pipes. And it's possible that may have caused an issue.

but any which way, you know about the problem, and are on top of it, it's just a matter of time till it's all OK now.
 
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