# Amonia Problem



## EAZYE (Dec 5, 2005)

Hello everyone I am new to the forum but have been raising fish for a little while. I just recently let my sister have my cichlids so I could get some reds. When I put them in i tested the water and I have a verry high amonia problem. I have done a 30% water change for the past 4 days but it will not budge. Is there somthing I can put in there to help. Also they seem to be doing well they are alot more active than when I just had 1. I cant wait till they get bigger.
Eric


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2005)

Welcome to the site

I'd keep diluting it with water changes. Ammonia remedies are out there you can use. How high is high?


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## EAZYE (Dec 5, 2005)

Mellor44 said:


> Welcome to the site
> 
> I'd keep diluting it with water changes. Ammonia remedies are out there you can use. How high is high?


On my chart it says it is 5.0 but it stays the sam after every change I will keep doing it till it is correct. I want healthy happy fish. 
Eric


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2005)

If you get in way down make sure you don't erradicate it completely if your media is not fully cycled. For the bacteria to be present they must have a food source. Try and stick to about 30% change daily and keep testing. Make sure the water you are replacing is dechlorinated and of a similar temp, so not to shock your fish.

They are a very hardy fish but your reading is worryingly high, are you sure the kit is accurate and not out of date ot anything.

Best of luck with them


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

Moving to water chemistry.


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## Phtstrat (Sep 15, 2004)

If the problem is not going away with water changes, see if any of your LFS carry Bio Spira. If you get it in there quickly it may save your fish.


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## EAZYE (Dec 5, 2005)

Phtstrat said:


> If you get in way down make sure you don't erradicate it completely if your media is not fully cycled. For the bacteria to be present they must have a food source. Try and stick to about 30% change daily and keep testing. Make sure the water you are replacing is dechlorinated and of a similar temp, so not to shock your fish.
> 
> They are a very hardy fish but your reading is worryingly high, are you sure the kit is accurate and not out of date ot anything.
> 
> Best of luck with them


I will try taking my water to the pet shop also to get there reading. I will keep changing the water to see what I come up with. I use the gravel vaccume every time I do a change also. This id the first time I have ever woried about the readings before. I never checked them till I got these fish I have had the tank set up over a year. How do you properly cycle a tank? what does it do?
Eric


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2005)

For a tank to cycle you need a food source for the bacteria. You will get two types of bacteria in a cycled filter. First type of bacteria feed on ammonia and it becomes Nitrite, the second form turn this to nitrate. The nitrates are the end product of the nitrogen cycle, in a freshwater system. This can be kept down by dilution, water changes.

The bacteria will initially need ammonia to colonise. The bacteria eventually grow everywhere but it is the bacteria in your filter you need. All the water in the tank is then run through this media and processed, several times an hour. The bacteria in your filter need to be taken care of. If cleaned, it must be done in tank water because it is the same temp and chlorine can kill it. The best method is a delicate squeeeze and dunk in a bucket of tank water.


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## EAZYE (Dec 5, 2005)

Mellor44 said:


> For a tank to cycle you need a food source for the bacteria. You will get two types of bacteria in a cycled filter. First type of bacteria feed on ammonia and it becomes Nitrite, the second form turn this to nitrate. The nitrates are the end product of the nitrogen cycle, in a freshwater system. This can be kept down by dilution, water changes.
> 
> The bacteria will initially need ammonia to colonise. The bacteria eventually grow everywhere but it is the bacteria in your filter you need. All the water in the tank is then run through this media and processed, several times an hour. The bacteria in your filter need to be taken care of. If cleaned, it must be done in tank water because it is the same temp and chlorine can kill it. The best method is a delicate squeeeze and dunk in a bucket of tank water.


So when I change my filter I should not change all 4 cartridges at once. If I do that will that cause an amonia spike? Kinda like cycling it over again.
Eric


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2005)

EAZYE said:


> For a tank to cycle you need a food source for the bacteria. You will get two types of bacteria in a cycled filter. First type of bacteria feed on ammonia and it becomes Nitrite, the second form turn this to nitrate. The nitrates are the end product of the nitrogen cycle, in a freshwater system. This can be kept down by dilution, water changes.
> 
> The bacteria will initially need ammonia to colonise. The bacteria eventually grow everywhere but it is the bacteria in your filter you need. All the water in the tank is then run through this media and processed, several times an hour. The bacteria in your filter need to be taken care of. If cleaned, it must be done in tank water because it is the same temp and chlorine can kill it. The best method is a delicate squeeeze and dunk in a bucket of tank water.


So when I change my filter I should not change all 4 cartridges at once. If I do that will that cause an amonia spike? Kinda like cycling it over again.
Eric
[/quote]

Exactly, that may be your problem. If you do this all your bacteria is gone. You needn't change them very much at all and if you do, one at a time.


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## EAZYE (Dec 5, 2005)

Exactly, that may be your problem. If you do this all your bacteria is gone. You needn't change them very much at all and if you do, one at a time.
[/quote]
Thank you verry much I bet I cycled it over again not knowing what I was doing how long does it take to cycle one. I changed them a week or so ago. My ph is a little low and my nitrates are about perfect.
Eric


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2005)

Your Nitrates are right because the ammonia is not being oxidised to Nitrate. Your PH will be fine, don't worry on that score.

Unfortunately it can take up to 4 weeks to regain your bacteria. This will be greatly speeded up by using Bio-Spira, as Phtstrat suggested.


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Some declorinators can cause a false ammonia reading. Try taking a sample into the lfs and get it tested. Even if you are going through a mini cycle you should get a lower reading after a 30% water change.
If you are going though a mini cycle because of the filter change...you should stop with the gravel vacs until your tank is cycled again. You can do the water changes, but cleaning the gravel will remove more good bacteria.


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## EAZYE (Dec 5, 2005)

Grosse Gurke said:


> Some declorinators can cause a false ammonia reading. Try taking a sample into the lfs and get it tested. Even if you are going through a mini cycle you should get a lower reading after a 30% water change.
> If you are going though a mini cycle because of the filter change...you should stop with the gravel vacs until your tank is cycled again. You can do the water changes, but cleaning the gravel will remove more good bacteria.


Ok thanks I got the amonia to go down 1 notch last night with another change. I am going to do it again tonight and I will stop vacing till the amonia is good. This is a good sight I have already learned alot. Thank you guys.
Eric


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## Guest (Dec 8, 2005)

The site is great, keep learning. I have learnt tons!



Grosse Gurke said:


> Some declorinators can cause a false ammonia reading. Try taking a sample into the lfs and get it tested. Even if you are going through a mini cycle you should get a lower reading after a 30% water change.
> If you are going though a mini cycle because of the filter change...you should stop with the gravel vacs until your tank is cycled again. You can do the water changes, but cleaning the gravel will remove more good bacteria.


Geez, I didn't know some did that. I think any companies product that does this should be immediately re-designed


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

It has to do with the declorinator and some test kits....they are not compatable.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

One more thing: as soon as you are going to notice a nitrIte spike (which is very likely, as without it the cycling process won't come to and end), add one tablespoon of (predissolved!) salt to your tank - ordinary table salt is just fine, even if it contains iodine. The reason for doing this is that even in small amounts nitrIte is very toxic, and can lead to sick or even dead fish - and salt is what you need to prevent nitrIte poisoning.
Don't forget to replenish the salt after a couple of water changes: once you have replaced 60-70% of the tank's content, again add half a tablespoon of predissolved salt to keep it at par. Once the cycle is completed you can stop replenishing the salt - by doing water changes you will slowly remove it altogether (as it's not necessary to have dissolved salt in fresh water aquariums all the time).

Good luck


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## EAZYE (Dec 5, 2005)

Judazzz said:


> One more thing: as soon as you are going to notice a nitrIte spike (which is very likely, as without it the cycling process won't come to and end), add one tablespoon of (predissolved!) salt to your tank - ordinary table salt is just fine, even if it contains iodine. The reason for doing this is that even in small amounts nitrIte is very toxic, and can lead to sick or even dead fish - and salt is what you need to prevent nitrIte poisoning.
> Don't forget to replenish the salt after a couple of water changes: once you have replaced 60-70% of the tank's content, again add half a tablespoon of predissolved salt to keep it at par. Once the cycle is completed you can stop replenishing the salt - by doing water changes you will slowly remove it altogether (as it's not necessary to have dissolved salt in fresh water aquariums all the time).
> 
> Good luck


Thanks I will do that. The amonia has gone down a little. Hopfully by next week it will be zero.
Eric


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