# Question about Ammonia chips



## x-J-x (Nov 28, 2002)

While i'm treating my Ps w/ med...can I add some ammonia chips in the tank????...i'm treating my P w/ Ampicillex


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

why???


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## x-J-x (Nov 28, 2002)

Because the ammonia level is high????...i'm not sure if it has anything to do w/ the med i'm giving...


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

do some water changes


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

x-J-x said:


> Because the ammonia level is high????...i'm not sure if it has anything to do w/ the med i'm giving...


 Yes it does have something to do with the med you are using... Ampicillex is an antibiotic that treats both gram positive and gram negative bacterial infections. Since nitrifiers are also gram negative bacteria, you can be sure that the ampicillex is killing them off along with the "bad" bacteria. That's why you are seeing an ammonia spike. I recommend that you do a water change right before re-administering the antibiotic.

As long as you have not added salt to your tank, the ammo-chips should be fine in there. They are zeolites that take in ammonium in exchange for sodium ions. The higher salt concentration will reverse the process and will dump the ammonium back into the tank (in proportion to the salt content). Very dangerous if you have high pH...


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## x-J-x (Nov 28, 2002)

DonH said:


> Yes it does have something to do with the med you are using... Ampicillex is an antibiotic that treats both gram positive and gram negative bacterial infections. Since nitrifiers are also gram negative bacteria, you can be sure that the ampicillex is killing them off along with the "bad" bacteria. That's why you are seeing an ammonia spike. I recommend that you do a water change right before re-administering the antibiotic.
> 
> As long as you have not added salt to your tank, the ammo-chips should be fine in there. They are zeolites that take in ammonium in exchange for sodium ions. The higher salt concentration will reverse the process and will dump the ammonium back into the tank (in proportion to the salt content). Very dangerous if you have high pH...


 So if I used Ammonia chips...i can't use any salts at all???...if that is the case...I'M IN DEEP $HITSSS...crap...need to do water change right now...

DonH...I've been using Ampicillex for a week now...and my fish has not made any progress AT ALL...do you have any other suggesstion???...
Can I use "Super Sulfa & Neomycin" ?...Please help me...


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Using salt causes problems when the ammo-chips are "full" to capacity with ammonium. Then when salt is added, ammonium is released back into the water. It does not cause a problem if fresh ammo-chips were added to a tank that already has salt (though it may be less effective).

As for the meds... What are you treating for? How long does the ampicillex box tell you to treat for? Antibiotics do no good if you do not treat for the entire duration recommended.


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## x-J-x (Nov 28, 2002)

Ampicillex...3 days suggested...but treat for full 5 days...I've been treating him since last Wednesday...this a pic of him...


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## x-J-x (Nov 28, 2002)

I do a 20% water change before adding the medication...I also have another fish that looks a lot worse than this guy...herez another pic of the same fish like above...


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

what is wrong with the piranhas?
I cant see them well enough, but I suggest you try to get your water as good as possible, without doing that, you will never make them well.

also can you please post these pics in sick pics thread


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## x-J-x (Nov 28, 2002)

Innes said:


> what is wrong with the piranhas?
> I cant see them well enough, but I suggest you try to get your water as good as possible, without doing that, you will never make them well.
> 
> also can you please post these pics in sick pics thread


 If u you look closely on the 1st pic...the top 1/2 of the fish has some white slimy coat on...itz hard to see it in the second pic...I do partial water change everyday while using Ampicillex...PH level is fine...except for the Ammonia...I'll go to the store and pick up some stuff today...

I'll take better pix and post them...thankx for the advice...


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