# Ammonia Emergency



## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

I came home today after 4 days and i have an emergency... i think my tank started cycling again because i took too much water out last water change or something. And the ammonia levels are off the charts high... like 8+...my p's are losing color and very sluggish.. and the water is extremely cloudy....right now im running the python...sucking as much water out as i can as fast as i can... can i do more than half a water change? what should i do... MY AC 500 is full of crap so im gonna get rid of it and run two emp 400's...im gonna change my cartridges again right now even tho i just did 2 weeks ago...ill add doc wellfish's salt...and ammolock and hope for the best... please give me any advice you can...thnx...


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

no help? please!


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

well i guess if the reds die... i can get something more interesting


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## jeddy hao (Mar 1, 2005)

you can do a pretty big water change and put some ammo-lock. That should help it. Then, dump a little bottle of stress zhyme in. That should change the cycle a bit.


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

Susp3nc3 said:


> I came home today after 4 days and i have an emergency... i think my tank started cycling again because i took too much water out last water change or something. And the ammonia levels are off the charts high... like 8+...my p's are losing color and very sluggish.. and the water is extremely cloudy....right now im running the python...sucking as much water out as i can as fast as i can... can i do more than half a water change? what should i do... MY AC 500 is full of crap so im gonna get rid of it and run two emp 400's...im gonna change my cartridges again right now even tho i just did 2 weeks ago...ill add doc wellfish's salt...and ammolock and hope for the best... please give me any advice you can...thnx...
> [snapback]1056445[/snapback]​


Hey Susp3nc3, I would suggest not changing your mechanical media from the AC500. The nitrifying bacteria grows in the sponges and removing it would remove a good amount of the bacteria. The Ammo-Lock will help detoxify the ammonia but it will not remove it. The biological filter will have to convert it to nitrIte then to nitrAte. I would do *20% water change every other day* to keep the ammonia levels down. The salt will help and keep the nitrItes away from the piranhas gills at higher levels which will increase after an ammonia spike. Do you really have 9 piranhas in a 90 Gallon tank and is that US or UK gallons?


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Changing your cartidges is what is contributing to your high ammonia. By getting rid of the cartridges your getting rid of your bacteria. Don't get rid of the ac500, just wash the sponge off in a bucket of tank water or a fresh bucket of water that has been de-chlored. Water changes will dilute the ammonia concentration but will not fix your problem. The ammolock and the salt is all you can do and wait it out. Continue with water changes daily to keep the ammonia level low. Unfortunately you need the ammonia in the tank to re-establish your filters. make sure you get a salicylate based ammonia test kit because your ammolock will give off false readings when you're tank is cycled.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

jerry_plakyda said:


> Changing your cartidges is what is contributing to your high ammonia. By getting rid of the cartridges your getting rid of your bacteria. Don't get rid of the ac500, just wash the sponge off in a bucket of tank water or a fresh bucket of water that has been de-chlored. Water changes will dilute the ammonia concentration but will not fix your problem. The ammolock and the salt is all you can do and wait it out. Continue with water changes daily to keep the ammonia level low. Unfortunately you need the ammonia in the tank to re-establish your filters. make sure you get a salicylate based ammonia test kit because your ammolock will give off false readings when you're tank is cycled.
> [snapback]1056827[/snapback]​


The man knows what he is talking , Just guided me through my ammonia dilema







No probs over here now .


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## SMITZ71 (Jun 4, 2004)

Susp3nc3 said:


> well i guess if the reds die... i can get something more interesting
> [snapback]1056464[/snapback]​


I'll be in Stockton tomm bro'...hit me up for I can swing by if ya like n check things out with ya


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

Thanks for the help. I know the ammo lock just detoxyfies the ammonia and yes i have 9 p's in a 90 US gallon. They are still relatively small and i am in the market for a 240 gallon. I am also in the process of selling some. I clean the gravel very well every couple days so things should be ok for a little bit. I think the problem was, i made too big of a water change and it went into a mini cycle which shot the ammonia up. Thats possible right? My AC500 sponge was totally red from blood worms and its just incredibly dirty. Would it be possible to buy another emp 400 and buy some bio spira? Also why does it mess up the media if i changed the emp 400 filter cartridges? Isn't the media on the bio wheels? Sorry if my questions are retarded but im still fairly new to fish but i am slowly catching on. The reason i have 9 p's is because my supposedly knowledgable friend bought me 15 from oregon and i had them in a 30 gallon. Good thing i came on here and atleast bought a 90. It was the biggest i could fit in my car. I would now probably upgrade to a 240 acryllic and get serious about it. Just gotta get my finances in check. Anyway thanks for the help.


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## SMITZ71 (Jun 4, 2004)

The filter cartridges contains all the beneficial bacteria needed as well as the bio wheel...Shoot me a pm perhaps n tomm Iam expecting to b in Stockton by noon...I just seen a 210 gal glass (tank only) out here for 3-400 which Iam sure could be negotiated if u still on the hunt for a larger tank for your fish


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

but i mean... at one point you have to change the filter cartridges right? So what do you do then....Anyway im gonna go hit up Twins right now and talk to John..he can get some pretty cheap tanks.. ill probably stick with a 180....dont wanna break through my floor as its on a raised foundation...should be ok though


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

what i was trying to figure out was why the ammonia spike occured. I hadn't touched any filter for a month or so before it happened. I simply did a normal water change and gravel cleaning. Why would it cycle? Because of the water change? thats the only thing that could have possibly done it in my mind...


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

another question i had was.. if you can overdose on ammolock or stress zyme. Anyway i washed the sponge in tank water and hoping for the best. The RBP's are regaining color and i think they will survive this..


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## SMITZ71 (Jun 4, 2004)

I never replace the cartridges in my Penguin 330's...I dont bother using the carbon packed units...I just use the filter part...Iam sure John will help you out and also take a water sample to him


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

Hey Susp3nc3, I do think that 90 US gallon tank is over stocked which might be one reason why you have an ammonia spike. You are correct in that an Emperor 400's bio-wheel gives a larger area for nitrifying to grow, but you should change one cartridge at a time. The AC 500 mechanical media, the sponges, will hold a good amount of the nitrifying bacteria too. The excessive amount of waste collected in the sponge could also be a cause for the ammonia spike.


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

yea i def know the tank is overstocked. im going to be doing something about that shortly. However i do clean the tank A LOT. i washed the AC 500 sponge in tank water, put one of the old emp 400 cartridges back in and put some more ammo lock and doc wellfish's salt in as well. I think the worst problem is i need to find something a bit cleaner to feed. I messed up by getting blood worms again. the sponge was full of em. the p's keep putting their mouths up and close to the top of the tank all bunched together. So i dont know whats up. I just set up my 30 gallon right next to the 90 and put bio spira in. If any of the P's start showing severe signs of stress i will toss them in the 30. Otherwise i will hope for the best.


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

anyway the tank is still totally cloudy.. hopefully it will start clearing up...the ammonia is still high. at least they regained their color


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

does anyone have any idea why they are all clumped together in the top left corner of the tank? They are like touching side by side and very near the surface, head facing up. I would take a pic but i forgot my camera at a friends


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

What's the tank's pH? Ammonia is more toxic at high levels of pH. As for them clumped together in the top corner, ammonia does damage their gills which can make them gasp for air at the surface.

Edit: I wanted to add, you should feed them very little. The food breaks down into more ammonia, and feeding them less will help reduce the levels.


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## Susp3nc3 (Jan 27, 2005)

yea everytime i feed them anyway they wont eat... it feels like a week now...one p is gasping for air non stop on the surface and has some good fin nip on his side fin... im about to put him in my hospital tank but its only running from last night with bio spira


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## James Blake (May 18, 2005)

once your ammonia drops make sure you watch ypur nitrites.... it will kill them just about as easily as ammonia.


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