# Ammonia Spike...please Help



## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

When I did my weekly water readings all my parameters for fine except my ammonia.
Ph 7.2
Ammonia 8ppm!!!
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm

My tank has been fully cycled for about half a year now. The reason I have 0 nitrates is because I have tons of plants. The only thing different that occured in my tank was that last week I did an algae cleanup of the filter intake tubes to get rid of the brush algae and did double flourish excel doses this week. Feeding was two fillets of tilapia between 8 large pygos as usual per week.

I just did a thorough grav vac with a 40% wc. I have sand so I sucked up particles off the top only. I never stir the sand to disturb the bacteria. I run an fx5, a rena xp4, a penguin biowheel 200, and 2 aquaclear powerheads with filter attachments. I just don't want my prized fish to die. Any help would be appreciated.


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

From not ever stirring your sand is my 1st guess. Not stirring your sand can be deadly. Supposed to stir once a month, every two months at the very least.


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## BuckeyeGuy777 (Oct 30, 2010)

X2^^^

there is alot of built up gasses and things in the sand...gravel is so loose it can escape but with sand its just stays in it...you need to mix it up to release it


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

They wont die. Just let it go, and if you are still nervous, just do some water changes every day or ever other.


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## MPG (Mar 14, 2010)

Isn't their plenty of bacteria in the filters to make up for any bacteria you might lose in the vac?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

That's a pretty high ammonia reading -- are you sure the test is accurate?

The sand wouldn't really need to be stirred as long as you have plants, and from what I remember, you have a really nice tank with a good amount of plants. Also, the danger of not stirring your sand (unless you have plants or something like MTS) comes from the release of gas from pockets of hydrogen sulfide created by anaerobic bacteria in the sand, not the release of ammonia.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

BRUNER247 said:


> That's a pretty high ammonia reading -- are you sure the test is accurate?The sand wouldn't really need to be stirred as long as you have plants, and from what I remember, you have a really nice tank with a good amount of plants. Also, the danger of not stirring your sand (unless you have plants or something like MTS) comes from the release of gas from pockets of hydrogen sulfide created by anaerobic bacteria in the sand, not the release of ammonia.


Yea there's tons of plants in the substrate. I still don't understand how the ammonia could be so high.

I'm going to get another ammonia test bottle. Maybe this one went bad? My fish are acting just fine, but the ammonia color was ridiculous. It was as dark green as ever. It might have even been more than 8ppm, but that was the max reading on my card.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

I took my water to get tested and the ammonia was 3ppm. Nitrite 0 and nitrate <20. How could I decrease my ammonia? My fish are acting completely normal, but I still feel uncomfortable with ammonia present. I did a grav vac and picked up all my dead plants. The only thing I can think of is the driftwood....maybe its rotting? (Only reason I think that is because the brush algae grows on it mainly). I've had it for a long time but I can't come up with anything else that could be wrong.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

I would just keep performing small volume water changes until it gets as close to zero as you can and then monitor the tank. Could just be a one-time ammonia spike, if it continues, then you'll need to find the problem and address it.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

I'd just up water changes and decrease feedings until it is solved.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

After countless attempts to level the ammonia out with water changes and allow the bb to build back up, I decided it was useless. Every time I did a water change the ammonia the morning after was right back where it was. If I left it alone, it just stayed high (4ppm-8ppm). Nitrites continued to be zero and nitrates are <20. I decided that maybe since my fish have been growing a lot in the past few months the bioload might be too much for my filtration. I siphoned the sand, I threw out dead plants, but nothing seemed to help and my fish are beginning to get ammonia burn...so I bought an AC110 filter today. I put two levels of biomedia in it and one foam pad. Hopefully this will level things out. I'm also thinking about getting rid of a red belly or two to provide more room for the others and less bioload. I really underestimated the growth of caribe over red bellies. The caribe I've had for a while have grown out a lot, and I believe that might be the culprit to the large increase. The largest caribe is beginning to be of comparable size to my large Tern even. Ill continue feeding once my ammonia is back at zero, until then I'll lay off. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

the extra filter will defiantly help. thats a guarantee


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