# Amonia levbels low but not a zero



## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

Hello All:

Brief description of my set up:
92 Gal corner bowfront

Ehiem 2028 filtration system

8 Pygos - 3"-5"
medium planted (real plants)

Water parameters (current):
ammonia .50 (usually around 0.10-0.25) ppm
nitrite* : 0-0.1
nitrate* : high 100 ppm

*need to double check my figurs going off the top of my head.

I do water changed weekly, and keep track of any excess food that goes un eaten...had a small pice of beefheart in there for 24hrs, that may have caused the amonia level to rise. Also, the gravel vac I do is minor cause of all the plants.

I am thinking that perhaps I may need more filtartion..even though the filter GPH is higher than what is required for my tank size, I think I may go with another filter (smaller ehiem canister) I don't have too much options for a power filter becasue a) the room between the wall and the unit (remeber its in a corner so both sides are against a wall/window) (i had a EMP 400 but returned it cause I had to have the while aquarium of to one side inorder to fit it.....so thinking don't mind spending a bit more to get the canister system.... 
I was thinking the ehiem 2213 or Eheim Professionel Series- 2222...

What do u suggest? Go with more filtration or look into more frequent gravel vacs (its stress the fish though)...or something else?

Your help/advice is always appreciated!


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Your nitrates are way too high! How long did you allow your tank to cycle? There shouldn't be any nitrite readings either.


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

Well I think the tank cycled fairly well..its been almost three months now....but slowly the nitrate levels have been rising, last month or so.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

You have to do way more water changes than what you are doing. It is the only way to keep nitrates down. Your tank never cycled, or is in a mini cycle 
Also, you might want to only keep 3 P's in a 90g. I think 5 is cutting it really close, I wouldn't do even that.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Have you checked the parameters out of your tap? Sometimes your water will naturally contain nitrates. Mine contains 0.25 ppm ammonia level off and on, so I always have to keep my eyes open when I'm doing waterchanges.








~Taylor~


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

DiPpY eGgS said:


> You have to do way more water changes than what you are doing. It is the only way to keep nitrates down. Your tank never cycled, or is in a mini cycle
> Also, you might want to only keep 3 P's in a 90g. I think 5 is cutting it really close, I wouldn't do even that.


But does high Nitrates signify an uncycled tank?....I think that I may have a high bio load, which in turn is manufacturing the high amounts of Nitrates. I dont have a a spike in amonia, nor in nitrites.....and when I do have a bit higher than normal amonia, it is usually related to uneaten food/deadleaves in tank. I think that I may need to lower my amonia production by removing dead leaves, more frequent gravel vacs, etc...removing snails too...which in fact may play a part in this cause for about a moth now I have been having a snail population growth...which can inturn be affecting (increasing my bio load)....all this will decrease the amonia output which in turn should reduce nitrates in the end cycle of things.

So I think what im gonna do is do a good maint. cleaning- 50% water change twice a week, remove al deadleaves, a good gravel vac, and start getting rid of ass much snails as possible...and see what effects it has on the nitrate levels...

Good point I will also confirm the tap water parameters.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Do you have any peat in the tank?
high nitrates means you dont do enough water changes. ammonia and nitrites signifies that a tank is not cycled


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## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

Nitrates is the final process of the cycle. Water changes the only way to remove them, whens the last time you cleaned your filter pads out


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## Kudos (Dec 22, 2005)

you might have ammonia from overfeeding and not removing excess food?


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

Kudos said:


> you might have ammonia from overfeeding and not removing excess food?


Now thinking about things, I think the (slight increase) in ammonia levels can be traced to not doing a gravel vac for a while, slight overfeeding, snail population increase, and not removing deadleaves. More so I think that my aquarium has a high bio load overall, and that any slight increase to the cycle (increase in amonia prodcution) is noticed right away......
I think adding more filtration will reduce the ammonia level in the long term, (with slight cycling spikes along the way). BUT will not reduce the nitrate levels I have; and it may even increase production even more.
More so, I need to check the tap water for parameters, however my amonia levels increase slighty when a water change is due, not right after one.

I recently changed the filter pad (only) all the media is still the same.
And no peat in the tank

Therefore, I will do a major maint. as described earlier, and see what happens with my Nitarte and ammonia levels shortly thereafter.

I think that a reduction in overall ammonia (even though the reading is 0 for amonia) should also result in a reduction of Nitrate later in the cycle. (an exapmple would be if a cycled aquarium whith parameters of Amonia =0, nitrite =0, and nitrate = 40, had its ammonia production stopped completly,(all living/decaying matter removed completely) then eventually the readings would all be zero)....that been said, nitrates build up over time as well in the water, regardless of what rate they are been produced...so the question is are the nitrates been "produced" in too high of a quanity, or are they been let to "build up" to a too high quantity?


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

Okay, last night I did an gravel vac, 50% water change and cleaned out dead leaves etc...

This morning the water parameters were:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: just over zero 0.1
Nitrate: 80-100? (i think cause the red coluor is really bright and cant tell if it matches the second last colour sample or if it off the scale)

Therefor as I pressumed the amonia level was slowly rising due to the excess boi load form decaying matter....Thus I will need to perform a gravel vac at least once every two weeks....
I will keep an eye and see at what point the ammonia levels rise again (if they do, as they should remain at zero form here on with more constant gravel vacs now in place)

I don't think I need extra filtartion although it wouldn't hurt, perhaps I will later down the road.....as long as my ammonia levels remain at zero from here on with a more frequent gravel vac schedual, then things should be okay the way they are.

I am going to do 30% water changes every other day to see if my nitrates lower....


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## the_skdster (Aug 15, 2006)

all tnose water changes and still no drop?
you have an undergravel filter in there?


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

the_skdster said:


> all tnose water changes and still no drop?
> you have an undergravel filter in there?


Well the Amonia defenitly dropped, and the nitrite raised slightly as a result of the excess ammonia tha twas present...the nitrite should return to zero shortly.
And the Nitrate was tested several hours after I changed the water again, on the next water change I will test it immediatly after I change it tomorrow...should have tested it right away but I was too tired.
if the level lowers right after the water change and it rises again shortly there after, then I can say that the high nitrate levels are a result of a high production rate, and not that they are accumilating over time (several days)

No, no undergravel filter.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Your nitrates are still extremely high. Have you tested the water parameters on your tap water yet?


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## ads910 (May 26, 2004)

i have had the exact same problem even as far as not being able to tell the exact nitrate reading as the colour is too red, i did 50 percent water change and have gravel vaced the last 4 days tryin to get all waste out and my reading of nitrates are alot better. i cant see a problem with having 5 pygos in ur tank at all


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

Yes, I have slight amonia levels in the tap water, and NO Nitrites or Nitrates in the tap water.
I will do a water change today, and one again on Sunday, I will see if the Nitrates are still high...again I can't make out exactly but I would say that the level of nitrate is at 80 ppm.

I have 8 pygos in the tank (3"-5" in size)


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

13 fish overall in that size tank will explain the nitrates thats for sure. Plecos are sh*t factories so 25% water changes at least every 3 day after you get it under control should help. If not you may have to do it every 2 days especially when the pygos grow even bigger.


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## flaredevil2 (Sep 3, 2006)

The only thing I can think of are plants. If you put plants in, your ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and CO2 will "disappear"


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## pottsburg (Aug 30, 2006)

why would plants make all of it go down? would they be worth the hassle to even it out?


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## Webo (Jun 26, 2006)

I do have plants....as stated "medium" planted tank. Plants use up Nitrates I belive, but not Amonia or Nitrite.

The ammonia level has seemed to level off after the gravel vac and regular maint.
Curent water parameters: 
ammonia 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 80-120 again hard to make out.

I am going to be purchasing a different kind of nitrate kit to see is I get the same high results.

just did another water changed last night, gonna measure the nitrates again tonight and see...

thanks all!


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Webo said:


> I do have plants....as stated "medium" planted tank. Plants use up Nitrates I belive, but not Amonia or Nitrite.
> 
> The ammonia level has seemed to level off after the gravel vac and regular maint.
> Curent water parameters:
> ...


Sounds good Webo. Let us know what you find out.


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