# AMMONIA LEVEL



## bentley (Nov 16, 2005)

hi all

ive just tested my water and i have high ammonia, ive added ammo- lock and i put ammonia reducing granuals in the external yesterday, how long is it till i should notice a difference, and is there anything else i can do









thanks guys


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## timmy (Mar 29, 2004)

Is the tank cycled?


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## bentley (Nov 16, 2005)

probably not fully especially since i only just put in a new filter


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2005)

Hiya,

First off welcome to the best Piranha site on the net!

Give us a few more details mate, how big is the tank and what ammonia reading have you? Is it stupidly high or just pretty high. A new filter will take up to 4 weeks to become colonised with the bacteria you need.

You only need to register a reasonable amount of ammonia to cycle, if it is really high I would recommend small water changes reasonably often.

If you have a mate that keeps fish you could "borrow" some media to speed yours along. Filter sponges/gravel anything to kick start your media.


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## bentley (Nov 16, 2005)

Mellor44 said:


> Hiya,
> 
> First off welcome to the best Piranha site on the net!
> 
> ...


hi mate
ive got a 180l (50gallon ish) tank with a 600lph internal filter and a 1000lph external filter and powerhead, tanks been runnin bout 3 weeks (bit soon ,i know) i have a ammonia reading of , between 0.25 and 0.50ppm(mg/l), what do you think?


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2005)

The ammonia reading is not too bad at the moment. Far from ideal but the P's will probably not be affected so severely by this. A rio 180 I assume by the quoted figures.

Hows about the other results, nitrite and nitrate. If your nitrate is measurable and your nitrite quite low you have probably weathered the majority of the storm already, and not far from cycled.


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## JustinRice (Feb 24, 2005)

what is the recommend level for ammonia. or better yet what is not toxic? thanks


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

JustinRice said:


> what is the recommend level for ammonia. or better yet what is not toxic? thanks


Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - Under 40


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## JustinRice (Feb 24, 2005)

how about 1.2? is that to high for an Ammonia Reading?!?


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

JustinRice said:


> how about 1.2? is that to high for an Ammonia Reading?!?


Yes. Ammonia can be toxic even at low levels, even moreso with a higher pH.


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## piranha98 (Jun 15, 2005)

does ammonia chips help reduce ammonia


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

piranha98 said:


> does ammonia chips help reduce ammonia


Items that "reduce ammonia" should not be needed in an established tank that is maintained properly. They also should not be used while cycling.

I personally stay away from items like ammonia chips and recommend the same to keepers that I assist with issues locally.


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## Zoo_Keeper (Aug 31, 2005)

Here's a great way to get rid of it fast. Go to the fish store and buy 12-18 aquatic plants. The plants use ammonia and will suck it up in a couple hours.


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## doctorvtec (May 15, 2004)

Zoo_Keeper said:


> Here's a great way to get rid of it fast. Go to the fish store and buy 12-18 aquatic plants. The plants use ammonia and will suck it up in a couple hours.


A better idea is to have adequate filtration, plenty of biomedia, and to cycle the tank properly.


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