More details on Betta with 3.0 ammonia-Thanks for Help?

Question

The tap water tests at zero, so that's not it and my test kit is a tube with chemicals to test the water not a test strip. I've tested the prepared water before I change it and it tests at zero.

The tank is a 4 gallon Biorb with filter that I changed 2 weeks ago.

I don't have a nitrate test kit so I don't know the answer to that.

Should I remove him from the tank? If so when? I just treated 2 gallons with the smallest amount of stress coat which claims to remove chlorine and chloramides. (It's the only dechlorinator I have). Should I wait 24 hours on the water? What if the ammonia continues to rise? Should I use the ammolock for now until his other water is ready? He's swimming around the tank now but Who knows when he'll get sick?

If I remove him from the tank, should I remove his plants with him?

A Lot of Questions--Thank You

Answer 1

You can remove him from the tank into a bowl that holds a gallon or two for a while but you will have to change that water 100% every 5 days, then as a consequence the tank will cycle on its own if you leave it alone, but the bacteria need to be fed or they will die and the process will begin again. You could for the next week or two add a very small pinch of fish food to the empty aquarium to keep the cycle going. Take a sample of your tank water to the pet store and they will test it for free. If you can afford it get the test kits as they are the life line to what's going on in the tank. You need Ph, nitrite and nitrate. Between the i and a are two totally different things. Nitr i te is toxic where as nitr a te is less toxic in small amounts, the plants will use it up to grow. When the tank cycles your test should look like this, Ph always the same (I like 6.8-7.0 - neutral, but sometimes tap water makes that hard to achieve), ammonia = zero
nitr i te = zero and nit a te = <20 ppm. Plants should keep the nitr a te stable. Keep the plants in there, they use ammonia. Don't use the ammo lock, I agree with Magic Man on that one. I like Amquel too. The water changes hurt less than the ammonia, so I'd change the water anytime its over 1.0, even if its daily. Don't feed him, he can go a week without eating especially if you over fed him the last week. Feeding only adds to the ammonia, via poop and uneaten bits. Leave the filter alone, that's where most of the beneficial bacteria set up home, you need to give them a chance to grow in numbers. Cycling can take from 3 to 7 weeks, or more if you keep cleaning out the filter in tap water and locking up all the ammonia with the ammo lock. Always rinse your filter pads or bio-bead (what ever you have in there) in tank water. Carbon you replace monthly. You can get some poly-ester fiber fill from wal-mart (make sure it isn't flame retardant kind), and put a little wad of it in the filter. That's a good place for the bacteria to grow, then when you do clean the filter next month, toss it and replace with fresh.

Answer 2

ok do not take the fish out. you need him in there to get the tank cycled.

chlorine removers like Stress coat or Aqanova work imediatly don't need 24 hours.

stay away from the ammo lock until your tank is established

a Betta is a very hardy fish and should make it through whatever your tank throws at it.

the plants should be ok as long as your water ph is 7.0 or higher

Did anyone explain THE NITRIFICATION CYCLE,or what it is ? it takes any were from two weeks to 8 weeks. that's when your pH ammonia nitrites and nitrates fluctuate while your filter trains itself to sustain life. kinda like your immune system it's gotta build up its tolerance or bacteria to learn to digest ammonia and nitrites later on.

first you test for ammonia you watch that rise. now that your at a 3.0 you need to test your nitrites that can be the most lethal but as they rise they cause the ammonia to decline.(water changes help if the fish is stressing but will make the cycle take longer)now your nitrites are gonna raise once the reading is almost the worst level on your test kit you have do a small water change e and should be adding Stress~Zyme or cycle regularly( bacteria agent) If you like you can go to the pet store and ask of some of there esablished bacteria to add to your filter. most privatly owned pet store is the best place for this it will probably be little bit of filter floss from one of there tanks, or system.

you need to let the nitification cycle do it's thing for a couple day's. you know what they say a watched pot never boils :)

Answer 3

Bio Orb- that answers a lot of questions right there. In my opinion not one of the best tanks on the market.

The liquid test kits can be very difficult to run and read properly, and I would suggest trying the strips they are a lot easier for a beginner to use.

Stop using the ammo lock period, yes keep using the stress coat is that's all you have, and let your tank cycle properly.

As long as the new water has been declorinated and is the same temp as the tank you can go ahead and move the fish, and if the plants are live move them at the same time.

Good luck.
E.