How do I lower my ammonia?

Question

I have no idea why my tank decided to go hayward on me, but my ammonia has spiked to a dangerous level. It's not a new tank, and I don't have very many fish. I've changed the chemical filtration (it's ammo-carb) and done several water changes. I've also started to use AmmoLock and stopped feeding in the hopes it'll go down but to no avail.

Any suggestions on what I can do?

Answer 1

First of all, STOP using them damn chemicals!!!

The carbon is good to go, but this $hit like ammolock and Amquel really don't need to be used unless it's an absolute emergency, and now that you have added this stuff, you are going to get misleading readings for quite awhile. Your ammonia might well show at 7.0 ppm, because most of these testers do not differentiate between ammonia compound and ammonia ion. I think these dr. fosters and other products should be taken completely off the market because advocating use of this is 95% of the time just not necessary and caters to the needs of our societies thinking of "I have to have it now" and everyone's looking for the miracle treatment.

Patience first of all. You spotted the spike, and you're on top of things, so pat yourself on the back. Hats off to you for that from me. I can't think of many things that would cause a biological crash but it happend to me one time. I liked the idea there maybe a dead fish or plant decay causing it. Medications as well that are anti biotic in nature will kill off your bio filter as well.

You will need to start inducing some water changes to get the ammonia levels back down. Cutting the feedings like you did, a double A ++ on that too. Something is feeding ammonia into the water then if you did your changes. In this case you may have no choice but to use that ammo lock for the time being. Investigate your water source as well. Just rule out anything comming from your water source changes. Clean out the gravel as the others said, see if you find a dead body or any of your plants breaking down.

In the mean time, if you have another tank, borrow some of the gravel and scrape off the filter media a little bit to introduce some of that bacteria. If you do not have a second tank, see if any of your live sellers or stores that you trust will give you some of thier gravel.

JV

Answer 2

You might be overcleaning your gravel, and taking out all your beneficial bacteria.

Don't change more than 1/3 of your water at a time for a while, and only clean one side of the gravel at a time (right side one time, left side the next).

I used to use Amquel, but it sound like AmmoLock probably does the same thing.

Also, check your tap water, see what the ammonia levels are in it. Some places have really high ammonia/chloramines, depending on the time of year and during certain weather. My tap water always smells like bleach after it rains! ("Disinfected for your protection!") You might want to buy some spring water, or use filtered water, to get your ammonia levels down.

OH - one other possibility - make sure there's no dead fish or anything rotting in the tank. That can cause a spike in ammonia, too.
.

Answer 3

First stop using any of those chemicals. They bind the ammonia, but in such a way that your nitrogen cycle bacteria can't use the ammonia to grow. No doubt the bacteria responsible for ammonia conversion was badly damaged or wiped out in the tank somehow and you need it back. If you have another tank or access to one that you trust to be disease free, squeeze out the filter into the tank with the ammonia problem to help reseed the bacteria.

If possible, reduce the temperature of the tank during this time, it will help to make the ammonia less toxic to the fish. Continue with the water changes until the bacteria can regrow, it shouldn't take very long, but with the chemicals and artifical means of lowering the ammonia, it will take longer.

When doing the water changes, be sure you are also cleaning the gravel well. This will remove any potential source of ammonia there and will not harm the bacteria bed in the gravel. The bacteria adhere to the gravel far too well for a gravel vacuum to remove much if any at all.

MM

Answer 4

Ammo lock will give a false reading on the ammonia levels. You are probably fine, but because the ammolock is throwing off your readings you think you are screwed.

Do a 20% water change. Get separate chemical filtration. Isolate the ammonia rocks from the carbon rocks. Remove the ammonia rocks sperately after a week or so. The aquaclear cartridges are already separateso you can take one of those ammo bags and just lay it in your filter. After a week or so, remove the ammo rocks. They catch they ammonia, but it is not removed till you remove the rocks.

Answer 5

Ammo Lock does not actually remove the ammonia...so after using it if you test your water again you will still have a reading of ammonia existing...what it does do is change the ammonia to a safer form that will not negatively affect your fish so much until it gets changed over by your Nitrites. So that may be why you are still having high readings on your Ammonia levels even after taking the steps of water changes and less feeding.

Here is a Q & A about Ammo-Lock from their site...

How fast will Ammo-Lock work?
Ammo-Lock works instantly.

Can I use Ammo-Lock while my biological filter is developing?
Yes. The ammonia level will rise and fall as the biological filter forms in a new pond or at the start of each pond season. Ammo-Lock will protect the fish from ammonia while the biological filter becomes established. Ammo-Lock does not inhibit the development of the biological filter.

After adding Ammo-Lock my ammonia test kit still tests positive.
Ammo-Lock does not "remove" ammonia from the aquarium. Ammo-Lock simply makes the ammonia non-toxic to the fish. The ammonia level will drop as the biological filter consumes the ammonia.

Answer 6

Do you have something decomposing in the tank? A fish or a plant? Is it freshwater? I'm guessing yes from the post. That is the only reason that I can think of that would cause an ammonia spike. Do a water change but vacumm out the gravel if that's not the case.

Answer 7

Check your water source. If it isn't going down with water changes, something is very wrong. Obviously a small 25% water change isn't going to fix the problem in one shot, but certainly 3-4 over a week or two should.

Answer 8

Did you clean the gravel? A water change isn't going to help if you don't vaccuum the gravel at the same time.

Answer 9

i've always used jungle buddies ammonia clear. Basically because it is simple. Just add and go.

Do this alongwith your water changes.

Watch how much you are feeding them.

Answer 10

they sell a wide variety of amonia cleaning and tank cleaning products at walmart and even at petstores just go to the store and buy some.and you should gravel vacum too they also sell those at walmart for like 6 dollars so you should go get one.