Jimmer107 Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 I have a 15 gal tank with feeder guppies that is consistantly testing 4mg/l ammonia, and I can't seem to get it lower. There are about 20 inches of fish, mostly young guppies, some driftwood, a couple of rocks, and playsand in the tank. I have an ac mini and air stone in the tank. I have been changing one third water every day for the last week, cleaned the filters, and limited feeding to one small pinch a day. Most of the fish don't show any signs of stress, are active, and feeding well. A couple of the adult females show some red swollen gills. Any ideas what may be causing the high readings? I was wondering about the driftwood. I was feeding a lot more before, which certainly may have contributed, but how long does it take to drop? The tank has been set up for several months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jods2518 Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 When u washed the filter, did you use clorinated tap water, if so youkilled the bacteria that would be changing the Ammonia to Nitrite and then to Nitrate.....If you just rinsed it in tank water I'd check ur test kits! Jods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmer107 Posted June 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 I usually rinse them out in the pail when I change water. Sometimes I do rinse them under the tap. The test kit is brand new and I have used it on a large tank I have. Readings in that tank were 2 mg and dropped to 0 after some water changes and reduced feeding. I think the test kit is working fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jods2518 Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 OK, Then I'd just keep up with the water changes for everytime you see ammonia (test Daily for now) and only rinse your filter sponges in the water from the aquarium. The ammonia can also come from dead fish, or food left on the bottom, maybe get a bottom feeder lit a cory catfish to clean that up...sorry but thats all I can suggest, the ammonia will drop once the bacterial chain redevelopes, just keep up with the water changes! Jods Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOSStile Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 I agree with Jods but I would leave the bio filter alone for now. It sure sounds like you are washing the bacteria out of the filter. You didn't mention your nitrite levels. If your ammonia is high and nitrites low you aren't converting the ammonia. IF both readings are high keep up with the water changes. I wonder if you are getting sufficient aerobic activity in sand alone, if it is packing up. I use sand but my fish are constantly digging it up and throwing it around, something I don't think guppies do. Let us know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 What are you using to treat your water with when you do a water change? Some chemicals only remove the chlorine and leave the ammonia in. Others ie: Prime remove both so you don't start off with an additional ammonia load. I agree with the others. You should rinse your filter pads in treated water that is the same temperature as your tank so you don't remove your bacteria that you need. With such high water changes I think that your chemical you are using isn't removing the ammonia and probably not the chlorine either. If it's old you might want to get a fresh batch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 Yep, I was just about to ask if your water is treated with chlorine, or chloramine, and what you use to treat your tap water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmer107 Posted June 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 The water is treated with chlorine. I've been using Wardley's Chlorout to condition it. I just ordered some Seachem Prime from Big Al's and will try that. I don't have a nitrite test kit, but did order a nitrate test. I hadn't been paying much attention to testing water, and it caught up to me. I just had one tank set up before (60 gal) with a breeding pair of Jack Dempseys, and I didn't have any problems with water then. Now that I have this smaller tank, and I converted the large tank to a community tank, I have to pay more attention with feeding, etc. I haven't kept a community tank for many years, so it is a learning experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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