still have ammonia

Richard203

Candiru
MFK Member
Jan 19, 2016
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Hi my water still have ammonia, long story short my water para was all good until I had a nitrate reactor and then 2 week later I see my fish health is looking not good so I test my water and I have ammonia in my water and nitrate. so I took out the nitrate reactor and did 50% water change 2 days later I test again and my water still have 1ppm of ammonia and 10-20ppm of nitrate. I tested the water and I have 0ppm of nitrite. I don't understand wants going on in my water. I keep doing water changes and my ammonia is not making any changes nor my nitrate always stay at 10-20ppm even when I test my water the next day. do u think I should clean my canister and my hob? I just cleaned the canister and hob 3 month ago. I only have 1 fish in the tank. It is 125g tank
 

JK47

Retired MFK Admin
MFK Member
Aug 4, 2008
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You may have interrupted your cycle. Was the tank cycled prior to adding the reactor? By cycled iI mean tested with a result of zero ammonia and a positive reading for nitrate?
 

Richard203

Candiru
MFK Member
Jan 19, 2016
470
41
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You may have interrupted your cycle. Was the tank cycled prior to adding the reactor? By cycled iI mean tested with a result of zero ammonia and a positive reading for nitrate?
before adding the reactor I don't have ammonia. and for nitrate its seems around 5ppm-10ppm it was light red color or orange color in 2 days after water changes.
 

JK47

Retired MFK Admin
MFK Member
Aug 4, 2008
11,112
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before adding the reactor I don't have ammonia. and for nitrate its seems around 5ppm-10ppm it was light red color or orange color in 2 days after water changes.
For a 125 gallon with one fish to have a red nitrate reading in two days is very unlikely. Check your test kit to see if it is expired or in need of replacement. What kind of kit are you using?
 

Richard203

Candiru
MFK Member
Jan 19, 2016
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For a 125 gallon with one fish to have a red nitrate reading in two days is very unlikely. Check your test kit to see if it is expired or in need of replacement. What kind of kit are you using?
my test kit is api master kit. I thought its expire too but I looked at the expire date and it say 2020
 

markstrimaran

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Nov 21, 2015
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10 ppm nitrate is light orange, 20 ppm is almost red. One fish in a 125, why the nitrate reactor?
 

Richard203

Candiru
MFK Member
Jan 19, 2016
470
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10 ppm nitrate is light orange, 20 ppm is almost red. One fish in a 125, why the nitrate reactor?
I tried to put that in my tank because I always see my nitrate so high every time after doing a water changes and I want to make my nitrate 0ppm
 

markstrimaran

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Nov 21, 2015
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iowa
Did you fish less cycle? I think your bb count is just low, and some extra food was added. What kind of nitrate reactor. Sulfur based?
 

Richard203

Candiru
MFK Member
Jan 19, 2016
470
41
46
35
Did you fish less cycle? I think your bb count is just low, and some extra food was added. What kind of nitrate reactor. Sulfur based?
my tank was cycled before I add the reactor which screwed up my water now. I mixed de nitrate and matrix in it. the tube got all these white slimes and purple slimes in it so I removed it.
 
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