cant get rid of ammonia

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rubencito

Exodon
MFK Member
Mar 13, 2016
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I don't know what to do I have a little problem with the ammonia about 1.ppm and I can not get rid of it I have 2 hang on the back emperor by Marineland 400 and a canister Fluval fx6 I have been doing weekly water changes as always and have gotten a little Spike I do not change all the media at the same time as I do the water changes I need help and btw thisis a 180 gallon
 
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How often do you "change the media"? Do you mean the biomedia or the carbon/pads? It can take a few weeks to establish bacteria on the media. Also, what substrate are you using in the tank? If you are testing right after a water change the dechlorinater can cause a false positive.
 
I would test your tap water for sure. I had a spike of about .5-1ppm recently without doing anything and it has consistently read at .25 now, turns out the city added stuff to the water. Grr!

Anyway if your cycle is working it should go away in a day or so and convert to nitrates. If you cleaned your filters recently, you may have accidentally caused a mini-cycle. Keep a close eye in your tank if that is true and do more water changes. Should stabilize easily if there is enough bacteria left.

Also try to feed your fish only once a day or every 2 days while this is happening just in case. They will be a bit hungry but fine. :p
 
How old is the tank, what is the stock, what bio media are you using, what are your other parameters, and have you tested your tap?


My tank is about 1year and a half old, currently just a grow out with a guraffe cat pike oscar jag and peacock and a bowfin. Never had this problem...media is bioballs, cermaic bio in the canister, and the hang on the backs jus have the stock cartridges
 
I would test your tap water for sure. I had a spike of about .5-1ppm recently without doing anything and it has consistently read at .25 now, turns out the city added stuff to the water. Grr!

Anyway if your cycle is working it should go away in a day or so and convert to nitrates. If you cleaned your filters recently, you may have accidentally caused a mini-cycle. Keep a close eye in your tank if that is true and do more water changes. Should stabilize easily if there is enough bacteria left.

Also try to feed your fish only once a day or every 2 days while this is happening just in case. They will be a bit hungry but fine. :p


I never change the media at the same time as the water changes usually i wait bout 4 days apart and then wait anoter week to do a water change... i sometimes even go 3 days w/o feeding
 
My tank is about 1year and a half old, currently just a grow out with a guraffe cat pike oscar jag and peacock and a bowfin. Never had this problem...media is bioballs, cermaic bio in the canister, and the hang on the backs jus have the stock cartridges
You have one canister on a 180? What model? And what media do you change? Not the bio right? Again, have you tested your tap, and what are your other parameters.
 
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You have one canister on a 180? What model? And what media do you change? Not the bio right?. As again, have you tested your tap, and what are
your other parameters.



Fx6 never the media if i change anything its thepads and i clean the bio in the fish tank with the same water no i havent tested rhthe tap as soon as i get home ima try that ph is 7.6
 
Fx6 never the media if i change anything its thepads and i clean the bio in the fish tank with the same water no i havent tested rhthe tap as soon as i get home ima try that ph is 7.6
Do you have nitrite and nitrate tests as well?
 
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