Cloudy and constant Ammonia spikes

[kitnerjr]

Not sure what is going on the past few days, but i test my water almost everyday and it's almost always perfect. Yesterday I ran a test and the ammonia sky rocketed to dark green, i immediately did a 25% water change, ran a test again this morning, still high so I added a little ammoLock.

Not too sure what would be causing this, no changes, no difference in feedings, no dead fish. Filter and carbon are still about 2 weeks out from needing changed but I am assuming that wouldn't cause the spikes or cloudy water.

Ideas?

AquaClear Power filter

 

[Chizzle]

Since your ammonia is high, it probably has something to do with the beneficial bacteria in your biomedia. My guess is you washed it thoroughly with chlorinated tap water or replaced the biomedia all together. Activated carbon isnt normally needed and some believe it causes Hole in the head disease, so unless you are removing medication from the water I wouldnt bother with it. Instead fill that space with more biomedia.

 

[kitnerjr]

Since your ammonia is high, it probably has something to do with the beneficial bacteria in your biomedia. My guess is you washed it thoroughly with chlorinated tap water or replaced the biomedia all together. Activated carbon isnt normally needed and some believe it causes Hole in the head disease, so unless you are removing medication from the water I wouldnt bother with it. Instead fill that space with more biomedia.

I wash everything with water I pull from the tank instead of tap water and have not replaced any of the media recently, only change I made was pulling the tube out to wash the built up waste out.

 

[Chizzle]

If you washed it with water from the tank, the bacteria should be fine. The only way you are going to convert that ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate is with the bacteria from the biomedia. How big is the tank? You might try adding Seachem Stability for now so that the fish are safe.

 

[kitnerjr]

55 gallon, my only assumption of the problem might be my eco stone running through it's ammonia to nitrite cycle and I caught it at the wrong time.
Like i said I did add some ammolock and some other stuff I have, forget the name in to make sure the ammonia won't hurt the fish. Suppose it would be best just to do another change tomorrow.

 

[KaiserSousay]

How long has the tank been running with fish?
Eco Stone????
When did that go in?
Did you remove anything to put the stone in?
WC and Prime would be my action untill things settle down.