Insufficient filtration cause ammonia?

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L

LT Connell

Black Skirt Tetra
MFK Member
Apr 23, 2018
51
14
13
Florida
Hoping somebody can help here. We've recently been having ammonia readings in our 75g cycled tank.

We've vacuumed, moved everything, etc in an effort to understand WHY it's there...Only explanation I could come up with is not enough filtration. Is this possible?

We have a Aqueon QuietFlow LED Pro 75 (supposed to handle up to a 90 gallon tank).

today we added a Fluval 406 Canister. Just in case.
 
If you have any decomposing matter hidden in the substrate or the deep in your filter it can contribute to ammonia. Another possibility is low pH.
 
squint said:
If you have any decomposing matter hidden in the substrate or the deep in your filter it can contribute to ammonia. Another possibility is low pH.
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Believe me, we've looked for decomposing matter. We did have 2 fish disappear (presumably dead), but for the life of me I can't find their bodies. I've moved everything and checked inside all the hidey holes. As for pH - no issue there. Ours generally runs about 7.8
 
By "decomposing matter" I don't mean just dead fish but uneaten food and fish waste which can accumulate almost anywhere.

It's possible you may need more bio media or more water flow but if you didn't have ammonia before, it would seem you have enough.
 
Extra turn over in means of filtration always helps. It is a redundancy mechanism in case one of the filters is not working as efficiently.

Generally speaking, providing the tank is not overstocked, filter media in filters need to be clean and oxygenated to work well. That means not using your filters as siphons(using pre-filters to block large detritus), also having good turn over through the filter(over-sized filters) and good surface movement for oxygen. It is all about ammonia and oxygen and healthy bacteria/archaea on a media free of detritus.
 
squint said:
By "decomposing matter" I don't mean just dead fish but uneaten food and fish waste which can accumulate almost anywhere.

It's possible you may need more bio media or more water flow but if you didn't have ammonia before, it would seem you have enough.
Click to expand...
The tank was only set up in February, and we've been slowly adding fish.
 
celebrist said:
what is your stocking levels, water change schedule, and filter maintenance routine?
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Water change every Thursday (along with substrate vacuum), tank's only been set up a few months, so haven't got a "routine" established yet for filter maintenance. Stocking: (FYI, I've already been told we've got "stocking" issues.)

1 clown loach - temporary resident. He's moving to the 300g once its cycled
1 Bristlenose
1 German Blue Ram - we also have a Golden Ram, but he's in the hospital tank
3 Dwarf Powder Blue Gourami
4 Cherry Barbs
5 Black Skirt Tetras
3 Rasbora Scissortails (one recently died)
2 Mystery Snails (they've managed to elude the loach LOL)
2 False Julii Corys
 
Coryloach said:
Extra turn over in means of filtration always helps. It is a redundancy mechanism in case one of the filters is not working as efficiently.

Generally speaking, providing the tank is not overstocked, filter media in filters need to be clean and oxygenated to work well. That means not using your filters as siphons(using pre-filters to block large detritus), also having good turn over through the filter(over-sized filters) and good surface movement for oxygen. It is all about ammonia and oxygen and healthy bacteria/archaea on a media free of detritus.
Click to expand...

As a newbie, I have no idea what you just said LOL.
 
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