Very high ammonia levels(+8)

[suprakid95]

I set up my tank about a month ago, it is a 30 gallon tank stocked with 3 bullhead catfish (about an inch and a half each) and 2 large mouth bass around the same size, i have a 125 ready to move them into when they out grow the 30 gallon.

I used to take my water to a local petshop to get it checked out, and recently bought my own kit because it was a bit of a hassle. after reading the correct instructions i realized the petshop was not properly checking the ammonia levels they were adding 5 drops of ammonia 1 and 2 from the api test kit instead of 8 and not waiting. after checking my water properly i found out that my water after 5 minutes would turn nearly completely black with a blueish tint and be completely off the charts. my fish are feeding normally and none of them have any inflammation of the gills. i do 20% water changes weekly and my nitrite and nitrate levels are close to 0. pH is at 7.3

I am not sure what the next step should be for such a high ammonia level when i first set up the tank i used ammo lock and ammo down but have not used any water treatment other then de-chlorination for the water changes.

any help would be much appreciated.

 

[suprakid95]

OH and i have a 50 gallon hang on filter from aqua clear, and a fluval 402 set up for the tank as far as filtration goes and i used gravel from a fish store.

 

[sostoudt]

huge water change


edit: your lfs did teach you to dechlorinate the water right? just asking as a lfs not knowing how to use a test kit is kinda rediculous

 

[Toby_H]

My first guess is there is a mistake somewhere...

I suggest reading thorugh the instructions a bit more and make sure you are running hte test properly. It doesn't surprise me at all the LFS wasn't doing it right... but 8ppm of ammonia should be making your fish act very strange...

If you are convinced this is the accurate reading... as suggested... start doing tons of water changes... I'd suggest removing nearly all of the water... then refilling... then doing the same thing again...

If after that much of a water change and it still tests extremely high, then we know your testing it wrong If you do all that water changing and it tests low, then we know you just saved your fish...

 

[suprakid95]

well i taught my self to dechlorinate the water by reading around the web on new tank set ups, and I've learned tons from this site even though this is my first post i have been a member here for over a year. I let water sit in a large rubber maid tub next to the tank for about 24 hours. and to be on the safe side i add tetra aqua's aquasafe to the tap water going off of the instructions on the back of it.

 

[vlcek81]

My first guess is there is a mistake somewhere...

I suggest reading thorugh the instructions a bit more and make sure you are running hte test properly. It doesn't surprise me at all the LFS wasn't doing it right... but 8ppm of ammonia should be making your fish act very strange...

If you are convinced this is the accurate reading... as suggested... start doing tons of water changes... I'd suggest removing nearly all of the water... then refilling... then doing the same thing again...

If after that much of a water change and it still tests extremely high, then we know your testing it wrong If you do all that water changing and it tests low, then we know you just saved your fish...

Oh yea thats +3 baby

 

[sostoudt]

well i taught my self to dechlorinate the water by reading around the web on new tank set ups, and I've learned tons from this site even though this is my first post i have been a member here for over a year. I let water sit in a large rubber maid tub next to the tank for about 24 hours. and to be on the safe side i add tetra aqua's aquasafe to the tap water going off of the instructions on the back of it.

well its good that you add conditioner. every once in a while i talk to a person that either boil or let there water set out for a couple days to dechlorinate. but that no longer works as many water supplies replaced chlorine with chloramine. chloramine doesnt evaporate like chlorine.

 

[suprakid95]

with the api fresh water master test kit, i add 8 drops of ammonia bottle 1, then 8 drops of bottle to in the glass containers that came with the kit, of course before i add the ammonia test drops i fill the water to the line. shake the container and let sit for 5 min. within maybe 3-4 minutes the water turns nearly black.

 

[sostoudt]

with the api fresh water master test kit, i add 8 drops of ammonia bottle 1, then 8 drops of bottle to in the glass containers that came with the kit, of course before i add the ammonia test drops i fill the water to the line. shake the container and let sit for 5 min. within maybe 3-4 minutes the water turns nearly black.

thats sounds right. it may not be a problem with your side tho you may have gotten a bum kit with the solutions off.

 

[suprakid95]

thats sounds right. it may not be a problem with your side tho you may have gotten a bum kit with the solutions off.

i thought that might of been the case so i bought another kit, i will use it to test the water conditions tomorrow.