# High Ammonia, Zero Nitrate and zero Nitrates



## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

Is that even possible? I have a 50gal tank and I test my water frequently and I've had this problem for a while now. I started to add a product called "Prime" made by Seachem. It is suppose to remove ammonia and detoxify nitrate and nitrites. 

Could it be that my ammonia is detoxified but still shows up on my tests? It's always around 4ppm. Here is a link to my tank with real plants.


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## Pufferfish22 (Feb 6, 2011)

Hi there, the ammonia has been changed to ammonium but most test kits will pick this up as an ammonia reading, be careful though as a lot of these ammonia neutralising products only work for around 48 hours so your ammonia will start to rise again. It almost sounds like your tank is either not cycled or is just starting the cycle process, could this be possible? If it was cycled has something happened in your tank to kill your exsisting bacteria? For the ammonia/ammonium problem I'd water change, water change, water change!


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

The only thing I can think of is me cleaning the mechanical part of my filter. I tapped some of the tank's water out into a bucket where I squeezed it a couple times to get the debri out from my live plants. I left the biological and chemical filters in the tank while just cleaning the mehchanical part. 

I usually add about 2 gal a week as my water evaporates so quick that I almost had to keep adding more. I've had this tank for about 3 months so I'm sure it's been cycled already. I've done two 30% changes so far. Thanks for any input. 

I've read that there are bio chemicals you can use to increase the good bacteria that should neutralize the ammonia levels and that's probably the next thing I'm going to try. I thought that adding live plants would also help neutralize the ammonia. They have only been in there for about 2 weeks. My fish seems to be very happy though and they donts seem to be stressed or sick at all.

I've taken my water to the local pet shop and they say all my parameters seem to be perfect but they didn't test ammonia though. My water also seem to stay very clear as well.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

It is possible your ammonia test kit is not accurate (not sure of the time exactly but they do have a shelf life and if more than a year old I would question it). Odd the store won't test ammonia, that is rather basic to know.

Have you checked your tap water for ammonia? This may be the source.

Prime is a water conditioner, so it should only be used at water changes, not more often as some sort of "fix it." Just so you know.

The plants will grab ammonia/ammonium. And Pufferfish22 was correct on that issue.

Before any decision to put more products (buffers, ammonia things...) in the tank, the source of the ammonia should be ascertained.

Not related, but evaporation of 2 gallons ever week from a covered tank is not natural. Are you sure it is this much? That is quite a lot of water, like a pail full.

Byron.


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## lorax84 (Nov 3, 2010)

Byron said:


> It is possible your ammonia test kit is not accurate (not sure of the time exactly but they do have a shelf life and if more than a year old I would question it). Odd the store won't test ammonia, that is rather basic to know.
> 
> Have you checked your tap water for ammonia? This may be the source.
> 
> ...



I live in an apartment without a humidifier attached to the furnace and I see that kind of evaporation all the time because the air in my apartment is so dry. I would say that my 20gal evaporates about 1.5gal a week and my 10 loses about 1 gal, both are covered. I don't know if that is the issue for him, but it is definitely possible.


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks guys, my tank is open in the back because I was experimenting on where to put my filter for optimum water movement. So in doing that I misplaced the plastic covers that goes in the back. Our air is pretty dry in the winter, but yeah maybe it's closer to 1.5 gal a week. 

When I first tested the tap water the first three weeks before any fish was added, it read zero for ammonia but I'll test it again to find the source. Thank you very much for all the comments and informaton!


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

I just tested my tap water and it is completely free of ammonia so that's good.


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

I just realized i put this in the wrong section, can a mod please move this thread to the Aquarium sections instead of the fish section?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Sloppy said:


> I just realized i put this in the wrong section, can a mod please move this thread to the Aquarium sections instead of the fish section?


I hadn't spotted that previously, thanks. Has been moved. Byron.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Sloppy said:


> I've had this tank for about 3 months so I'm sure it's been cycled already. I've done two 30% changes so far. Thanks for any input.


Am I reading this correctly? Only two water changes in three months??


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> Am I reading this correctly? Only two water changes in three months??


Right, I have been adding new water every week approx 1.5gal though since it evaporates about that much a week.


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## Curt (Jan 13, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> Am I reading this correctly? Only two water changes in three months??


I can only imagine the look on your face when you read that!


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## lorax84 (Nov 3, 2010)

Sloppy said:


> Right, I have been adding new water every week approx 1.5gal though since it evaporates about that much a week.


This right here is your problem. Water changes are important because it allows you to vacuum the debris that build up in the gravel out. Having all that left over food and poop in your gravel is just making far to much ammonia for your bacteria to handle, the few bacteria you lost when you changed you filter probably tipped the scale. IMO you should do at least 20-30% water change a week as regular maintenance. Once you get your ammonia back in line the regular water changes are the only way to keep it in line.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

In a tank only 3 months old, you need weekly water changes. I've read (not sure how true it is..) that extremely high nitrate levels can actually kill the cycling bacteria.

Or your water conditioner could be expired, and the chlorine in your water killed the bacteria.


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

Thank you very much guys, i'm going to do the 30% change a week till this ammonia problem goes away. I didn't realize I needed to do it more than once a month. As you can tell its my first tank  I really appreciate all your help. Every time i vacuum my stones there was a ton of debri even though it looks really clean I'm guessing because of my algea eaters working so hard.


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

Curt said:


> I can only imagine the look on your face when you read that!


Haha, yeah I was bracing for a internet kick in the ass when i started to read that post


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

My apology, I certainly mis-understood your (Sloppy's) comment on the 30% water change twice, I somehow assumed you meant twice in the last day. 

I absolutely agree with what's subsequently been said, you must do weekly partial water changes, and normally--i.e., when the tank is running normal--the amount can vary from 25-50% of the tank volume--this depends upon live plants (less water the more plants), fish load, both type and number (some fish are messier, more fish are messier) and tank volume in comparison.


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

Byron said:


> My apology, I certainly mis-understood your (Sloppy's) comment on the 30% water change twice, I somehow assumed you meant twice in the last day.
> 
> I absolutely agree with what's subsequently been said, you must do weekly partial water changes, and normally--i.e., when the tank is running normal--the amount can vary from 25-50% of the tank volume--this depends upon live plants (less water the more plants), fish load, both type and number (some fish are messier, more fish are messier) and tank volume in comparison.


 
No, no problem Byron. I just did a 45% water change because of the high ammonia so i'll keep an eye on it in the next week and change it again next week. I've also reduced my feedings to once a day instead of twice like before. Hopefully that helps as well.


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## Sloppy (Feb 21, 2011)

So a day after my water change the ammonia levels went down from 4.0ppm to 0.25ppm. Two days after it went down to zero!!!! Yeah !!!


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## lorax84 (Nov 3, 2010)

Thats great! make sure you keep a close eye on things for the next few weeks and keep up on the water changes.


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