# Ammonia Help!!!



## fishymom (Jan 27, 2011)

I have a 16 gallon tank. I set it up on December 28th. Put in 4 platys on Dec.31st. A week later about 4 more fish . I had waited a week in between adding fish. Last week water started looking cloudy. The pet store lady said to do partial water change. Ok did it. Friday ammonia was around 4.0. I did a partial water change. Changed water on Saturday bc ammonia still at 4.0. Yesterday I tested water using API test kit. pH 6.4, Ammonia 4.0ppm, no ntrites or nitrates. I did another partial water change. I also tested my plain tap water for ammonia it was 0ppm. my fish look happy and healthy. I am sure they won't stay that way with the ammonia. Also the pet shoplady told me to only feed them every other day. 1 flake per fish. This is way less than the info that came with the tank but that is what I am doing. 

This is all new to me, but now I am obsessed with not losing my fish. I have been reading on here all week. Could I still be cycling? what about my 4.0 ammonia reading? Help me please!


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## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

Your tank is most likely still cycling. It takes far longer than a week for an aquarium to become properly cycled, so I'm sorry to say that you put too many fish in it too quickly. Your LFS salesperson was incorrect in telling you to do water changes; when you think about it for a moment, ammonia is the catalyst that allows the bacteria in your aquarium to flourish and multiply to the point where they can instantly convert the ammonia excreted by your fish before it does any damage. Depriving them of ammonia in this time of need will do nothing but prolong the cycling process.

She was correct in how to feed them, however. Especially during the cycling process, you want to feed lightly to prevent a large influx of ammonia from decaying food/fish waste. Fishes excrete ammonia through their gills, you don't need to rely on overfeeding to provide the ammonia needed for the nitrogen cycle to complete. In addition, once the cycle is complete on your aquarium, I would recommend not feeding more than once a day, no more than eat in 1 minute. Put in a few flakes at a time; this allows the fish to eat it all, rather than dumping in a larger amount and having most of it get sucked into your filter.

You can certainly feed your fish multiple times a day - and it's even preferable to do so - but make certain that you cut back the amount of food given at each serving if this is what you plan to do. For the time-being, keep feeding them every other day, no more than they can eat in a minute or so.

Patience is a virtue when it comes to starting a new aquarium; the more you fiddle with it, the longer the process is going to take, and the higher the risk of livestock dying on you. You may lose a few fish, but provided that you let the tank do it's thing in peace and quiet, you may be able to limit your losses.

*edit* Which test kit are you using to test for ammonia? If it's a liquid test kit, make sure you thoroughly shake both the chemical bottles and the sample of water after it's been dosed; sometimes the chemicals can separate and settle on the bottom of the bottles, and you will get inaccurate test results.


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## fishymom (Jan 27, 2011)

Thank you so much. I went to Pet Smart today for filters. The girl there really tried to push me into buying Ammo Lock. I did not buy it, after reading on this forum. I had a feeling I had too many fish after I found this website and did some reading. My 9 yr old just would not be patient, so I guess we will lose some fish. 

For now I will just try to be patient and leave it alone. Thank you for all your help.*thumbsup thanx


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## PolymerTim (Sep 22, 2009)

Scuff said:


> ... Your LFS salesperson was incorrect in telling you to do water changes; when you think about it for a moment, ammonia is the catalyst that allows the bacteria in your aquarium to flourish and multiply to the point where they can instantly convert the ammonia excreted by your fish before it does any damage. Depriving them of ammonia in this time of need will do nothing but prolong the cycling process...


I have to partially disagree with you here. It may be true that reducing ammonia levels would slow down the cycling process a bit (although I have yet to see anyone actually show evidence for that), but it is also true that high levels of ammonia can often kill your fish. Personally, I would rather have my fish be in a stressful (i.e. ammonia <1 ppm) environment for a longer period than a lethal one (i.e. ammonia > 4 ppm) for a shorter period of time.

I think it is also fair to say that partial water changes will never remove all the ammonia so there will always be some ammonia to feed the bacteria, its just a question of how much and how quickly they can grow. Until the colony grows large enough to process the fish waste itself, you will have to help remove the excess ammonia and nitrites (equally poisonous) yourself or risk fish deaths.

Personally, I would recommend 50% water changes once or twice daily until the ammonia is below 1 ppm. Then perform water changes at whatever size and frequency is needed to keep it below 1 ppm (test daily). What you will find is that, as the bacterial colony grows, you will not need to do them as frequently. Eventually, a typical tank with a moderate amount of fish and no live plants will require something like a 20%-30% water change every 1-3 weeks to keep nitrate levels down.

Note: Once ammonia levels start regulating themselves, you will need to do the same thing for nitrites. There is a second and different bacterial colony that processes nitrites into nitrates that can't even get started until the first colony is settled in. You will know the cycle is done when ammonia and nitrites read zero and nitrates slowly build with time (until you remove them with a water change when they get into the 20-40 ppm range).

This link is a good crash course on this topic, known as the nitrogen cycle:
The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

Things not to do while cycling:
-Do not use products like ammo lock unless as a last resort since these will reduce ammonia levels so much you can starve your bacteria.
-Do not change out your filters or go overboard cleaning your gravel since the bacteria is trying to build on these surfaces.

Things that may help speed up your cycle:
-Increasing the temperature to 80-82F can increase the reproduction rate of the bacteria (check to make sure this temp is OK for your fish).
-Adding live bacteria can sometimes help (preferably from some filter floss or decoration from an established tank). There are bottled versions, but a lot of these are hit or miss.

Best of luck to you. Keep us posted.


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## Mark13 (Oct 21, 2010)

I mostly agree with Polymer Tim, with a slight change to gravel siphoning, and disagreement with the higher temp.

*Agreement:* At a reading of 4.0 Ammonia, water changes *are* needed. Please note that the 4.0 reading was after a water change. Cycling will occur at ammonia readings above zero, but above 1 or 2 and fish losses may occur. Dead fish in the water for more than an hour will mess up the cycling process.

You did add too many fish too soon. Your cycling will probably take 8 weeks with the number of fish you have, from the last time you added fish.

*Slight Disagreement:* Please don't forget to siphon the crud out of only *half* of the gravel while the tank is cycling, but only once per week, not at every water change. As you siphon crud out you are also removing good bacteria. Siphoning only *half* of the gravel field will leave a good amount of the helpful bacteria your cycling tank is trying to produce.

*Disagreement:* Do not raise the temp to 80 or 82 degrees, stay at 73 to 77 degrees F. Water of higher temp has reduced oxygen levels, which the bacteria desperately need to do their job, and to multiply. Also, reduced oxygen levels during time of high amonnia is bad for the fish. If you see the fish gasping at the surface, do a 50% water change. Consider adding an air pump and airstone, to add oxygen to the water for both the bacteria and the fish. If the water remains higher than 77, use the light less during the cycling period. Do not open the lid or glass to cool the tank without being warned that Platies are jumpers.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

With fish in the tank during establishing all of your bacteria or cycling, the focus HAS to shift to maintaining the safety of the fish. Not to establishing the cycle or speeding it along. If water changes delay the cycle, then it just delays it. It doesn't stop it. Do what you need to save the fish....the cycle will eventually take care of itself. 

In that size tank the initial 4 fish would have been more than enough to get the cycle going and complete. Cycles with fish can take up to 8wks...mine was done in 5 (last time I used fish anyway).

If your ammonia levels are still up around 4, I would be doing daily 50% water changes until you got it at 1 or below. A resonable goal is to try and maintain that level. Same value applies for nitrites if and when they start to show. 

Hard to decipher your plan with so many different recommendations. Bottom line is your fish won't last too long in high levels of ammonia....only one way to reduce it at a speed that your fish need. Also, DO NOT PUT IN ANY AMMONIA BLOCK CHEMICALS!!


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## peteyboyny (Oct 18, 2010)

here's some info I found that explains cycling pretty good. makes the whole process a little easier to understand and between the info everyone else has posted maybe you can save your fish. good luck.
Tips for Cycling Your New Aquarium - The First Tank Guide - Getting Your Fish Tank Up and Running with Minimal Headaches


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## fishymom (Jan 27, 2011)

Thank you for all the advice. My ammonia level remains at 4.0ppm as of this afternoon. So I did a water change. I did not vaccum the gravel. I added some plants also. There are no nitrites or nitrates so far. I will continue to be patient and give updates.:goldfish:


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