# ammonia!!!!!!!!



## nevets_eural (Oct 1, 2010)

shouldnt the ammonia reading be considerably lower after a water change, tested today around noon and it was 2.0ppm, 20% water change then went back to work, tested when i got home and it is still the same


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## nevets_eural (Oct 1, 2010)

is a 55gallon tank also


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

nevets_eural said:


> shouldnt the ammonia reading be considerably lower after a water change, tested today around noon and it was 2.0ppm, 20% water change then went back to work, tested when i got home and it is still the same


You have ammonia only because the ammonia consumers are not keeping up with ammonia production.

Bacteria and live plants consume ammonia.

I would add fact growing plants like anacharis to get ammonia down.

Then wait for the ammonia to drop.

also there is a possibility the ammonia is locked and not dangerous. But if you use ammonia locks they "fool" most tests which still test positive for ammonia. so you add more ammonia lock which by itself can suffocate the fish.

my .02


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## nevets_eural (Oct 1, 2010)

well i have 5-6 golden ribbon plants in there now. i think thats what they are, 2 oscars a pleco and a blue lobster, i feed the oscars only 1-2 pellets at a time, 2 or 3 times a day then at night drop in a pinch or 2 of tropical fish food for the pleco and lobster. no food is there in the morning so the lobster is doing his job, well he did just shed his skin maybe i should take it out???


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*Change 50% instead of 20%

Ribbon plants are not real aquatic plants (along with aqua fern, mondo grass, etc). Petsmart and Petco false advertise them. Exchange and replace it with tons of Anarcharis (Elodea). *


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## nevets_eural (Oct 1, 2010)

i think i solved the problem.. i tested my tap water and it had a high ammonia reading... i treated a sample with more than enough dechlorinizer and got a good reading, so im pretty sure i didnt put enough in when i refilled my tank... i actually went by the directions this time when refilling in stead of over compensating like i have been.. yeah i got my plants from petco cuz they were cheap and thought they would look nice in my tank, the only problem is my blue lobster tears them up at night so i kind of want to limit how many i have, he has been molting for the last few days so he hasnt been out much, but when he is well all the others will be floating at the top again... WHAT ABOUT SOME MOSS? WOULD THAT HELP ANY?


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## nevets_eural (Oct 1, 2010)

i could have it attach to a tall ornament and the lobby couldnt get to it i think.... oh yeah and i also added more dechlorinizer.. its aquasafe from walmart and got a little bit better reading. ill test again tomorrow and see what it looks like dont want to over stress my fish and change it again today.... or should i? its reading 1.0ppm 0 nitrite and 5-10ppm nitrate


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*moss grows too slow. you need fast growing plants.*


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## nevets_eural (Oct 1, 2010)

well like i said i think it was mainly my tap water


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