MrX Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 Hey guys would appreciate any tips please!! We have a 6ft 550L freshwater tropical tank, currently houses 2 adult oscars, 2 convists who have just bred (hundreds of squigglies in their cave), 1 silver shark, 3 silver dollars, 1 large pleco, 1 small pacu and one sevrum. tank has been established this way for a few weeks now, has a Fluval FX5 filter system and gets frequent water changes. HOWEVER!!... amonia is at 2-4 currently and has been for some time... PH is approx 6.4 and water is at the high end of soft. Have been using ammolock and amrid stones to no avail... the oscars are now looking a little sad (clamped fins and lethargic). we dont want them to die... why wont our amonia level drop????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 10, 2006 Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 Is this a newly set up tank with these inhabitants in it for these few weeks? Ammolock and stuff stops the tank cycle from completing properly (they also stuff up test kit readings). Stop using the products and just do the frequent water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrX Posted December 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2006 relatively new for the fish that are in it yes... sure will try that... we are just worried that the tank is still toxic and thats why the fish are now acting strangely... thats why we still want to use ammolock... however if some of them can breed in it it musnt be too bad... we do alot of frequent water changes and fairly decent ones too... the readings are still high... do you think its the chemicals giving us a false reading?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 I do not use chemicals in my tank but have been told they upset the tank cycle and also give false readings on test kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 I think I remember reading that using ammolock won't change the readings - the ammonia is still in the water even if it is a more harmless form. As I say, I think that's what I read but I'm not 100% sure. Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Ammonia is required to feed the bacteria that move it to nitrite and nitrate, without that the bacteria cannot become established. It is a balance and excess can be removed with water changes until the bacteria become established and the tank is properly cycled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joze Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 sigh, water changes stick the ammolock and all the other chemicals in the rubbish, or better yet remove the middle stage and pour them straight down the drain. Convicts will breed in a puddle so long as one of them is female. Now for my opinion. Why oh why do people depend on chemicals so much, when some common sense will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Why oh why do people depend on chemicals so much, when some common sense will do. Because LFS's tell them too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 get rid of that pacu too, unless you want to upgrade to a tank twice the size of course, they get to 60cm beasts and are extremely messy. its easier to rehome them when theyre young, moving large fish is hard and most people dont have suitable tanks- of course you dont wanna offload it onto someone that doesnt have a suitable tank (800L+, 1400L+ is ideal though) so you may have some problems. ammonia is probably contributing to alot of the fishs sulking but oscars are such woosies when it comes to upsetting their precious routine or surroundings so even if you get the water right they may sulk for a week or so yet :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandWilly Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 when the pH is below 7 you don't have ammonia you have ammonium which is the more harmless form, so as long as your not raising the pH and just doing small water changes every day, the tank should start coming right. Also cut your feeding right back to a small amount every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrX Posted December 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 Thanks everyone for your help... we will try your ideas and keep you updated on how it goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 11, 2006 Report Share Posted December 11, 2006 I may stand corrected but I would have thought that regardless of pH ammonia gas would disolve in water to form ammonium hydroxide and therefore ammonium ion and hydroxyl ion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joze Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 been a long time since I did chemistry like this but from memory only an excessively high alkaline solution convert ammonium hydroxide to ammonium cations to ions. runs from ammines ions and cations hysterically> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandWilly Posted December 12, 2006 Report Share Posted December 12, 2006 Fish waste is dissolved ammonia. When the pH is above 7, there is a very low concentration oh H+ ions so only a small percent of the ammonia will be ammonium and more ammonia. As the pH drops below 7, theres a higher concentration of H+ ions, which means more of the ammonia is converted to ammonium. Even in a pH below 7 you are still going to get ammonia but its going to me a small percentage compared to ammonium. Thats why all the ammonia test kits measure the amount of NH3 and NH4+ combined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquarium Dude Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I have the same problem with ammonia but I have had the tank set up for about a year, but, since I have taken the driftwood out things have improved... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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