trinox Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Hi,, I have just joined the hobby of fish keeping, got my first tank set up just over 5 weeeks ago. It is about a 130L tank with : 1 x peice of drift wood 1 x heater 150w @ 27deg and 1 x Stingray filter 1 x Air pump with two buble stones in corners 1 x Light 6 x Neon Tetra's 6 x Harlequen Rasboras 2 x Bristlenose Pleco Now i have'nt had any fish die yet but apparently they all should be dead i have been taken two lots of water samples down to my local fish store where they are telling me that my ammonia is to high. They adv me to do water changes every 3 days of 1/3 of the tank. I have been putting in Ammolock, Prime and KH booster after every water change as advised. Now my ammonia is still of the scale (as dark as can be) on the test. I feed them once a day and after a few mins i clean up any left over flakes. Can anyone give me some advice on how to get my ammonia lower? Would be greatly apreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodKing Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Sounds like you have a great setup for a beginner! Keep up the water changes, if the tank has been up for 5 weeks you should be getting near the end of your cycle. When they say your ammonia is high, do you know the ppm reading? EDIT: Just re-read the thread, do a bigger water change, say 50% and keep testing daily. What capacity is your filter rated for? A 130L tank needs some reasonable filtration in my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Ammolock will inactivate the ammonia turning it into ammonium. The tests will still read high though but don't worry, your fish will be safe while you use ammolock. Your next concern is to watch the nitrite levels and keep those down. The ammonium is still available for the nitrogen cycle. I'd do 10% daily water changes until the tank is cycled. It may take 6 weeks. If you know someone with a cycled tank, you might be able to get some live filter material from them to add to your filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodKing Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Or what he said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichthus Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I'd say cut the feeding down a little. You shouldn't have to clean up left over flakes after a few minutes, they should ideally be eaten. I think their advice is good - now you just need to wait it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted February 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks heaps for the feedback so fast! sorry for my lack in exact information, i will post exact models/stats of my filter and things when i get home from work, also ill place tank size and a few pic's. Apreciate the help. Having is not as simple as you think to start with ehehe. There is normally not much left like just 1 or 2 flakes, only things that arent taken out are the pleco logs witch are gone pretty much as soon as i turn my back. The filter came with the tank, used to be mainly my girlfriends family setup. Was just sitting around at her house for a few years and then i found it so ive set it up at my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichthus Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Take heart. The start up is the hardest. After that, with a good water change regime and a few minutes each week fish keeping can be easy and enjoyable. Once the tank has cycled, it all gets less complicated. Hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted February 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 ok , so i have just come home to check my filter and things: Now big noob mistake no.1 by me, my filter didn't have the carbon filter cartridges in it. No wonder my ammonia was probably not moving. I have now placed these into the filter. Stingray Elite a-142 *Specs* - Suitable for tanks up to 50 litres/ 10 Gal - 200lph - 220 V - H03VVH2-F 150 cm Electrical cord - 2 pieces carbon/Zeolite cartridges - 1 piece tail foam - 1 piece filter pad - Colorful display box I know take it that this filter is to small for the tank? it was the one that my girlfriends family used for several years with this tank and never really had a problem, But it appears now i do hehe. My tank is all glass and is L76cm x H47 x W36 = roughly 130L . If it is the filter not doing its job can anyone recommend a filter for me? Thanks everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Mst people seen to recommend a turnover of about 4 x the tank volume through the filter, so you would want atleast 500 l/h then. A cheep external filter is an aqua-one cf1200 or the smaller cf1000, see what others recommend... The filter doesnt need the carbon in it, it is only really usefull for removing meds etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I would most certainly recommend the Aqua One CF 1200, fabulous external filter, run them on all of my Tanks. Easy to clean, easy to install, pretty quiet too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 We have just set up a Jebo 815 to cycle on our main tank for the Alzheimers' Society. They are setting up a tank in their day care facility. First thing we did was remove the carbon and add more ceramic noodles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I would have to agree, remove the carbon and replace with Ceramic Noodles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I tend to buy filters that are slightly over spec for my tank, for instance if the tank is 30 litres then I get one that says suitable for 50 litres or more etc, but not too much as I don't want to make a whirlpool... and be it good or bad I usually trust what is written on the box. I have used Eheims since getting into fishkeeping, they seem a pretty good and tidy brand, though at the more pricey end. If one of mine died I'd probably try something else just for a change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted February 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 Update: Thanks for the suggestions regards filter upgrades, i have been out today and got my self a brand new Aqua One Aquius Canister Filter 1200 Filter! Just installed it and looks like its all working. Also got told to put some 'Stability' in the water to help try and lower the Ammonia. Lets hope over the next few weeks my tank becomes safe for my fishes. Also have invested in a Master Test Kit, so i can perform the testing my self. This is coming from australia on sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 You need to either run both filters together now until your new filter is populated with nitrifying bacteria, or, you can put the sponge from the old filter into the new one. Just hope you haven't taken out the old filter and let the bacteria die! Water testing is a tedious business. I now run the seachem ammonia meter which sticks on the inside of one of my tanks. I move it around from tank to tank at times. Good for a year. Still got the kits to test for nitrates and pH. No point in testing nitrites if ammonia is nil in an established tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 Lots of water changes to reduce your Ammonia levels Definitely need to be running both filters together untill your new CF1200 can build up enough good bacteria to run on it's own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS1987 Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 is your tank an aquaone ar620t ? the same as my tank and i am starting out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted February 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 Ok, so i have both filters plugged in now thanks heaps for the advice: everyone. is your tank an aquaone ar620t ? the same as my tank and i am starting out My tank is just a glass tank no brand haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#!CrunchBang Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 CF1200 in a 130L tank... that's going to be lots of flow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodKing Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 CF1200 in a 130L tank... that's going to be lots of flow If the flow becomes an issue attach the spraybar, have it quite deep and point the holes straight up. Gives you great surface agitation and still gives you reasonable water movement at the bottom of the tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I do believe water flow is all good, fish seem to be floating round normally. Last night i had to cut the hoses shorter because it was getting air bubles in it and was making the CF make all sorts of loud as nosies hehe. Now its all silent. Going to get my water tested on Friday. Been feeding only once every two days. Water changed every 3 days. Hopefully this will show some signs of ammonia disapaearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepsnana Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I had to cut the hoses shorter because it was getting air bubles in it and was making the CF make all sorts of loud as nosies hehe. Now its all silent. Air wouldn't be getting in from the length of hose... I find with the CF1200 even if there is a few air bubbles left in from the initial setup/last clean, a good shake will get them out. There is enough pressure that air bubbles don't stay in the pipes for long (2-3 seconds, TOPS). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted February 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 So i took a sample of water into my LFS on sat, ammonia is still of the chart on the API freshwater master test kit. I have now got my own API freshwater master test kit and just did a test, my ammonia is still dark dark green looking at 8.0ppm+ . My new canister filter has been going for 8 days now, and been doing water changes every 3 days @ 30% water. Been feeding the fish every second day. Ive been adding in Prime after every water change and been adding Stability once a day since i put the new filter in. Does what im doing sound like im on track for my Ammonia to start dropping any momment now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted February 27, 2012 Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 Well, as long as you keep using Ammolock, your fish are safe. What's happening to nitrite levels? If they're high, you may need to do 20% water changes daily to get it down ... as the ammonium is still available for nitrification. And you need to get the ammonia levels down much further as well with more water changes. Is there anyone nearby who can gift you some old filter material?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinox Posted February 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2012 i got told to stop using ammolock, becuase its locking it in at a unsafe level Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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