Ammonia problem

[randomsam1001]

hey guys, I am cycling my tank. I've done water changes and ammonia is still at 0.5. I've got 12 fish and I'm using Prime and Stabilty from Seachem. not sure whats happening

[Godly3vil]

Tanks still cycling mate, just up the water changes.

[lmsmith]

You're cycling your tank with 12 fish? What size is your tank? What sort of fish and filtration do you have?

What's happening is your fish are producing a greater bioload than the bacteria can handle. Putting prime and stability in your tank aren't a fix-it - what you need is time.

Honestly, I would look at rehoming your fish because ammonia isn't good for them. It causes them stress and could kill them. There are lots of ways you can cycle without fish that don't stress them out. Once your tank is cycled, you can SLOWLY add fish.

[disgustipated]

what kind of fish? if they are goldfish or american cichlids then do 50% water changes every two days or more.

if they are more delicate fish do 25% every two days.

it will come right. 0.5 is nothing to panic about.

[David R]

Agreed that .5 ammonia is nothing to worry about with most hardy species, and I wouldn't jump to conclusions about the number of fish, I've chucked over 30 fish into a completely uncycled aquarium before!

they were a bunch of assorted small tetras going into a 630L tank though.

[henward]

Regular wc, that amount of AM is very small. For non hardy species may kil them but, that will mean you weed out the wussy fish:D so not a total loss :slfg:

[alanmin4304]

It is all relative. I have put more than 12 fish into an uncycled tank. The more fish, the bigger or more delicate the fish as well as the smaller the tank then the more frequent the water changes. No one will convince me that cycling with fish is cruel if it is done properly.

[lmsmith]

It is all relative. I have put more than 12 fish into an uncycled tank. The more fish, the bigger or more delicate the fish as well as the smaller the tank then the more frequent the water changes. No one will convince me that cycling with fish is cruel if it is done properly.

I agree - the cavet being 'properly'. If you don't know what you're doing, you should use other methods where you won't accidentally kill something if you mess it up.

[Godly3vil]

I am with you Alan, that's the way I always do it and that's the way it works for me.

[F15hguy]

I agree, but you also have to learn how properly is done at some time, we all had to have learnt how to do it at some point

[alanmin4304]

You will never learn how properly is done with dead shrimps or scrubs cloudy ammonia.

[lmsmith]

You will never learn how properly is done with dead shrimps or scrubs cloudy ammonia.

I agree with that also. I don't agree with poeple buying living animals, popping them in a tank with no research and just hoping it turns out well.

[alanmin4304]

Me neither

[F15hguy]

agree, but you need to learn, they are asking questions so first lesson learnt.

second lesson.... understanding how long it takes to increase biological filtration.... around 1 month.....

im surprised that the seachem products are not working.... check the used by dates....

also try TLC, have used these exclusively since I found them and have never had an ammonia spike (although I do overdose a bit and use the pond products on tanks) it can remove a 2ppm ammonia spike within 12 hours from personal experience

[randomsam1001]

Got it fixed. Just added more bacteria. Filter is eheim canister 600l per hour 125l tank