Ammonia issue

R

rap148

Members
I have a 200g malawi mix peacocks and haps, my tank has been cycled for a while now, but I can't seem to get the ammonia below .25ppm, the nitrite is 0ppm, nitrate somewhat higher, but mostly from the well water having high nitrates. Any ideas on why i can't get ammonia to 0 ppm, I do regular 25% weekly water changes, don't overfeed.
 
ddavila06

ddavila06

Members
don't know why it won't go down..is it overstocked? do large water changes ~40-50% weekly. what tipe of filtration? do you use carbon??
 
fischfan13

fischfan13

Banned
How many Haps and Peacocks do you have?

Feedings:
Per day?
Everyday?
Flakes, pellets, other?

Filtration:
What are you using?

Substrate?
Sand?
Other?
How Deep?
Could there be food caught in the substrate?
Are you doing water changes from the water level or into the substrate?

Dead fish?
Everyone accounted for?

Something that could be decaying in the tank?

Is the test kit new?

What are you using for a Dechlor?
 
YSS

YSS

Members
rap148 said:
I have a 200g malawi mix peacocks and haps, my tank has been cycled for a while now, but I can't seem to get the ammonia below .25ppm, the nitrite is 0ppm, nitrate somewhat higher, but mostly from the well water having high nitrates. Any ideas on why i can't get ammonia to 0 ppm, I do regular 25% weekly water changes, don't overfeed.
Click to expand...

How long is "for a while?"
 
Frank Cowherd

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
Just a thought, maybe your ammonia test method is not giving you the correct answer. Fish do produce ammonia and since they are healthy, I assume, the ammonia is probably not at 0.25. Since you have had the tank up for a while there should be more than enough bacteria converting ammonia to nitrite, etc.
 
R

rap148

Members
More detail, I have a fluval fx5, a large wet/dry double bin full of bio balls, and Magnum 350 filter, feed cichlid fake and small pellets, which is consumed in a couple of minutes, twice daily, water changes are from sand/crushed coral substrate, sifting from top layer of substrate, All small fish 2-3", about 25 fish nothing dead or decaying, new test kit, top brand. I definitely believe I have more than enough filtration, and water movement, I have several pouches full of ammo chips in the wet/dry sump, Just not sure why the ammonia eating bacteria aren't bringing the level to 0. I would think with all the surface area from both the wet/dry and FX5, that they are more than enough for a 200gal tank. I'll double the water changes are see what that does,
 
R

rap148

Members
haven't cleaned the filter lately, and when I do all I do is cold water rinse sponges and maybe replace only one filter pad at a time. I'm very catious not to disturb too much in the fliter.
 
R

rap148

Members
well water, no chloramine at all. I'm going to buy another type ammon. test kit and compare the results. Thanks all
 
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