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20-10-2014, 05:28 PM | #1 |
Arofanatic
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
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Tank cycling -- ammonia still high?
Hi. I got a new tank and doing the usual tank cycling process for past 6 weeks.
Something weird is happening. Ammonia came and was high since day 1. Nitrites shoot up and went down to zero 0. Nitrates present and ph went down to 5.0. Seems a normal and predictable process. Nitrite is zero now and ph being buffered at 7.0. Everything seems as per pricess. But ammonia is still high. Forgot the value, but was at its highest on the Api measurement scale.. I mean dark green on Api measurement scale.. 8 something.. Note that my PH went down to 5.0 .. that means nitrate are present. That should mean cycling process at the end. Note also I am using seachem PRIME. It suppose to convert toxic ammonia to non toxic, so the nitrites can consume. did seachem PRIME playing some trick here? Be cos it suppose to convert toxic ammonia to non toxic ammonia.. .. etc.. I am not sure what it means anyway.. taken directly from its website .. Question, why ammonia still high at this stage where nitrites went high and go to zero? The ammonia should be consume by the nitrites... which also went high and now zero be cos of those nitrates. Or should I get a new ammonia test kit? It's just 10 mths since I bought those test kits. Now, nitrite is zero. FYI, I buffer PH back to 7.0 already using 6 kg of OS and some baking soda/ baking powder. . The "arm and hammer " brand. My tank is 8x4x3. Any advise? |
20-10-2014, 05:38 PM | #2 |
Dragon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 620
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Sounds like the load is too much for your Bacterial colony to handle.
What kind of filter media are you using and how much? I swear by Biohome/Biohome+ and they work great for me over the years. I also used Fritz Zyme 7 to kick start the tank. |
20-10-2014, 05:43 PM | #3 |
Arofanatic
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
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I think I have 30kg (6 x 5kg) of biohome. And 2 x 4 litre of seachem matrix.. few jap mats and the white dog bone.. forgot name.
I have overhead 8 feet filter. I was think same too.. Ie the bio media not enough. . So I stop feeding for 4 days.. still same lei. I using Api bacteria and recently the seachem stability. . It all works. But ammonia is very high based on my measurement kit. |
20-10-2014, 05:46 PM | #4 |
Arofanatic
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
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Last time in my 6 feet tank.. only 20kg of biohome.. it works well to handle the bioload. Even when I pumping my aro comm. ..
Or should I be patient and wait for another few weeks? Also planing to add more biohome or seachem matrix this weekend.. |
20-10-2014, 05:52 PM | #5 |
Dragon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 620
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Last time I overloaded one single 6 feet tank with a lot of fishes+PNT and the ammonia level never drop to 0.
Initially it was just an overhead filter. Then slowly I added another eheim 2028, then another Atman UF-2400, then another smaller canister before everything looked great with less cloudy water and 0 ammonia. |
20-10-2014, 05:54 PM | #6 |
Arofanatic
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
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OK Bro. . Thanks for ur advise.. I will do same then. I will add more media
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20-10-2014, 05:59 PM | #7 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,624
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What did you use to add ammonia into your tank?
Collect a bucket of tap water, dose the required water conditioner and check for ammonia using the same test kit.
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20-10-2014, 06:00 PM | #8 |
Arofanatic
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
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I was puzzled why this happened for sometime.. fish not being fed still produce ammonia. . And u are right my media not enough for this tank size..
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20-10-2014, 06:09 PM | #9 | |
Arofanatic
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 378
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Quote:
I did test on normal tap water with measurement kit. But u are right.. better add the seachem prime to tap water and test ammonia level. Also as per Gowling said. . It could be my media not enough or not effective enough. . |
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22-10-2014, 12:19 AM | #10 |
Dragon
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,519
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Bro. Have you tried Seachem Purigen? It could dissolve ammonia quite well. Read reviews from the Web. Most are positive.
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