Adf's Ammonia & Prime!

So I thought I had a cycled quarantine tank. It appears maybe not? Anyway. The frogs were acting strange. Note they are younger too? Hard to tell sex. Not sure if/how that might play into things too? Probably more sensitive if nothing else.

As the parameters seemed ok, I called the LFS. My ammonia was reading .25 or less. Always hard for me to tell and it seems I almost always get that reading. Although if I wait beyond 5 minutes results always look more yellow.

The LFS stated they are Always at 0 - so while my other ADF may be used to the .25 these new ones are not. Ironically we did get the other (older now) ADF from them and didn't notice all the issues? Of course at that point that tank might have been further in cycle, hard to say - it was before getting an API test kit and knowing a little more.

So anyway, I did add the Prime as recommended. As I understand it the Prime will only bind the Ammonia for 24-48 hours? Then it is released? So then what happens once it is released? What do you do then?

I ask because (aside from the current situation) among other things I know it is often recommended for WC? So if I am always using it then I am always having the Ammonia released causing harm?

Confused. My plan is to actually move the ADF's to the cycled tank that has room. But I was still worried about the Prime releasing things?

 

Some people's tests always read 0.25 ammonia. Unless the pH is above 8 I wouldn't worry about the trace reading as it's nontoxic. It doesn't mean your tank isn't cycled.

If you're using municipal tap water you should always treat new water with Prime during water changes. Prime treats chlorine so it doesn't hurt the frogs and temporarily makes any tap water ammonia nontoxic until the tank's cycle can convert it to nitrite, then nitrate. You can test your tap water to see if it has any ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate so you know what you're working with.

Can you test nitrite and nitrate levels too?

 

Some people's tests always read 0.25 ammonia. Unless the pH is above 8 I wouldn't worry about the trace reading as it's nontoxic. It doesn't mean your tank isn't cycled.

Agree on all 3 points.

FishMommer are you getting different ammonia levels in your “cycled” and “uncycled” tanks? Or are you getting 0.25 on the new tank and assuming on the cycled tank?

 

It looks to me like I get .25 or less on all 3 tanks. To be clear (or not) not sure it ever looks at .25 ppm, but not yellow either it's a range? It never looks yellow always a bit off. I ask my son and he tells me the same. I did dose Prime to the new tank and Tank 2 and it seemed like it was closer to yellow vs. closer to .25 ppm so guessing the dosing helped some.

Like I said all seems fine with our ADF from Tank 1 (arrived Nov.), but the 3 new ones were freaking me out (beyond what I got used to with ADF#1). They were coming Out of the water and hanging out there more? That's what freaked me out the most.

So last night we transferred them to Tank 2. Tank 3 was supposed to be QT, but I figured I wasn't trying to kill them off in there. Rather take our chances with Tank 2 which I had not doubts about being cycled and with the benefits of plants. Also, I was away overnight and didn't want to risk a death while I was out, even though just adding the Prime seemed to help in Tank 3 with their behavior. They were all back in the water at least before the transfer.

Sounds like they had a good night. Also it seemed at least with the initial acclimation, maybe the ADF were happy to see 2 fish and the tank? Maybe it also gives them a feeling like this is a safe place?

Also on tank three the Nitrite was 0 and the Nitrate was under 5 ppm?
Tap water tests no Nitrates. Will see how things go with them. Hoping that Tank 3 will hang in there until I can get a snail? That should keep it going for cycling right?

 

When did you get the new frogs, were they shipped or bought locally, how big is tank #3, and what filter is running in it? I'm curious if something is different between it and tank #2 with parameters, temp, water flow, etc.

I did dose Prime to the new tank and Tank 2 and it seemed like it was closer to yellow vs. closer to .25 ppm so guessing the dosing helped some.

Prime won't affect the test result or color; it just makes toxins temporarily nontoxic. I really wouldn't worry about it if it looks under 0.25.

Hoping that Tank 3 will hang in there until I can get a snail? That should keep it going for cycling right?

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What's the game plan for tank #3 - to put the new frogs back in it? I wouldn't expect a snail to produce enough waste so if you don't return them soon I'd provide an ammonia source to keep the cycle going. If you let us know what you're planning perhaps we can help brainstorm a good solution.