Please help - Ammonia Issue

Hi so I recently upgraded to a 55 gallon tank and I stupidly didn’t do research and I instantly added my new fish and got rid of my old tank water and filter cartridges and such. (I know I know). So I am currently dealing with an ammonia issue. I got the tank almost a month ago and I’ve been having really high ammonia. I’ve been doing the 40%-50% water changes, adding in stress coat, stress zyme, quick start, and prime/ammo lock. The ammonia will not go down with whatever I do. I got two angel fish, 3 Cory catfish, a pleco, a loach, a bumblebee catfish, a dwarf gourami and a molly. My tank is starting to build nitrites and nitrates but the ammonia is still pretty high (like around a 4). I recently added in the fluval ammonia removal and I just put the baggie of it in the top fin filter with my other filter cartridges. Any advice of what else I can do? Did I place the ammonia baggie in the right place? And is there a certain amount I should add? Any advice on what else I can do would be really appreciated.

Update- I tested the ammonia the day after adding the fluval ammonia remover to my filter and if anything, the ammonia went up. It’s now between 4 and 8. Any help?

 

Hi so I recently upgraded to a 55 gallon tank and I stupidly didn’t do research and I instantly added my new fish and got rid of my old tank water and filter cartridges and such. (I know I know). So I am currently dealing with an ammonia issue. I got the tank almost a month ago and I’ve been having really high ammonia. I’ve been doing the 40%-50% water changes, adding in stress coat, stress zyme, quick start, and prime/ammo lock. The ammonia will not go down with whatever I do. I got two angel fish, 3 Cory catfish, a pleco, a loach, a bumblebee catfish, a dwarf gourami and a molly. My tank is starting to build nitrites and nitrates but the ammonia is still pretty high (like around a 4). I recently added in the fluval ammonia removal and I just put the baggie of it in the top fin filter with my other filter cartridges. Any advice of what else I can do? Did I place the ammonia baggie in the right place? And is there a certain amount I should add? Any advice on what else I can do would be really appreciated.

Update- I tested the ammonia the day after adding the fluval ammonia remover to my filter and if anything, the ammonia went up. It’s now between 4 and 8. Any help?

Stop using ammo lock and any ammonia removers. To initially start the cycle there needs to be usable ammonia in the water column for bacteria to eat and start to colonize. By constantly locking the ammonia source you aren't allowing the cycle to start even with the presence of fish. You'll have to do a large (75%) WC and dose the entire tank volume with prime. Tomorrow do another 50%. Check to see where ammonia is at but you'll most likely have to do daily WCs and dosing the whole tank with prime for a week or 2-3 to keep ammonia down to at least .25ppm. The other option is go on angelsplus.com and buy two of their large ACTIVATED filter sponges and see how they work for you. They are already cycled filters. However, to ensure success with these the instructions have to be followed to a T, they have instructions on the website and also on a piece of paper that comes with the filters. Don't ship somewhere where they will sit outside in weather below 50 degrees F and preferably just don't let them sit outside long period. Pick a shipping method that will get them to you within 3-5 days. Personally I have had nothing but success with these filters, whether it be instant cycling a new tank or saving a current one from nitrite spikes after rescaping the tank. You just have to supply your own airline and air pumps.

 

water changes and a double or triple dose Prime is all you need.

do a water change with a regular dose of Prime, then test, and add more Prime according to this chart
Info: Seachem Prime® dosing instructions

 

Stop using ammo lock and any ammonia removers. To initially start the cycle there needs to be usable ammonia in the water column for bacteria to eat and start to colonize. By constantly locking the ammonia source you aren't allowing the cycle to start even with the presence of fish. You'll have to do a large (75%) WC and dose the entire tank volume with prime. Tomorrow do another 50%. Check to see where ammonia is at but you'll most likely have to do daily WCs and dosing the whole tank with prime for a week or 2-3 to keep ammonia down to at least .25ppm. The other option is go on angelsplus.com and buy two of their large ACTIVATED filter sponges and see how they work for you. They are already cycled filters. However, to ensure success with these the instructions have to be followed to a T, they have instructions on the website and also on a piece of paper that comes with the filters. Don't ship somewhere where they will sit outside in weather below 50 degrees F and preferably just don't let them sit outside long period. Pick a shipping method that will get them to you within 3-5 days. Personally I have had nothing but success with these filters, whether it be instant cycling a new tank or saving a current one from nitrite spikes after rescaping the tank. You just have to supply your own airline and air pumps.

So no ammonia remover? Just keep using the prime though? Will the prime keep my fish safe from the ammonia and such? Also, how do I know I’m putting in the right amount of prime? I have a 55 gallon. How much prime should go into that?

water changes and a double or triple dose Prime is all you need.

do a water change with a regular dose of Prime, then test, and add more Prime according to this chart
Info: Seachem Prime® dosing instructions

So just do multiple water changes and each water change, double or triple the prime dosage? And just keep adding in the other water conditioners I have?

 

So no ammonia remover? Just keep using the prime though? Will the prime keep my fish safe from the ammonia and such? Also, how do I know I’m putting in the right amount of prime? I have a 55 gallon. How much prime should go into that?

So just do multiple water changes and each water change, double or triple the prime dosage? And just keep adding in the other water conditioners I have?

I'm not familiar with stress zyme or stress coat, and I'm not one to typically use bottled bacteria. I doubt that is contributing to the ammonia creep but I can't say for sure. But yes no ammonia remover. Prime converts ammonia and nitrite to a form that is less toxic to fish but is still usable to the bacteria colony so in simple terms it will make the toxins "safer". It is a bandaid when the water quality is not good so please do not mistake it for a fix-all to water quality problems. But in a desperate situation it's about all you can do. Keep the ammonia down, do tons of water changes, dose prime, and keep testing your water and monitor where ammonia and nitrite is every day. Prime is 1 capful per 50 gal, if it were be I'd do a cap and a half daily or two caps. You technically can't overdose prime. Once you get over the ammonia hurdle the nitrite will spike which is just as toxic for your fish so you will need to continue to do this routine until the nitrite spike is over.

 

I'm not familiar with stress zyme or stress coat, and I'm not one to typically use bottled bacteria. I doubt that is contributing to the ammonia creep but I can't say for sure. But yes no ammonia remover. Prime converts ammonia and nitrite to a form that is less toxic to fish but is still usable to the bacteria colony so in simple terms it will make the toxins "safer". It is a bandaid when the water quality is not good so please do not mistake it for a fix-all to water quality problems. But in a desperate situation it's about all you can do. Keep the ammonia down, do tons of water changes, dose prime, and keep testing your water and monitor where ammonia and nitrite is every day. Prime is 1 capful per 50 gal, if it were be I'd do a cap and a half daily or two caps. You technically can't overdose prime. Once you get over the ammonia hurdle the nitrite will spike which is just as toxic for your fish so you will need to continue to do this routine until the nitrite spike is over.

This helps so much, thank you! I will for sure be doing this with the prime. The smell is but I’m sure it’s worth it . But thank you so much.

I'm not familiar with stress zyme or stress coat, and I'm not one to typically use bottled bacteria. I doubt that is contributing to the ammonia creep but I can't say for sure. But yes no ammonia remover. Prime converts ammonia and nitrite to a form that is less toxic to fish but is still usable to the bacteria colony so in simple terms it will make the toxins "safer". It is a bandaid when the water quality is not good so please do not mistake it for a fix-all to water quality problems. But in a desperate situation it's about all you can do. Keep the ammonia down, do tons of water changes, dose prime, and keep testing your water and monitor where ammonia and nitrite is every day. Prime is 1 capful per 50 gal, if it were be I'd do a cap and a half daily or two caps. You technically can't overdose prime. Once you get over the ammonia hurdle the nitrite will spike which is just as toxic for your fish so you will need to continue to do this routine until the nitrite spike is over.

Stop using ammo lock and any ammonia removers. To initially start the cycle there needs to be usable ammonia in the water column for bacteria to eat and start to colonize. By constantly locking the ammonia source you aren't allowing the cycle to start even with the presence of fish. You'll have to do a large (75%) WC and dose the entire tank volume with prime. Tomorrow do another 50%. Check to see where ammonia is at but you'll most likely have to do daily WCs and dosing the whole tank with prime for a week or 2-3 to keep ammonia down to at least .25ppm. The other option is go on angelsplus.com and buy two of their large ACTIVATED filter sponges and see how they work for you. They are already cycled filters. However, to ensure success with these the instructions have to be followed to a T, they have instructions on the website and also on a piece of paper that comes with the filters. Don't ship somewhere where they will sit outside in weather below 50 degrees F and preferably just don't let them sit outside long period. Pick a shipping method that will get them to you within 3-5 days. Personally I have had nothing but success with these filters, whether it be instant cycling a new tank or saving a current one from nitrite spikes after rescaping the tank. You just have to supply your own airline and air pumps.

Also, should I be adding in my other water conditioners with each water change? Or just prime. I use stress coat, quick start, stress zyme, and tetra easybalance plus. Or should I not bother with those. Just focus On only prime?

 

Just to add, Ammo Lock is basically the same as Prime in that it doesn't stop beneficial bacteria from using the ammonia/nitrites.

Prime can be used at up to 5x normal dosing amount to detoxify ammonia for 24 hours then has to be re-dosed. Closer amount needed can be calculated by the chart jtjgg shared earlier, fantastic chart by the way, I hadn't seen this before.

 

water changes and a double or triple dose Prime is all you need.

do a water change with a regular dose of Prime, then test, and add more Prime according to this chart
Info: Seachem Prime® dosing instructions

This chart should be stickied if it isn't already

 

This chart should be stickied if it isn't already

This is so helpful, thank you so much