Rising ammonia levels in tank

Hello everyone.

I have a 15 gallon tank that I started almost two weeks ago. I added Seachem stability daily for the first 10 days and have been adding 1 ml a day since. I took some water to my LPS and they said my waters fine for fish so I added two swordtails (about 1 inch big, both males) in and both were doing fine. Today I noticed both of swimming around frantically, mostly up and down the sides of the tank. I did my water tests and got the following readings.


Ammonia: 0.25-0.5ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.4-7.6
Temperature : 26C / 79F

This is the first time I've gotten ammonia readings above 0ppm (last tested two days ago). I feed them fluval tropical fish bug bites (flakes) twice a day. I'm not sure what's stressing them out, they get 10 hours of light a day and do swim around all parts of the tank (besides today).

Thanks to anyone that helps out.

 

When you saw that rise in ammonia today, did you do a water change? That's the first thing you can do now, maybe a 30-40% change and see what it is tomorrow.

With Nitrates at 0, are you sure you had it cycled? Are there plants in the tank?

 

Hello everyone.

I have a 15 gallon tank that I started almost two weeks ago. I added Seachem stability daily for the first 10 days and have been adding 1 ml a day since. I took some water to my LPS and they said my waters fine for fish so I added two swordtails (about 1 inch big, both males) in and both were doing fine. Today I noticed both of swimming around frantically, mostly up and down the sides of the tank. I did my water tests and got the following readings.


Ammonia: 0.25-0.5ppm
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.4-7.6
Temperature : 26C / 79F

This is the first time I've gotten ammonia readings above 0ppm (last tested two days ago). I feed them fluval tropical fish bug bites (flakes) twice a day. I'm not sure what's stressing them out, they get 10 hours of light a day and do swim around all parts of the tank (besides today).

Thanks to anyone that helps out.

I’d suggest you read this. . .
Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

Unfortunately, you didn’t get the best advice or direction from your LFS. Because tanks typically take 4 - 6 weeks to fully cycle, you’re doing a fish-in cycle.

If you’re not already using the API Master Test kit to test your water parameters, I’d also suggest you pick one up. You’ll need to test your parameters daily and do water changes (maybe daily) to keep the combined level of ammonia and nitrites at or below 0.50 ppm.

Finally, I’d suggest using Seachem Prime as your water conditioner.

 

Nope haven't done a water change. Yes i have 2 amazon sword plants in the tank

I’d suggest you read this. . .
Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle

Unfortunately, you didn’t get the best advice or direction from your LFS. Because tanks typically take 4 - 6 weeks to fully cycle, you’re doing a fish-in cycle.

If you’re not already using the API Master Test kit to test your water parameters, I’d also suggest you pick one up. You’ll need to test your parameters daily and do water changes (maybe daily) to keep the combined level of ammonia and nitrites at or below 0.50 ppm.

Finally, I’d suggest using Seachem Prime as your water conditioner.

Ah ok I see this now. Yea I've been using the API test kit for my tests. Is there any difference in the water conditioners? I have been using Continuum fraction up until now. Also how much of a water change should I do?
thanks

 

Nope haven't done a water change. Yes i have 2 amazon sword plants in the tank

Ah ok I see this now. Yea I've been using the API test kit for my tests. Is there any difference in the water conditioners? I have been using Continuum fraction up until now. Also how much of a water change should I do?
thanks

Prime will detoxify low levels of ammonia, but you’ll need to keep the levels low with water changes. Prime is also a dechlorinator.

The amount of water you change and how often you change it depends on your daily test results. As I said in the post above, you’ll want to test daily and do water changes (maybe daily) to keep the combined level of ammonia and nitrites at or below 0.50 ppm.

As a simple example, if your daily test shows 0.50 ppm of ammonia and 0.50 ppm of nitrites, you’ll want to do at least a 50% water change to get the ammonia and nitrite levels down to 0.25 ppm, or 0.50 ppm combined.

Make sense?

 

Welcome to fishlore hdmstr
You have been given good advice. I just thought as well as the welcome I would also say you definitely need to change some water (about half ) now or as soon as possible.

 

Prime will detoxify low levels of ammonia, but you’ll need to keep the levels low with water changes. Prime is also a dechlorinator.

The amount of water you change and how often you change it depends on your daily test results. As I said in the post above, you’ll want to test daily and do water changes (maybe daily) to keep the combined level of ammonia and nitrites at or below 0.50 ppm.

As a simple example, if your daily test shows 0.50 ppm of ammonia and 0.50 ppm of nitrites, you’ll want to do at least a 50% water change to get the ammonia and nitrite levels down to 0.25 ppm, or 0.50 ppm combined.

Make sense?

Prime will detoxify low levels of ammonia, but you’ll need to keep the levels low with water changes. Prime is also a dechlorinator.

The amount of water you change and how often you change it depends on your daily test results. As I said in the post above, you’ll want to test daily and do water changes (maybe daily) to keep the combined level of ammonia and nitrites at or below 0.50 ppm.

As a simple example, if your daily test shows 0.50 ppm of ammonia and 0.50 ppm of nitrites, you’ll want to do at least a 50% water change to get the ammonia and nitrite levels down to 0.25 ppm, or 0.50 ppm combined.

Make sense?

Thank you both, I've just done my water change and added some prime into the water. Yea I see now how I've inadvertently started a fish in cycle. I'll keep on top of the water tests, the fish themselves have calmed down a fair bit as well.