small ammonia problem.

Hello I've got 0,5 ammonia in my tank and my fish are fine. At first I thought it had something to do with my tap water but then I discovered a dead shrimp.

last night after a 50% water change my readings where 0 ammonia but now my readings are again 0,5 ammonia. why is that? and what do I need to do?


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my readings are between 0,5 and 0. Probably 0,3 or 0,4


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What Size of Tank, what fish are in the tank, what are the other readings in the tank (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph), how often do you do water changes, what water conditioner do you use what are your tap water readings (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph), how long has this tank been set up

 

It would appear for what ever reason you have more ammonia than bacteria to process it. I would recommend a partial water change with Prime every time it rises until it stays consistently at zero.

 

YOur tank is a 15 gallon correct, you are most likely overstocked if the following (below) is true as your profile stated, also your tank has only been up since march 1st, which is only just over a month

Fish, Plants, Inverts, etc.:2x dwarf gourami's
3x platy
1x bristlenose pleco
4x ghost shrimp
1x anubia
4x other plantsAquarium Start Date:
1-3-2015

 

Hello! Is your tank cycled? Is this the 70L (18g)tank on your profile? How often to you do a water change? What substrate?

 

What Size of Tank, what fish are in the tank, what are the other readings in the tank (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph), how often do you do water changes, what water conditioner do you use what are your tap water readings (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph), how long has this tank been set up

my tank is 18 gallons in it are

-2 dwarf gourami's
-3 platy's
- 1 bristlenose pleco
- 4 amano shrimp

the tank has bin running for 5-6 weeks now.

my other readings are

nitrite 0
nitrate 0

pH 8


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Hello! Is your tank cycled? Is this the 70L (18g)tank on your profile? How often to you do a water change? What substrate?

last week a measured 20 mg/L nitrate but last night I measured 0 mg/L nitrate. I did a 50% water change every day of this week.


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YOur tank is a 15 gallon correct, you are most likely overstocked if the following (below) is true as your profile stated, also your tank has only been up since march 1st, which is only just over a month

Fish, Plants, Inverts, etc.:2x dwarf gourami's
3x platy
1x bristlenose pleco
4x ghost shrimp
1x anubia
4x other plantsAquarium Start Date:
1-3-2015

my tank is a 18,5 gallon (70 liters)


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It would appear for what ever reason you have more ammonia than bacteria to process it. I would recommend a partial water change with Prime every time it rises until it stays consistently at zero.

Okay thanks I already did that with sera nitrivec.


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I must say that I did wash the filter media with tap water two weeks ago.


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over stocked bro. try looking on craigslist for a used tank that you can clean real good. or check out petco they have there sale going on right now 1 per gallon for aquariums. 55 gallon is 55 bucks. on a 15 gallons its very hard to keep ammonia nitrates and nitrites down adn the water swings drastically in such a small tank. do an 75% WC and fill it back up with RO water. You should be good. Just moniter it daily and ad prime or whatever remover you use accordingly.

 

over stocked bro. try looking on craigslist for a used tank that you can clean real good. or check out petco they have there sale going on right now 1 per gallon for aquariums. 55 gallon is 55 bucks. on a 15 gallons its very hard to keep ammonia nitrates and nitrites down adn the water swings drastically in such a small tank. do an 75% WC and fill it back up with RO water. You should be good. Just moniter it daily and ad prime or whatever remover you use accordingly.

I have a 18,5 gallon aquarium.


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I have a 18,5 gallon aquarium.


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Larger body of water = less temperamental water swings.
but if your hearts set on your 18g then do a wc with ro water.
I would understand though 8 tanks later I still have my very first 10 gallon up and running strong lol

 

Larger body of water = less temperamental water swings.
but if your hearts set on your 18g then do a wc with ro water.
I would understand though 8 tanks later I still have my very first 10 gallon up and running strong lol

It is my first tank and I think it is not overstocked but pretty close tough.


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a good rule of thumb is 4 calm stationary fish for a 10 gallon, about 5 for a 20. But you have to consider the heavy load that a pleco does alone. Theyre very dirty fish borderline underwater reptiles. Plus you have 4 shrimp. You have 5 bottom feeders in a 18g. Theres a common misconception among new fish keepers that theyre beneficial for a tank. May but true to a certain extent But in a tank that small Theyre spiking the levels for sure I didnt see your stock until I scrolled up. 2 dwarf gouramis and 3 platys would live comfortably in that tank as babies. bottom feeders do clean up however they also poop a lot! I'm amazed at how much my 13" pleco poops. I have to do a WC after he does its that bad.

 

a good rule of thumb is 4 calm stationary fish for a 10 gallon, about 5 for a 20. But you have to consider the heavy load that a pleco does alone. Theyre very dirty fish borderline underwater reptiles. Plus you have 4 shrimp. You have 5 bottom feeders in a 18g. Theres a common misconception among new fish keepers that theyre beneficial for a tank. May but true to a certain extent But in a tank that small Theyre spiking the levels for sure I didnt see your stock until I scrolled up. 2 dwarf gouramis and 3 platys would live comfortably in that tank as babies. bottom feeders do clean up however they also poop a lot! I'm amazed at how much my 13" pleco poops. I have to do a WC after he does its that bad.

The Armano shrimp live a life if 1 year on average. My pleco is a bristle nose pleco so it doesn't groe huge. both my dwarf giurami's are adults and one of my platy is also fully grown.

And the place where I bought my shrimps said that shrimps do not produce much waste.


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armanos, ghosts, and cherry aren't too bad and theyre very cheap. But when you add that many bottom feeders it creates a problem. Try getting an assassin snail =] Theyre cheap, clean, and you won't have to get rid of your shrimp ;-]

 

armanos, ghosts, and cherry aren't too bad and theyre very cheap. But when you add that many bottom feeders it creates a problem. Try getting an assassin snail =] Theyre cheap, clean, and you won't have to get rid of your shrimp ;-]

What do you mean? that the assasin snail eat's the shrimp?

one question about the pleco thoug because it grows to 10 cm in 18 years. So does it grow his whole life or not?


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I must say that I did wash the filter media with tap water two weeks ago.


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That is probably the worst thing you could do for your tank. Tap water has chlorine and chloramines in it so it kills the bacteria and it killed majority of you beneficial bacteria. If you want to clean the filter media, fill a bucket with tank water and swish it around to clean it.

 

assasin snails eat anything smaller than itself and they don't multiple like apple snails. normal snails can pop out 100 eggs. assassins only pop out 1-3. Regarding the pleco it depends on its living conditions. I have a 13" 7 year old pleco. People they say they grow to tank you put it in but I think that's bull. Mine has slowly grown over time and hasnt plateaued yet.

 

That is probably the worst thing you could do for your tank. Tap water has chlorine and chloramines in it so it kills the bacteria and it killed majority of you beneficial bacteria. If you want to clean the filter media, fill a bucket with tank water and swish it around to clean it.

I know now but that's why I have to learn I guess.

assasin snails eat anything smaller than itself and they don't multiple like apple snails. normal snails can pop out 100 eggs. assassins only pop out 1-3. Regarding the pleco it depends on its living conditions. I have a 13" 7 year old pleco. People they say they grow to tank you put it in but I think that's bull. Mine has slowly grown over time and hasnt plateaued yet.

okay maybe after the shrimps because they are not going to die on my watch.

I'm absolutly positive that the ammonia comes from the dead shrimp. My ammonia levels are 0 now yet I did found a trace if nitrite.

One of my platies is still at the top of the tank trying to breathe air... the other don't do that.

 

It sounds that your platy is oxygen deprived, add an airstone to help oxygenate the water or lower the water level so it splashes into the water.

 

It sounds that your platy is oxygen deprived, add an airstone to help oxygenate the water or lower the water level so it splashes into the water.

Well they are doing fine now. When I feed them I put the filter of so their food doesn't get blown away. This time I forgto to put the filter on and I discovered half a hour later.


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assasin snails eat anything smaller than itself and they don't multiple like apple snails. normal snails can pop out 100 eggs. assassins only pop out 1-3. Regarding the pleco it depends on its living conditions. I have a 13" 7 year old pleco. People they say they grow to tank you put it in but I think that's bull. Mine has slowly grown over time and hasnt plateaued yet.

Assassin snails will gang up on snails larger than themselves, too......

 

Assassin snails will gang up on snails larger than themselves, too......

I don't think you understand me. I put those shrimp in there myself the aren't a plague or something. So why do I need to get a assasin snail? It just gives me more bioload.


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I don't think you understand me. I put those shrimp in there myself the aren't a plague or something. So why do I need to get a assasin snail? It just gives me more bioload.


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You don't. I was just responding to his comment that they'll eat anything smaller than themselves.

 

You don't. I was just responding to his comment that they'll eat anything smaller than themselves.

Ok then.


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