Zebra's and Ammonia toxicity
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:20 pm
Ok, here is my problem....
I set up a 100litre tank a few months back. I have had ammonia in there ever since. I have 4 adult zebs in there and a few Cory's.
The PH is around 6.0, Nitrite has never really been above 0.
The Ammonia has been fluctuating between 0.5ppm and 1.5ppm since about a week before the Zebs were added.
I have used copious amounts of various bacteria products - JBL filter-start, Hagen Cycle, Waste Control, Bactinettes, Bactozym etc. I've used Polyfilter and Fluval Ammonia remover with no success.
The only thing I can do to keep it down is small daily/bi-daily water changes and the use of Interpet's Ammonia Remover. I have had to use this Ammonia remover almost on a daily basis to stop the Ammonia getting too high. I think it converts the Ammonia into Ammonium which still appears on the test kit so I am no longer sure how much is Ammonia and how much is Ammonium.
The guys at both of my local Maidenhead Aquatics don't have an answer for it. Its like the bacteria either aren't forming, or just aren't doing their job. I have WAY below the tanks capacity of fish, I have around 1200-1400lpr filtration, plus two Powerheads which give a tank turn-over of around 22-24 times per hour.
The fish I haven't been able to feed much, just some cucumber every other day. I am worried that if I feed them proper stuff with protein in it, then it will sky-rocket the Ammonia, but if I don't feed enough they will starve.
I am really at my wits end. I have no other tank to put them in, so my only other choice is to take them to my local Maidenhead store whilst I try and sort this out. But then I run the risk of one or more 'mysteriously disappearing', despite the risk of acclimitisation problems in one of their tanks.
The fish seem okay in themselves, but I am desperate to get this sorted. Can any of you fellow Zebra fans help me?
I have also found this:
http://www.dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/AmmoniaTox.html
As we know Ammonia is less toxic at a lower PH and temperature than it is at higher. But according to this my Ammonia won't actually start affecting the fish until its about 15ppm plus!
I set up a 100litre tank a few months back. I have had ammonia in there ever since. I have 4 adult zebs in there and a few Cory's.
The PH is around 6.0, Nitrite has never really been above 0.
The Ammonia has been fluctuating between 0.5ppm and 1.5ppm since about a week before the Zebs were added.
I have used copious amounts of various bacteria products - JBL filter-start, Hagen Cycle, Waste Control, Bactinettes, Bactozym etc. I've used Polyfilter and Fluval Ammonia remover with no success.
The only thing I can do to keep it down is small daily/bi-daily water changes and the use of Interpet's Ammonia Remover. I have had to use this Ammonia remover almost on a daily basis to stop the Ammonia getting too high. I think it converts the Ammonia into Ammonium which still appears on the test kit so I am no longer sure how much is Ammonia and how much is Ammonium.
The guys at both of my local Maidenhead Aquatics don't have an answer for it. Its like the bacteria either aren't forming, or just aren't doing their job. I have WAY below the tanks capacity of fish, I have around 1200-1400lpr filtration, plus two Powerheads which give a tank turn-over of around 22-24 times per hour.
The fish I haven't been able to feed much, just some cucumber every other day. I am worried that if I feed them proper stuff with protein in it, then it will sky-rocket the Ammonia, but if I don't feed enough they will starve.
I am really at my wits end. I have no other tank to put them in, so my only other choice is to take them to my local Maidenhead store whilst I try and sort this out. But then I run the risk of one or more 'mysteriously disappearing', despite the risk of acclimitisation problems in one of their tanks.
The fish seem okay in themselves, but I am desperate to get this sorted. Can any of you fellow Zebra fans help me?
I have also found this:
http://www.dataguru.org/misc/aquarium/AmmoniaTox.html
As we know Ammonia is less toxic at a lower PH and temperature than it is at higher. But according to this my Ammonia won't actually start affecting the fish until its about 15ppm plus!