I have 2 tanks (a 46 gal goldfish tank and a 10 gal Tetra Tank)..I have never had ammonia problems with either and have always had readings of zero.
I had been using Stresscoat but my LFS said to STOP because Stresscoat is very bad and that I needed to use Amquel +...I think I got misguided since my params have always been fine....well anyways, I used Amquel with my water changes for both tanks and suddenly I have high ammonia! (.25 in the 10 gal tank and a reading over 1 on the 46 gallon tank). I do see a disclaimer on the Amquel bottle saying Nessler reagant tests won't work...I use Aquarium Pharm. test kits and it appears those are Nessler...so does that mean my ammonia may actually be ok??
I called the LFS again today and another guy told me I didn't need to use Amquel + so I complained that it was his store who told me to use it in the first place so he said I could return it and get something else. but in the meantime, should I be freaking out and doing daily water changes? I don't really want to buy all new test kits (I am bring the LFS a sample today and have them test it). But wondering more if Amqual + can actually mess with your water?
Full Version: High Ammonia Or False Readings
FIrst, you should read this article on AMquel. Amquel+ is the same thing, only it also binds nitrite and nitrate to a degree.
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/Amquel.html
There have been some researchers who have found that Amquel does not bind ammonia as well as it claims - it will still do the job, but requires more product to do it.
I have a few questions for you, though. How long have your tanks been running? Did you add fish or clean the filter or medicate for a disease? You say you never had any ammonia in your tanks before - so, what changed? Did you treat a disease or something with a medication that killed your cycle? Did you ever have any nitrite readings or nitrate? As the seasons change, is it possible that your water source has changed its readings and it is bringing in ammonia? If you have a robust cycle built, it should quickly grow to process the excess ammonia and all you would see is excess nitrate at the end of the process, though.................
Amquel+ will let the Aquarium Pharm. tests read what is actually "free" in your tank - it will not read the bound ammonia. So your readings will show what is still toxic in the tank. Please post back and we will see if we can get this straightened out for you.
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/Amquel.html
There have been some researchers who have found that Amquel does not bind ammonia as well as it claims - it will still do the job, but requires more product to do it.
I have a few questions for you, though. How long have your tanks been running? Did you add fish or clean the filter or medicate for a disease? You say you never had any ammonia in your tanks before - so, what changed? Did you treat a disease or something with a medication that killed your cycle? Did you ever have any nitrite readings or nitrate? As the seasons change, is it possible that your water source has changed its readings and it is bringing in ammonia? If you have a robust cycle built, it should quickly grow to process the excess ammonia and all you would see is excess nitrate at the end of the process, though.................
Amquel+ will let the Aquarium Pharm. tests read what is actually "free" in your tank - it will not read the bound ammonia. So your readings will show what is still toxic in the tank. Please post back and we will see if we can get this straightened out for you.
well the wierd thing is that it is impacting both of my tanks all of a sudden...the 46 gallon tank has 1 goldfish (about 3 inches) in it right now (the others all died over the last 6 months) and has been running for about a year and a half. The other tank is a 10 gallon tank and has 3 tetras (inch long each) and a cory (also an inch).
Nothing has changed over the last few months...back in January I did treat the tank with meds but it's been fine since. I have not cleaned the filter (changed 1 of the two cartridges 2 weeks ago but that's it), medicated or anything since. No new fish have been added since my last one died a couple of weeks ago.
The 10 gallon has had NOTHING different (other than changing from Stresscoat to Amquel +). I did also notice thta they had nitrates of 10-15ppm before the Amquel and suddenly that is showing 0. Nitrites are remaining at 0 for both tanks and ph is stable at 7.5
The only thing that changed for these 2 tanks is that I did their water change/gravel vac (using separate gravel vacs of course) on Saturday. I tested yesterday and both had readings.
The 10 gallon's reading was .25 ppm and the 46 was around 1 ppm.
I have been playing around with the goldies food type (not giving too much or anything but instead varying what he eats) bc the other fish had had swim bladder issues. I don't like the flake food they have been eating so have been switching off between frozen brine (defrosted in tank water), veggies (shelled peas, a small cucumber slice or small orange slice), or spirulina flakes (soaked). I just made a gel food but that hasn't been introduced yet.
Nothing has changed over the last few months...back in January I did treat the tank with meds but it's been fine since. I have not cleaned the filter (changed 1 of the two cartridges 2 weeks ago but that's it), medicated or anything since. No new fish have been added since my last one died a couple of weeks ago.
The 10 gallon has had NOTHING different (other than changing from Stresscoat to Amquel +). I did also notice thta they had nitrates of 10-15ppm before the Amquel and suddenly that is showing 0. Nitrites are remaining at 0 for both tanks and ph is stable at 7.5
The only thing that changed for these 2 tanks is that I did their water change/gravel vac (using separate gravel vacs of course) on Saturday. I tested yesterday and both had readings.
The 10 gallon's reading was .25 ppm and the 46 was around 1 ppm.
I have been playing around with the goldies food type (not giving too much or anything but instead varying what he eats) bc the other fish had had swim bladder issues. I don't like the flake food they have been eating so have been switching off between frozen brine (defrosted in tank water), veggies (shelled peas, a small cucumber slice or small orange slice), or spirulina flakes (soaked). I just made a gel food but that hasn't been introduced yet.
So, do you have a deep layer of gravel in the bottom of the tanks? And when you vacumned did you stir and vacumn deeply? Perhaps you stirred up a lot of waste that is not processed yet.
What does the cartridge for the filter have in it? Is is charcoal or zeolite or something else?
Have you tested your tap water for ammonia?
Do you know what your kH or gH are?
Are you using salt in any concentration in the tank?
This does seem strange. I think that at .25 and 1 ppm, as long as there is nothing else (nitrites etc) in the tank to stress the fish, I would stop using the Amquel+ also and see what your "real" readings are. These are not horribly toxic numbers - at the pH you are at. Try a couple of days - changing water each day, but only use your water conditioner - for Chlorine and heavy metals, no ammonia binding etc. See if the tank's cycle bounces back from where ever it has gone to - for if you have had it cycled and have no other reason for the bump, the bacteria may still be there and only need time and encouragement to start functioning well again.
Sometimes you can add too many things - it is better to go as simple as possible. Keeping it simple can also, possibly, help us identify where the problem might be.
My 56 gallon tank had a large bump in the cycle about 6 months ago. I never did figure out what happened or why, but it bounced back within a week. I just faithfully changed the water and kept an eye on it all, and it was good in about a week and robust within 2, again.
Go figure.
What does the cartridge for the filter have in it? Is is charcoal or zeolite or something else?
Have you tested your tap water for ammonia?
Do you know what your kH or gH are?
Are you using salt in any concentration in the tank?
This does seem strange. I think that at .25 and 1 ppm, as long as there is nothing else (nitrites etc) in the tank to stress the fish, I would stop using the Amquel+ also and see what your "real" readings are. These are not horribly toxic numbers - at the pH you are at. Try a couple of days - changing water each day, but only use your water conditioner - for Chlorine and heavy metals, no ammonia binding etc. See if the tank's cycle bounces back from where ever it has gone to - for if you have had it cycled and have no other reason for the bump, the bacteria may still be there and only need time and encouragement to start functioning well again.
Sometimes you can add too many things - it is better to go as simple as possible. Keeping it simple can also, possibly, help us identify where the problem might be.
My 56 gallon tank had a large bump in the cycle about 6 months ago. I never did figure out what happened or why, but it bounced back within a week. I just faithfully changed the water and kept an eye on it all, and it was good in about a week and robust within 2, again.
Go figure.
is your test the one bottle or the two bottle AP test?
The one bottle is nessler and won't read accurately with amquel+.
Doc Johnson says the aloe in stress coat may clog gills. It's plant sap you're adding to the water weekly.
The one bottle is nessler and won't read accurately with amquel+.
Doc Johnson says the aloe in stress coat may clog gills. It's plant sap you're adding to the water weekly.
Yep, that was exactly the problem..I had the 1 bottle tester. When I brought a sample to my LFS yesterday, my params tested perfect...thank God!! =) I bought the 2 bottle kit last night and exchanged the Amquel for NovAqua. Thanks for your help!
Yea, the novaqua should be better for routine use... tho if you have issues with ammonia, it won't help with that.
I'm a minimalist when it comes to water conditioners I only want it to detox chlorine/chloramine and heavy metals. I figure fish been doing the slime coat thing by themselves for a long time and don't need any help from chemicals.
For regular partial water changes, I use the AP Tap water conditioner, cuz it's concentrated and it breaks down chlorine/chloramine and detoxes heavy metals and nothing else.
For large partial water changes, I use Prime, cuz it also detoxes ammonia (I have 2.5ppm ammonia in my tap water).
I'm a minimalist when it comes to water conditioners I only want it to detox chlorine/chloramine and heavy metals. I figure fish been doing the slime coat thing by themselves for a long time and don't need any help from chemicals.
For regular partial water changes, I use the AP Tap water conditioner, cuz it's concentrated and it breaks down chlorine/chloramine and detoxes heavy metals and nothing else.
For large partial water changes, I use Prime, cuz it also detoxes ammonia (I have 2.5ppm ammonia in my tap water).
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