ammonia problems

[*muffin*]

for months now I have had problems keeping ammonia under control in a 55 gal
tank.
only a couple fish,, (sacrificial it seems), & I put in ammonia stuff in it
( darn don't have the tub in front of me to name it).

anyway the ammonia drops , but always goes up,,

have done partial water changes etc. then, emptying, refilling, STILL high
ammonia. this time we emptied even the gravel ( last time we rinsed it out).

water going IN has no chlorine, but ammonia is at just above.25 mg/l ( we
use cistern water, lately its been from rain water fill).

I put IN ammolock-2 yesterday to combat the new ammonia. the bottle read ,,
that the ammonia testing will STILL show ammonia in the water even with
using this stuff....... so HOW do you tell if the water is OK for fish??

(also put in stress coat)

tonight the tests were
ammonia 1.5 mg/l
PH 7.4
nitrite "0"
GH "0"
nitrate >5

we just put in 2 more sacrificial goldfish.

any ideas what to do now?

[Geezer From The Freezer]

rain water is not good water for goldfish.

I'd test the water before it goes into your tank.


*muffin* wrote:
>
> for months now I have had problems keeping ammonia under control in a 55 gal
> tank.
> only a couple fish,, (sacrificial it seems), & I put in ammonia stuff in it
> ( darn don't have the tub in front of me to name it).
>
> anyway the ammonia drops , but always goes up,,
>
> have done partial water changes etc. then, emptying, refilling, STILL high
> ammonia. this time we emptied even the gravel ( last time we rinsed it out).
>
> water going IN has no chlorine, but ammonia is at just above.25 mg/l ( we
> use cistern water, lately its been from rain water fill).
>
> I put IN ammolock-2 yesterday to combat the new ammonia. the bottle read ,,
> that the ammonia testing will STILL show ammonia in the water even with
> using this stuff....... so HOW do you tell if the water is OK for fish??
>
> (also put in stress coat)
>
> tonight the tests were
> ammonia 1.5 mg/l
> PH 7.4
> nitrite "0"
> GH "0"
> nitrate >5
>
> we just put in 2 more sacrificial goldfish.
>
> any ideas what to do now?

[*muffin*]

I did test.
that is where I said the ammonia is at .25mg. other tests were the same as
below. the only thing that changed in one day is the ammonia level went up,
after I put in the ammolock-2.(goldfish went in after 2nd testing, had read
you should have fish to cycle properly)

so far my pond handles the rainwater pretty good. ( water testing good)
: )


arrghhh


"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
> rain water is not good water for goldfish.
>
> I'd test the water before it goes into your tank.
>
>
> *muffin* wrote:
> >
> > for months now I have had problems keeping ammonia under control in a 55
gal
> > tank.
> > only a couple fish,, (sacrificial it seems), & I put in ammonia stuff in
it
> > ( darn don't have the tub in front of me to name it).
> >
> > anyway the ammonia drops , but always goes up,,
> >
> > have done partial water changes etc. then, emptying, refilling, STILL
high
> > ammonia. this time we emptied even the gravel ( last time we rinsed it
out).
> >
> > water going IN has no chlorine, but ammonia is at just above.25 mg/l
( we
> > use cistern water, lately its been from rain water fill).
> >
> > I put IN ammolock-2 yesterday to combat the new ammonia. the bottle read
,,
> > that the ammonia testing will STILL show ammonia in the water even with
> > using this stuff....... so HOW do you tell if the water is OK for fish??
> >
> > (also put in stress coat)
> >
> > tonight the tests were
> > ammonia 1.5 mg/l
> > PH 7.4
> > nitrite "0"
> > GH "0"
> > nitrate >5
> >
> > we just put in 2 more sacrificial goldfish.
> >
> > any ideas what to do now?

[Geezer From The Freezer]

I do believe that ammolock messes up ammonia testing.


*muffin* wrote:
>
> I did test.
> that is where I said the ammonia is at .25mg. other tests were the same as
> below. the only thing that changed in one day is the ammonia level went up,
> after I put in the ammolock-2.(goldfish went in after 2nd testing, had read
> you should have fish to cycle properly)
>
> so far my pond handles the rainwater pretty good. ( water testing good)
> : )

[*muffin*]

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
> I do believe that ammolock messes up ammonia testing.
>
>

yes that is what the bottle reads......
so HOW do I know if its a false reading?
or I have ammonia problems?

[Tom L. La Bron]

Muffin,

In a 55 gallon tank I would put in 4 airstones and pump
air through them vigorously to start with in this
matter. Oxygen is a main component to getting you tank
to cycle.

What is KH, i.e. Carbonate Hardness? Do you have a
filter running? I assume that you do since you say you
are trying to cycle your tank. If you have Rainwater
you probably have no KH, get a kit and measure it and
bring it up with Baking Soda. pH will rise also, but
that is all right. Carbonate Hardness is intergal to
cycling your tank. It should be between 80-120ppm at
least.

What do you plan to put in the tank, number wise. What
are you going to do with the sacrificial fish?

By-the-by, I would check your tank to see why water
coming out of cistern has an ammonia reading of
..25mg/l, also if you initially trying to cycle your
tank you should not have any nitrates, which means you
should also probably check your incoming water for
nitrates, which also suggests that there may be
something wrong with water source or the holding tank.

Your water isn't flowing through the bodies of dead
horse is it.;-0 Sorry that is from an old movie about
Florence Nightingale during the Chirmean War. ;-)

Tom L.L.
-------------------------------------

*muffin* wrote:
> "Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I do believe that ammolock messes up ammonia testing.
>>
>>
>
>
> yes that is what the bottle reads......
> so HOW do I know if its a false reading?
> or I have ammonia problems?
>
>

[*muffin*]

1st,
how much baking soda do I add?

I'll get to the other questions , later, after I add baking soda, I'll test
again.


"Tom L. La Bron" > wrote in message
...
> Muffin,
>
> In a 55 gallon tank I would put in 4 airstones and pump
> air through them vigorously to start with in this
> matter. Oxygen is a main component to getting you tank
> to cycle.
>
> What is KH, i.e. Carbonate Hardness? Do you have a
> filter running? I assume that you do since you say you
> are trying to cycle your tank. If you have Rainwater
> you probably have no KH, get a kit and measure it and
> bring it up with Baking Soda. pH will rise also, but
> that is all right. Carbonate Hardness is intergal to
> cycling your tank. It should be between 80-120ppm at
> least.
>
> What do you plan to put in the tank, number wise. What
> are you going to do with the sacrificial fish?
>
> By-the-by, I would check your tank to see why water
> coming out of cistern has an ammonia reading of
> .25mg/l, also if you initially trying to cycle your
> tank you should not have any nitrates, which means you
> should also probably check your incoming water for
> nitrates, which also suggests that there may be
> something wrong with water source or the holding tank.
>
> Your water isn't flowing through the bodies of dead
> horse is it.;-0 Sorry that is from an old movie about
> Florence Nightingale during the Chirmean War. ;-)
>
> Tom L.L.
> -------------------------------------
>
> *muffin* wrote:
> > "Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>I do believe that ammolock messes up ammonia testing.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > yes that is what the bottle reads......
> > so HOW do I know if its a false reading?
> > or I have ammonia problems?
> >
> >

[Tom L. La Bron]

muffin,

You need to get a KH test kit before you start adding
baking soda, but it is usually a teaspoon at a time,
with subsequent testing after waiting about two hours.
You need to find out what the KH is now.

Tom L.L
----------------------------------------

*muffin* wrote:
> 1st,
> how much baking soda do I add?
>
> I'll get to the other questions , later, after I add baking soda, I'll test
> again.
>
>
> "Tom L. La Bron" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Muffin,
>>
>>In a 55 gallon tank I would put in 4 airstones and pump
>>air through them vigorously to start with in this
>>matter. Oxygen is a main component to getting you tank
>>to cycle.
>>
>>What is KH, i.e. Carbonate Hardness? Do you have a
>>filter running? I assume that you do since you say you
>>are trying to cycle your tank. If you have Rainwater
>>you probably have no KH, get a kit and measure it and
>>bring it up with Baking Soda. pH will rise also, but
>>that is all right. Carbonate Hardness is intergal to
>>cycling your tank. It should be between 80-120ppm at
>>least.
>>
>>What do you plan to put in the tank, number wise. What
>>are you going to do with the sacrificial fish?
>>
>>By-the-by, I would check your tank to see why water
>>coming out of cistern has an ammonia reading of
>>.25mg/l, also if you initially trying to cycle your
>>tank you should not have any nitrates, which means you
>>should also probably check your incoming water for
>>nitrates, which also suggests that there may be
>>something wrong with water source or the holding tank.
>>
>>Your water isn't flowing through the bodies of dead
>>horse is it.;-0 Sorry that is from an old movie about
>>Florence Nightingale during the Chirmean War. ;-)
>>
>>Tom L.L.
>>-------------------------------------
>>
>>*muffin* wrote:
>>
>>>"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>>
>>>>I do believe that ammolock messes up ammonia testing.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>yes that is what the bottle reads......
>>>so HOW do I know if its a false reading?
>>>or I have ammonia problems?
>>>
>>>
>
>
>

[*muffin*]

answered inline


"Tom L. La Bron" > wrote in message
...
> Muffin,
>
> In a 55 gallon tank I would put in 4 airstones and pump
> air through them vigorously to start with in this
> matter. Oxygen is a main component to getting you tank
> to cycle.


forgot about the airstones.... ok, put some have an 8 in, & a small one (
all I had here)


>
> What is KH, i.e. Carbonate Hardness? Do you have a
> filter running? I assume that you do since you say you
> are trying to cycle your tank. If you have Rainwater
> you probably have no KH, get a kit and measure it and
> bring it up with Baking Soda. pH will rise also, but
> that is all right. Carbonate Hardness is intergal to
> cycling your tank. It should be between 80-120ppm at
> least.


forgot the KH test.
ok today the testing is: (Oh,, my 'helper dumped in a tablespoon of baking
soda, before I tested, so I waited 2 hours & this is the test results)
Nessler ammonia test "0"
3 part ammonia test 1.5 ( now, the bottle of ammo lock read it would affect
tests,,,,,,, hmmm)
PH 7.6
nitrite .25
nitrate 5 ppm
KH 100ppm
GH 75 ppm


>
> What do you plan to put in the tank, number wise.

just a few fancy goldfish, it was for wintering the faniceir fish from our
pond over winter...... OR for the Pl*eco.


What
> are you going to do with the sacrificial fish?


these are from our 'extras' in our main pond. we have several 5"+ goldfish
we need to weed out ( they were 1" feeders last year). I am planning on
putting them in our other farm pond, which has wild growth of lilies & stuff
in it.


>
> By-the-by, I would check your tank to see why water
> coming out of cistern has an ammonia reading of
> .25mg/l, also if you initially trying to cycle your
> tank you should not have any nitrates, which means you
> should also probably check your incoming water for
> nitrates, which also suggests that there may be
> something wrong with water source or the holding tank.

our water is off the roof into the cistern. we buy city water about every 3
months, it has rained here a lot!
tested faucet water:
ammonia nessler test "0"
ammonia 3 part test .25
nitrate >5

>
> Your water isn't flowing through the bodies of dead
> horse is it.;-0 Sorry that is from an old movie about
> Florence Nightingale during the Chirmean War. ;-)
>
> Tom L.L.


uhhh, no... but we do have horses,, out in the field above the water/well we
do use when we refill our pond, this also has a small amount of ammonia in
it.

thanks.. so now what?




> -------------------------------------
>
> *muffin* wrote:
> > "Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>I do believe that ammolock messes up ammonia testing.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > yes that is what the bottle reads......
> > so HOW do I know if its a false reading?
> > or I have ammonia problems?
> >
> >