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Cycling: Handling ammonia/nitrite spikes


Tam

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I've just checked my water with testers...

indicates that there is quite a high level of ammo and nitrite

what should i do besides change aged water and put in some media from another established tank ? Would changin aged water kill whats already established?

oh the tank is only 3 ft and only been set up about a month ago...with a cheap sponge filter and hang on filter...

Also any one heard of "Ammo-Lock" or anything similar to use?

Does it work ? and how does it work ?

Thanks for you help

Tam

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Hi Tam,

Also any one heard of "Ammo-Lock" or anything similar to use?

Does it work ? and how does it work ?

I use Ammolock...it works well....and "locks" the ammonia for about a week. It is useful if you have fish in the affected tank. Your test kit will still test positive to ammonia, but it is essentially "inert" and won't affect your fish.

merjo smile.gif

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Hi Tam, I've set up a 4 footer recently and have had a similar problem (new tank syndrome in my case). I've been using Ammolock for the last week. Basically there are two forms of Ammonia, one of which is toxic to fish. Essentially Ammolock converts the toxic Ammonia to non-toxic ammonia. It doesn't remove the ammonia.

I've been doing this waiting for the ammonia cycle to do its thing. This morning however the tank peaked in ammonia levels and went quiet cloudy. After retreating with Ammolock (which you need to do every two days) I've gone and bought an old fashioned corner air filter and added a layer of Zeolite between the filter wool layers. Zeolite will remove ammonia.

Good luck

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Correct...it doesn't remove the ammonia, it renders it "inert". If you are using Ammolock, don't do water changes...let the tank cycle naturally otherwise you are removing your Ammolock during water changes. It doesn't affect the good bacteria as far as I am aware.

merjo smile.gif

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i think you should change say 20-50% of water even when you are using ammo-lock...

the reason is because by doing this you are diluting the ammonia and therefore shortening the time it takes for it cycle (ie amonium 0--->nitrite0--->nitrate+?ppm)

but thats just my theory... (no expert)

im going to change age water 20% and put some media from another tank...

strange thing is its been running for about 1month and it should have been established already...its only a 3fter

what about geo liquid?

Tam

edit- btw is the stuff instant or takes a few hours to take effect?

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Ammonlock is instant.

As to water changes - what you are effectively doing by large water changes is also diluting the bacteria which what you are trying to establish as part of the ammonia cycle.

IMHO large and frequent water changes will lengthen the period it will take to establish effective biological media in the tank.

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IMHO large and frequent water changes will lengthen the period it will take to establish effective biological media in the tank

Agreed wink.gif (with Harry)...plus you are wasting your money on Ammolock..

merjo smile.gif

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hey all i think the best thing to do is buy some type of bacteria suppliment and add that at the reccomended dosage after doing a small 15% water change then let it go for about 2 hours and check again also if you have nothing living in there the cycle will not be 100% complete so you should buy a cheap test pilot lol and leave that in there after you get your levels down to a reasonably safe level and remember small water changes dilute your ammonia and nitrite so it will help with the cycle but also you shoudl add some bacteria suppliment to help with the cycle

thanks

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