Ammonia Level Won't Go Down

[fishman12]

I set up a 10g recently, it has all the stuff required: filter,heater, decor, etc... But the ammonia won't go down. I changed about 75% yesterday and added extra Prime, as well as more plants, but it's back up. I'm gonna do a 100% change later, but I wonder what's causing it? I know that levels can spike, but isn't this a little much?

[Oldfishlady]

What is the ammonia reading and what kind of testing product are you using...also, Prime will change the ammonia to ammonium that is harmless to the fish and the testing product can't tell the difference

Have you tested the source water for ammonia

Does the tank have livestock/fish and if so, how are they acting....

[fishman12]

It looks like it's in between 0 and .25 ppm, I'm using API master, the source water has no ammonia, it has a betta (now removed) and he was breathing heavily and staying in one spot.

[Oldfishlady]

What is the temp and did you use the proper amount of dechlorinator with the last water change....this can be easily forgotten sometimes......0-0.25ppm ammonia is generally not a problem and with use of Prime I suspect it is ammonium you are seeing anyway....so the symptoms are most likely due to something else....I would make a 50% water only change with like temp water and dose the dechlorinator for the full volume of the tank....

Is this an established tank....what are the other water prams...nitrite and nitrate......nitrite 0.25ppm can cause heavy breathing and sudden change in nitrate and pH can too....

[fishman12]

Temp is 81 now, it was 83 earlier, I turned the heater down though. Yes proper amount of dechlorinater was used. The tank was started 2 days ago, Nitrite and nitrate are zero, pH is 7.4-5. Thanks OFL

[fishman12]

*bump*

[cajunamy]

Was he acting this way before or after the water change?

If he didn't act like that until after the water change, I would say that you changed too much water with water that was not the same as before ... different temp, different mineral content ...

Is he a very new addition? He could be still settling in.

I agree with OFL, you are likely seeing the ammonium reading, and .25, while not perfectly ideal, shouldn't be causing that behavior.

eta: more questions - with no n/n readings, this must be a brand new tank right? Did you rinse off everything before hand? Did you wash anything with soap or any other chemicals?

[fishman12]

This was 18 hours after the water change, yes he's new, but he already made a bubble nest. Yes it is brand new. Every thing was rinsed of thoroughly but just under warm water, no soap/chemicals.

[cajunamy]

If it's worrisome to you I'd just do a 40-50% water change a day until the cycle kicks in or he's doing better.

[fishman12]

He's looking a lot better now, maybe it was something in the water. Hmmm