Ammonia spike!

[bllauben]

I don't know if I got a false reading or what, but my ammonia yesterday was 0.25. Today, it's 1.5 despite me doing a 25 percent change yesterday. I don't know if I got a false reading or what. It's day 3 of me trying to cycle my 10 gallon tank. I just have my betta and 2 Dwarf Suckermouth catfish in there. My catfish are eating the algae and the algae wafers. My betta will only eat frozen food. Nitrites are just a trace to none (under 0.3). Temp is 76. The betta is not acting as active as normal. I am thinking about doing another 25 percent change. I did use the water conditioner yesterday as normal.

What could have caused the spike? What do I do?

[beagle]

The spike is just a normal part of the cycle. Since you are doing a fish in cycle you will need to keep an eye on the ammonia and do frequent water changes. Yes go ahead and do another water change now.

[bllauben]

Originally Posted by beagle

The spike is just a normal part of the cycle. Since you are doing a fish in cycle you will need to keep an eye on the ammonia and do frequent water changes. Yes go ahead and do another water change now.

Thanks. I just realized that my catfish are not eating the algae wafers. I got another build up of algae on the bubbler that they are not touching. Further more, Flash is spitting out more food than I orginally thought. So, the husband is going to come home with a tank vacummer thingy. Going to clean the gravel tonight as soon as I get home from work, right after Flash has his last meal of the night (I feed him 3 times a day: first thing when I get up, before I leave for work and as soon as I come home from work). Mid meal is usually light. Morning and evening meals, he eats about 2 tweezer pinches of daphnia or brine shrimp or 2 blood worms. Midmeal is half of that. Might cut back on the amount I am feeding him.

I just did a 1/3 change. Added water conditioner along with the bacteria starter stuff. I just wish I knew someone near me who can give me some filter juice from their tanks! LOL!

Thanks!
--Beth

[Oldfishlady]

What kind of testing product are you using and what kind of dechlorinator are you using.....

In the 10gal...what kind of filter, substrate and how deep, any live plants....if you have live plants-what species and how many and the lights-what kind, kelvin, watts, photoperiod

How long has the tank been running with the current livestock
Anything else like snails or shrimp
Tell us more about the dwarf suckermouth catfish...never heard of any that will stay small enough for a 10gal-can you post a pic...or are they Otos.....

I would make 50% with vacuum at least weekly and 50% water only with any readings of ammonia, nitrite 0.25ppm or greater

What are all the tank pram numbers for: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH

Remember the additive used for the cycle can cause skewed numbers too-what brand is that...most are a waste of time and money....the only one I know of that is worth anything is Dr Tims one and only....

What is your finial stocking plan for the tank....

[bllauben]

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

What kind of testing product are you using and what kind of dechlorinator are you using.....

In the 10gal...what kind of filter, substrate and how deep, any live plants....if you have live plants-what species and how many and the lights-what kind, kelvin, watts, photoperiod

How long has the tank been running with the current livestock
Anything else like snails or shrimp
Tell us more about the dwarf suckermouth catfish...never heard of any that will stay small enough for a 10gal-can you post a pic...or are they Otos.....

I would make 50% with vacuum at least weekly and 50% water only with any readings of ammonia, nitrite 0.25ppm or greater

What are all the tank pram numbers for: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH

Remember the additive used for the cycle can cause skewed numbers too-what brand is that...most are a waste of time and money....the only one I know of that is worth anything is Dr Tims one and only....

What is your finial stocking plan for the tank....

Testing product is a liquid test kit: Tetratest Laborett
The water conditioner is BettaSafe.
For the life of me, I don't know the brand of filter, but it came with the topfin goldfish starter tank kit I bought (the other 10 gallon tank kit, the filter had a much stronger current). This is the tank I bought: http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...051&lmdn=Brand

Substrate is river rock (gravel size) and it's about 1/2 to 1inch deep. No live plants.

The additive I used was the bacteria starter sample included with the tank.

I've heard of the catfish being called Oto fish. http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...&lmdn=Pet+Type

As for final stocking plan, I am looking into it. I was thinking tettras, then I heard too many problems with them. Would love some mollies, but those won't work. Was thinking ghost shrimp to freak the husband out, but I am not so sure yet. Still researching my options.

When I get up in the morning (just took some Benadryl to quiet my allergies and hopefully make my throat stop hurting), I will do another test. The husband just bought a vacume for the tank. I vacumed the tank. Only did about 10 percent since I did a 1/3 change already earlier.

Earlier, Nitrites were near 0. PH was about 7.6 (If I remember correctly). Did not test for Nitrates. The "more precise" kit does not test for that. So, I have to use my strips for Nitrates. Next time I even consider buying a test kit, I'm going to a fish store...not the local pet store whose owner is convinced I'm going to kill my fish and my three cats...

The tank has been running 3 days now. No shrimp. Absolutely no snails (no way, no how. Not in my life time).

--Beth

[Oldfishlady]

Okay...brand new setup......in the process of establishing the nitrogen cycle....

During this process and for the longevity of the 10gal filtered tank....50% weekly with vacuum......and 50% water only for any reading of ammonia, nitrite 0.25ppm or greater...
Once you have nitrate of 10-20ppm without any spikes you are most likely cycled and could cut down from daily testing to weekly testing....