Ammo Lock?!!

[dcbluemeanie]

Did I read right in one of the other threads?  Is this stupid AmmoLock 2 that the MORON at petsmart pushed on me causing my insane ammo readings?  The tanks has been going over three weeks and I am still waiting for the ammo to drop.  Could I be getting a false reading all this time? ??? ???

I don't mean to insult any petsmart workers by calling this guy a moron, I am just a little annoyed because (especially before I found this board) I was trusting these people at the store to provide good advice, especially since this was not a prodict I was specifically looking for, it was something that "my tank needs"

 

[bluesplenden12]

Yeah the same thing happend to me, But no one told me to buy the stuff. Some of my fish died, and I went to get my water tested, and they said I had to much ammonia in the water. When I said I used ammolock, they said it gives afalser reading and not to use it for a week, then get it tested again.

 

[aspguru]

Dude. All I can say is look at my threads. I have been having problems because of ammo lock for MONTHS. Go to this URL and read:
http://www.myfishtank.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=freshwatergeneral&action=display&num=1026067310
Find my other one for I Hate Ammonia. Help Me!!! Ammo Lock is crap and I hope the people that made it all lose their jobs!!! It has screwed me out of so much money it's not even funny.

 

[dcbluemeanie]

I did go back and read your posts and that's what prompted my thread.  I know it was already answered but as you can attest to, I am pissed!  What a stupid product! *thumbsdown2* *thumbsdown2* *thumbsdown2* *thumbsdown2*

 

[aspguru]

Isn't it stupid!!!!!!!!! LOL. If you read the back, it says, although when you test your water after you add ammo lock your water will appear to have lots of ammonia but it doesn't. YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!! Dude, it took FOREVER for my tank to cycle because of this crap. Who makes ammo lock. I wanna know. I would like to write a nice little letter to them telling them how much they BLOW > > > > > *thumbsdown2* *thumbsdown2* *thumbsdown2* *thumbsdown2*

 

[tizme]

:-[ I sympathize with you dcblue.  I went thru the same thing.  What I understand is that AmmoLock locks the ammonia level... meaning that if it is already high, it stays high.  Dumb?  Probably.  Ammonia is probably every fish tanker's nightmare.  

I use AquaSafe to prepare the water for the tank... it won't control or remove ammonia due to overstocked or overfed fish.  AquaSafe is only a prep.  Then, there is Bio-Chem Zorb by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals for about $10.  Its a bag that you place in the tank.  You can pick up a veggie clip to place the bag at the top of the tank.  It works... but like most things with the tank... it takes a while to really notice the difference. :-/

The only immediate solution?  Change 1/4 of the tank's water and if necessary 1/2 of the tank.  Don't do more than that.  You might want to put a bit of Melafix in the tank until you have the ammonia under control.  The elevation of ammonia damages the fish's gills preventing proper oxygen intake.  This is when we start to notice our fish getting ich, cotton mouth etc.  They get sick from poor water quality.  The Melafix is all-natural and will keep the sickness in check until you can get the ammonia under control.  Good Luck! *thumbsupsmiley*

 

[luvfishies]

What Ammolock does is "lock" the ammonia out of the fish, but it stays in a form the nitrobacter can use. Unfortunately it messes with test kits.

melafix isn't the cure all

Nitrites are O2 inhibitors.


Sorry to be short...I"m tired

 

[tizme]

Luvs right... Melafix or anything else isn't a cure all.  There is no cure all.  I guess that is what makes it challenging. :-/  Although there are days where I wouldn't mind a quick fix. :-*

 

[mpg]

my understanding from reading the literature is that ammo-lock 'seems' to create more ammonia, because it does such a good job of breaking down the chloramine that's added into municipal water into chlorine and ammonia.  the chlorine can be instanly neutralized, but ammonia is not so easy.  the ammonia is made non-toxic for the fish, but it can't actually be removed except by biological processes.

i still use ammo-lock and have had no problems.  you just have to get used to high (but ostensibly non-toxic) ammonia readings.

 

[aspguru]

That is something I don't want to get used. False readings are bad when you are trying to cycle a tank and prepare biological filtration.