Amonnia 7.2....solutions on how to fix?

[Water]

I tested my water and the Amonnia is 7.2 and I think/know that maybe I have been feeding my ghost shrimp to much.

Also should I feed my shrimp(fry flake food)every other day?,every two days? or once aweek?
I also have a betta that eats pellets that dont sink to the bottom so the shrimp have no way of eating them,but the brime shrimp they can catch and eat but that isn't something I feed to my betta everyday,just once aweek.

Any soluations on how to make that number lower?without having to do water change,which Ive already did.

Thanks for the help,any answers will be helpful.

 

[bassbonediva]

The only way to get ammonia down is larger water changes daily or every other day with Prime or any water conditioner, but Prime works best.

How long have the fish been in the tank and is this the first time your ammonia has been this high? I would say you really only need to feed your shrimp every couple days as long as you don't feed them too much.

 

[OrangeCones]

I tested my water and the Amonnia is 7.2 and I think/know that maybe I have been feeding my ghost shrimp to much.

What test kit are you using?

 

[Water]

What test kit are you using?

Im using the api FreshWater master Test Kit.

How long have the fish been in the tank and is this the first time your ammonia has been this high?

My betta,ghost shrimp and snail have been in the tank for about a two weeks for the shrimp & snail and a week for the betta.No My ammonia was 7.0 before the fish,shrimp & snail were added.

I would say you really only need to feed your shrimp every couple days as long as you don't feed them too much

Thanks,I will do that from now often.They have actually molted and grown bigger.*SUNSMILE*

 

[starangl987]

Is your tank cycled? They will probably ask you that here, and it is very important. I'm cycling my 10 gal atm.

And they may also ask how big your tank is and how many fish you have in it. Though you probably have answered all this in another thread, but Im just asking because if you have too many fish in a tank, that causes high ammonia.

But you said that it was high before you added anything at all?

 

[Water]

Is your tank cycled? They will probably ask you that here, and it is very important. I'm cycling my 10 gal atm.

And they may also ask how big your tank is and how many fish you have in it. Though you probably have answered all this in another thread, but Im just asking because if you have too many fish in a tank, that causes high ammonia.

But you said that it was high before you added anything at all?

Yes I cycled my tank and tested it before I even added my betta.My tank is ten gallons and no my ammonia levels before I added my Betta were ok from the test I did.

 

[PlecoCollector]

Yes I cycled my tank and tested it before I even added my betta.My tank is ten gallons and no my ammonia levels before I added my Betta were ok from the test I did.

What did you use to cycle the tank? Were there any fish/shrimp in it?

As for your feeding question, it really depends on how many shrimp you have. If you only have 2 or 3, a single sinking pellet everyday or every other day should be more than enough. Flake food isn't the best for them as it's more likely to dissolve into the tank. For the Betta, if you're feeding pellets, 3-4 pellets every day or every other day is good.

 

[OrangeCones]

Are you sure its the ammonia that was 7.0 before you added more livestock? I can't imagine any fish surviving a reading for ammonia of 7!

Was it the pH perhaps?

My API kit does not have a reading on the chart for 7.2. The range goes:

0
0.25
0.5
1.0
2.0
4.0
8.0

There is no breakdown of 7 or 7.2 or anything like that.

 

[Water]

What did you use to cycle the tank? Were there any fish/shrimp in it?
.

I used nothing for the cycling proccess,I just added water and let it ran for a week and a half,without the fish/shrimp in it.

Was it the pH perhaps?

My API kit does not have a reading on the chart for 7.2. The range goes:

0
0.25
0.5
1.0
2.0
4.0
8.0

There is no breakdown of 7 or 7.2 or anything like that.

Im sorry you are correct it was the PH which is now ok but my Amonnia is 1.0 as I type this but when I tested a few days ago it was much darker and somewhere between 4.0-8.0.Its improving.

 

[OrangeCones]

I used nothing for the cycling proccess,I just added water and let it ran for a week and a half,without the fish/shrimp in it.

If you just let the tank run for a week or so, it is not cycled. You are doing a fish-in cycle now.

 

[Water]

If you just let the tank run for a week or so, it is not cycled

????huh?

My tanks been up for a good month & week,most of the time it was cycling.From what I read a week or two,didn't say months.

 

[OrangeCones]

"Cycling" does not mean that the tank had water in it and was running the filters/heaters/etc. It refers to the nitrogen cycle that must get established to make the water safe for you fish. Not sure where you read that a week or two is enough time to establish your nitrofying bacteria. It usually takes 6-8 weeks. To start the 'cycle' you need a source of ammonia.

Since you added fish/shrimp/snails two weeks ago, you are 2 weeks into a fish-in cycle. That type of cycle is very stressful on the fish/etc. as the buildup of ammonia and nitrite that happens is poisonous to them. You must be very diligent about testing your water for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate and doing water changes or not all will survive.

This is a good article about the fish-less cycle:

Fishless Cycle