What is going on here?

[NJmom2002]

In the 5 gal tank it has had high levels of ammonia for 2 weeks now. I have been adding ammolock and doing water changes and NOTHING is breaking it. The only thing in the tank is the ADF. I had a mystery snail in there which died 2 days ago. I did a 75% water change today and the ammonia is STILL at 3. At least it went down from 4 but still. There is nothing in there. It started when I had the white clouds in there right before setting up the 29gal. I have done 5 water changes since then and nothing is working. Does anyone have any idea what could be doing this? Nitrates and Nitrites are at 0. I have a piece of driftwood and java moss in there along with the adf.
Any ideas?

 

[MissFishy]

A couple suggestions...
Test your test kit and compare results with your LFS.
Are you sure the ammolock isn't messing with your results?

I would do 50% water changes at a time until that gets down.

 

[NJmom2002]

I dont think its ammolock. It was high before I put that in. I have no idea what is going on in there. I use API master test kit and I have been doing water changes. Today I did over 50% and its still at 3

 

[sclabman]

maybe the driftwood is letting out some ammonia, if it's not completely decomposed yet.

i second the motion to compare your results to your LFS's results though. just bring them some of your water and they'll probably do it for free.

 

[Fishywishy]

Q: After adding Ammo-Lock my ammonia test kit still tests positive.
A: Ammo-Lock does not "remove" ammonia from the pond. Ammo-Lock simply makes the ammonia non-toxic to the fish. The ammonia level will drop as the biological filter consumes the ammonia

i've read that ammolock actually slows down the cycle because the bacteria can't break it down to nitrite (not sure if this is true or not). So, what you might want to do is take the frog out or add some biospira(sp?) to boost your biological filter up to take care of the ammonia (maybe put some gravel in from your other tank)

Your frog may be okay through this, as it doesn't have gills to burn, but it does affect it.......like it's skin or something....(I'm on pain meds, when the drugs where off I'll make more sense sorry)

 

[homebunnyj]

If you test right before a wc and it reads 4, then you do a 75% wc then test right after, it should reduce by 75%, to 1. If that's what you did and you got 3 instead, your test kit is messed up. Test your water, record the result, and take a sample at the same time and have it tested at the lfs to compare.

Have you moved everything to make sure there isn't a dead fish decomposing and producing all this ammonia? or a dead snail, maybe?

 

[NJmom2002]

Yeah I checked everything. I have no idea what is doing it. I took the frog out and put it in the other tank. Right now Im so sick I cant move. But I will do another test on it later..

 

[missdixie256]

The Ammo-Lock will not remove the ammonia... It just makes it more easily digested by your filters... Also, It could give a 'false'positive... DO another water change without adding the ammo-lock like 75% again And see if that helps any... Then test again

 

[Timbo]

Run A test on the tap water. If it reads high it is probably the test kit. Although it COULD be that amonia is present in the tap water. Consult with your LFS.... If it is the amonia then with only 1 ADF in the tank I would look to over feeding to be the problem..
But I would stop adding chemicals. And concentrate on daily water chances of about 25%. (Watch the temperature). this should do the trick.