will my ammonia level and ph ever go down?

[SLO-Dean]

It's been about 4 weeks since I started my 29gal. tank and ever since the beginning I've had high ph levels and for the past 2 weeks the ammonia levels have been elevated (no nitrites or nitrate) the water has also been hard but have begun adding salt (on the advice of lfs).
Will it ever stabilize? I've done water changes and added cycle and have begun adding live plants, will they compete with benificial bacteria? Will the fish give off enough CO2 for the plants?

*Running Aqua-Tech 30-60 filter
*Have 6" bubble wall in right back half of tank (away from filter)
*just added DIY CO2 (in left back) under rootwood under filter return

help!

 

[SoulFish]

ph wont just go down, co2 will lower it though, along with peat and driftwood, are you cyclign with or without fish, your cycle seems like it started 2 weeks ago and your ammonia should start to drop soon follow by nitrites rising and falling and then you just do weekly water changes to get rid of nitrates

 

[wayne at home]

Well pH will drify down slowly as CO2 dissolves to carbonic acid, and rotting acids will drive it down slowly. Whst is your pH - really, unless you specfically want some low pH fish don't sweat it.
No cycle as yet, even though you've stuck in some ammonia, cycle and live plants? What's ammonia elevated to?
Are there any fish in there - do they look healthy? how many plants, what type, how long?
Don't bother adding salt - it does zero for your cycle; also if you've got a bubble wall you'll find CO2 injection a waste of time as it'll drive off the CO2 you're adding.
Have you changed so much water you've stopped your cycle by removing the problem (ammonia). Rather than cycle try buying some used filter material from your lfs. Try to keep this simple

 

[SLO-Dean]

Yes, I have fish (5-platies, 2-guppies+2-babies, 1-cory, 1-molly and some ghost shrimp)All very healthy and active.
I do have some pieces of African root wood and some rocks and petrified wood.
Just a few live plants, a Myriophyllum Pinnatum, some Java Moss, Corkscrew Val. and an Anubias Nana. and plastic plants.

CO2 is on oppostie side of the bubble wall, it's under the filter (I see a bubble come up about every 5-6 seconds)

 

[RedTurquoise]

Could you give us some water parameters such as Ph, ammonia/nitrites, gh/kh?

It would help to assist you with your questions!

 

[SLO-Dean]

hard to read these color and compare to card tests, wish they were digital readings.
Well, best as I can tell
ph is at 7.6 (as high as the test goes)
Ammonia 3.0ppm (hard to tell the shades of yellow)
I have a Seachem Ammonia monitor in the tank and it's between "alert" and "alarm"
those are the only tests I have. will have to wait until I go to lfs to find out more.

UPDATE:
Just had water tested at lfs.

Ammonia is 5.0ppm
Nitrite is .5ppm
Nitrate is 4ppm

Ph is down to 7.1 FINALLY! almost there.

also added 2 new plants, that banana root one and some kind of sword, I think.

 

[SLO-Dean]

well?

 

[RedTurquoise]

Sorry Dean!
Ph is fine! Dont worry about changing it! However, take your water to the lfs and find out what it really is! It may only be 7.8 or something but if it is like 9.0, then starting yelling and screaming! LOL!

My tap water is also at 7.6-7.8! I grow on my discus with tap water. My planted tank is at 7.2 because of C02 injection otherwise it would also be a 7.6!

 

[SLO-Dean]

Thanks for your help.
I did a 5gal. water change also removed all fish (exapt a few fry and a ghost shrimp) and a large portion of the gravel to put in a layer of Laterite, rinsed the removed gravel and added back then rearranged plants, wood and rock also put in diffuser for DIY CO2. Put fish back in, they all did fine in the bucket. Even the 6 new Zebra Danios we got yesterday (69 cents @ at PetsMart, couldn't pass that up) Added more plants and a large Moss ball.
Water still cloudy, but clearing.
GOOD NEWS.............Ammonia is 0! Nitrites are up, but the cycle should resume. and Ph is NEUTRAL! 7.0!
All fish seem fine and not stressed over the ordeal.

Have a Bio Wheel filter coming (Penguin 170)
found a great deal online, but will have to wait for it to ship.
Removed long airstone, pump has been unplugged for a week.