Aqua Clear Filter Q

[Obsidian]

Hello
I have been having problems with my tank in regards to ammonia. I have tried pretty much everything under the sun do deal with it. The tank is still cycling (I believe). I purchased a specialized insert for my Aqua Clear filter. I would like to know if anyone has any experience with these before I use it. It is called "Filter Insert: Ammonia Remover" It goes where the charcoal would normally go and is considered an "alternate chemical stage."

Tank stats:

• 20 gallon tank.
• 5 weeks and 3 days running with fish (was up and running with filter for 2 days prior to adding fish).
• I have 3 Cherry Barbs and 1 rubber nosed pleco.
• I had a dwarf Gourami but it died on day 5. The pleco was added 6 days ago.
• Plastic plants.
• Several ornaments for fish tanks specifically.
• Gravel substrate.
• There is a skeleton "drinking" a bottle of rum bubbler and a single airstone, on opposite ends of the tank.
• I use an AquaClear filter for 20-50 gallon tanks (AC 50).
• Water is at 78 degrees.
• I have no information on hardness etc.
• I have Brown Algae as of about 10 days ago.

Current water stats:

• Ph stable 8.0 (we have naturally high Ph here)
• Ammonia 1.0 Highest was about 1.5 2 weeks ago. I did water changes daily (20%) to get it back to .5. Now when I do water changes (every other day to every 3 days) the ammonia is not affected, it does not go up either. Ammonia results verified via a different test kit.
• Nitrite 00. The highest this ever got was .25 and it disappeared about 7 or 8 days ago. I find it odd that it disappeared but the ammonia never went down.
• Nitrate 5.0 This has been present since about day 8 of being up and has never changed, even with water changes.

The fish usually appear fine, and often appear to be attempting to breed. Every so often they will hide all day and this scares me because of the high ammonia. I have been adding Ammo Lock recently, every other day to every 3 days, which has helped considerably with the hiding behavior.

I do gravel vac when I perform water changes and I feed every other day on average to help keep ammonia down. There is usually some waste when I clean, but not very much, it has also decreased with the addition of "Plato the Pleco."

If anyone has any other ideas for how to help other than this filter I would greatly appreciate it. The only thing I really don't need anymore advice on is water changes. And I don't want to put the filter in if it's going to mess anything up.

Thanks!
Obsidian

[SueM]

Sounds like you are doing everything right, definitely add the AC. It wont do anything but add area for bacteria to grow. DO NOT clean it for at least a month even 2, and when you do, rinse it in old tank water or dechlorinated water. Do you live next to a creek or river? if you do, go down and get a few small slimy rocks. They will kick start you bio growth. Patience is the key, and don't slow the ammonia to much, or the nitrites may not catch hold. And check the expiration dates on your test kits.
Have fun, SueM

[JustOneMore20]

Welcome to FF!

Since you have been adding Ammo Lock, I believe it can affect the readings of ammonia on the test kit (I could be confusing it with another product though ). I would stop adding it, so you can get a feel for how much ammonia is really in the tank. Go ahead and put the filter insert in. I also don't think it would hurt anything. Will it help? I'm not sure, but it certainly won't hurt.

Once you stop adding the Ammo Lock, check your ammonia daily and if you need to, do small daily water changes of maybe 10-15%. Your cycle should be over soon I think. It seems like you've had the ammonia spike and the nitrite spike (even if it was low). The pleco could have thrown the cycle off a little, but most likely not. I really think the Ammo Lock is giving you a funny reading. I'd stop it and see what the level is then.

Definitely add rocks if you have a creek nearby like Sue mentioned. That will give you some good bacteria and help move your cycle along.

[GoodMike]

Ammo lock also is going to slow down your cycle, its one of those products that is good to relieve your fish from stress but your tank wont cycle properly with it. i would say stop using the ammo lock and just keep up with wcs.

[Obsidian]

As it just so happens I live on a creek! I have to navigate a very small forest to get there and see if it is running (this is Arizona after all!) If I can find a good rock I will add that

I will stop adding the AL as often (I stopped using it for about 3 weeks in the middle of this to allow it to cycle, and only started again when the fish were hiding a lot) to check the ammonia again. I know that the AL can effect the readings. They don't seem to be hiding as much now so hopefully it will go well. And Plato the Pleco seems to be doing okay, which I take as a good sign.

Thanks so much for your help!

[SueM]

Excellant!!! while your down at the creek, grab some small gravel/stones put them in some mess, and add them right to your new AQ, get that baby going in no time
but remember......... dont wash em !!

[GoodMike]

Just my opinion..but i dont like that idea because of what you might be adding into your tank as far as illness and bacteria that you dont want . Your tank will finish cycling fine by it self, and it may already be done and you could be getting false readings from the AL.

[Obsidian]

The creek is dry for the most part and I really do not trust the stagnant pools. If it were running I would be less leary, so the rocks are currently a no go. I am going to put in the alternative filter to my AC and I have stopped adding the ammo lock, so we shall see. And Mike, I only recently went back to adding the ammo lock, after my nitrites had disappeared but the ammonia remained. I am trying to use it as a kind of last resort! Originally I had added it before I knew that those things were to be a last resort kind of deal

Thanks so much for your help

[bscman]

If you're having such problems with ammonia, keep up on CONSTANT water changes to help dilute...

Most of these chemicals will only lengthen the time it takes to cycle, or wipe out the good bacteria completely--leaving you to start COMPLETELY over.

[mousey]

Guys The Ammo lock manufacturer states that it does not slow down the cycling process. I have questioned them several times about this. I have saved the letter on my computer. It only changes the ammonia to a non toxic form form. The ammonia is still availabler for the bacteria to eat.
If your water supply adds chloramine you may get a reading for ammonia after you add the fresh water.
Mine always reads o.5 and sometimes 1.0 after my water changes. usually it goes down to 0 within 24 hours, but if I have been extra clean with my vaccuuming and filter rinsing it sometimes takes 2-3 days to go back to normal.
I use Ammolock as a water conditioer because of the chloramines in our water supply.
Most brands of water conditioner state right on the bottle that if you have chloramine in the water you need to use an ammonia treater after their conditioner just to neutralize the ammonia.
By using Ammo lock or Prime you avoid having to use 2 products.