Ammonia Bloom

[ForeverGarzone]

My tank has been cloudy the past few days so I took a sample of the water over to a new All Fish Emporium that luckily enough opened two minutes from the house. While they were testing the water the guy and I were chatting about axolotls as he actually was really informed about them, and he was telling me my filter was low enough in water flow for the current but not strong enough to keep the tank completely clean and I should get a new one.

Well the water samples came back and I have an ammonia bloom and he said to leave the filter the same so that it will cycle through, otherwise I'd be starting all over again. He said just to let it run it's course and it would be fine eventually.

Now, here's my issue with that. I don't want the ammonia levels to harm them of course, but if my filter isn't strong enough (honestly it might just be a shotty filter as it's for the right size tank... it just ... doesn't suck anything up I feel like), and I can't change it's carbon, then I'm going to be constantly doing water changes to get the grub out of the tank. Now if I'm doing water changes then I'd have to replenish the water. Is it safe to put fresh spring water in to replenish? Or what course should I take there?

I'm currently using a gravel sifter to suck up the ickiness from the bottom of the tank as the only turkey baster in the house belongs to the frog tank and I don't want to mix them (and none of my grocery stores have any? Since when are they seasonal!?) so between that, and my fan I have on the top to cool the tank evaporating water (gotta love South Florida) I'm at a loss as to how to replenish it without continuing this ammonia bloom and smashing my head through a door. '

I haven't seen them eat as much the past few days as I had been before, but then again they have worms in their tank at all times so I could just be missing it .. I'm just worried and want to take any action I can!

I'll be attending Repticon this weekend (woohoo!) so even if there's something off the wall that could help that petstores may not carry, I can check there. So all ideas on deck!

 

[ForeverGarzone]

Also I am not against the idea of trashing the 10 gal and just moving up now if that's what will be for the best. But set up advice as to not have this occur with a larger tank would be helpful as well!

 

[layna]

You could try buying a cheap sponge filter to run as well as the filter you have now, and as for water changes, do you have a bucket? You could just fill it with treated tap water and leave for 24 hours then just refill when needed?
Its less likely you would get an algae bloom in a bigger tank as its easier to keep good water quality, I think it's because there's more surface area for the good bacteria to grow?!

 

[ForeverGarzone]

You could try buying a cheap sponge filter to run as well as the filter you have now, and as for water changes, do you have a bucket? You could just fill it with treated tap water and leave for 24 hours then just refill when needed?
Its less likely you would get an algae bloom in a bigger tank as its easier to keep good water quality, I think it's because there's more surface area for the good bacteria to grow?!

Yeah I have a bucket I was pumping the old water into and tossing but I could easily get another. Would treated tap water essentially be the same as just dumping spring water in? Because I have a ton of that in the house, or would treated tap be better for the overall cycling?

 

[snuggly time]

What exactly was the ammonia reading? If it's high your axie should be removed.
I had a filter in my tank which wasn't cycling at all. I added a small sponge filter which has done the trick.

 

[layna]

I think a lot of people advise treated tap water over bottled/spring/mineral water.
I have tubs for taking water out and a big bucket for the fresh water, just literally fill the bucket up with tap water, add the water treatment (i use API stress coat) leave for 24 hours, then use as and when needed

 

[ForeverGarzone]

I got myself a master kit last night considering when they tested my water at the store they didn't give me numbers so I just ran my own test and we have

PH: 7.6

Ammonia: it's inbetween the 4ppm and the 8ppm on my scale card. It's darker than four but a little lighter than 8, and I know that's an awful reading and I'm trying to work that out now.

Nitrite: .50ppm

Nitrate: 5.0ppm

Is the ammonia level so high I should switch them to a smaller tub with 100% water changes everyday while the tank works through it's ammonia issue? Or leave them in there and do a certain percent water change daily and replace it with treated tap water?

 

[snuggly time]

Yes I'd remove the axies as soon as possible. They could be suffering from ammonia poisoning with the reading that high.

The tank will cycle faster if you remove the axies and leave it. If you keep them in you will have to do daily water changes to dilute the ammonia. This then gives the bacteria less food so the cycle is slower.

 

[ForeverGarzone]

Yes I'd remove the axies as soon as possible. They could be suffering from ammonia poisoning with the reading that high.

The tank will cycle faster if you remove the axies and leave it. If you keep them in you will have to do daily water changes to dilute the ammonia. This then gives the bacteria less food so the cycle is slower.

Okay ill be removing them and putting them in containers in the mean time (they're still little and the containers are fairly large). Without a thermometer in the container should I fridge them or just daily water changes with room temperature water?

 

[ForeverGarzone]

Rather than leave them all in a toxic environment any more, I went ahead and took everyone out.

Toothless had a little white whisp on one of his gills, and the other two look like they'd been injured or bitten because they were much shorter.

Went ahead and set up a salt bath and fridging situation for him. He was mellow in the tank, but when I switched him over to the salt bath he freaked out for about less than minute. Swimming erratically on his side, but he calmed down pretty quick. Then after ten minutes I moved him over to the fridging container (the salt bath and fridging tutorials are amazing and super easy to follow so kudos to the thread posters!). He's been in there for about two hours (the temperature is fine for him) in dechlorinated tap water. I haven't peeked under the towel to check on him (dying here, worried about my little one) but I'm restraining so the light doesn't stress him out more.

Falkor and Figment appeared to be in fine health so rather than fridge them I set them up in the bathroom (air conditioner runs in there) with the door shut and a fan sitting on top of the containers to cool them farther. There is a thermometer in one of the containers so I can monitor the temps of their containers (fan is centered between the tanks so it hits them the same)

Am I doing the right thing with Toothless? (photos are from when he was in the salt bath)

And how is the set up for little Falkor and Figment while their tank's ammonia levels sort out? We'll be doing 100% water changes for them daily after they've had a chance to eat.

The main tank is still running, cleaned out with a turkey baster and is all set up for daily water tests.

 

[layna]

Aw those reading were really high, but I'm glad you got them out now at least your tank is on its way to cycling so you don't have to start the whole process again! Have you managed to order a sponge filter to help the tank cycle?

 

[FX1C]

Firstly I'm glad to hear you removed your axolotls to detox after having been exposed to such high ammonia readings.

Bravo to you for finally getting your own kit - nothing beats doing your own tests... Nothing!! Your shop should've rung the alarm bell for any fish / axolotls being kept in water with such high ammonia.

Shops often tell you to buy a new filter when all you need to do is give it a good clean - remove the sponges / media & cartridges keep them in some water from the aquarium - then clean the body / motor of the filter, getting into the impeller area & making sure the metals are deslimed so the magnets work properly. This will usually help them run like new.... But!! You mention you can't remove the carbon :-/ how long has your carbon been in the filter? Because it is only effective for 2-3 months then can actually leech toxins back into the water. You're better off using sponges & ceramic media than carbon. So depending on the style of filter I'd be eliminating the carbon completely & adding the ceramic media instead. Adding a sponge filter will help to hold more good bacteria & aeration. I have at least one in every tank (handy for setting up emergency tanks if needed).

Another alarm bell is that you are letting the evaporation take the place of proper water changes - evaporation simply concentrates the toxins & even if you just topped up the tank you would not be removing any toxins. You must remove water weekly in a healthy cycled tank & replace it with fresh dechlorinated water - only this keeps nitrates low & does not affect the bacteria needed to convert ammonia & nitrite. In a toxic tank you can change 30-40% daily & not affect the good bacteria - you will however reduce the toxins rapidly & help the tank to not be overloaded.

To help your axolotls recover & detox - try adding black tea to their temporary tanks & to their tank when you put them back in. I've found it amazing its seems to soothe & detox them after toxic stress.




<3 >o_o< <3

 

[ForeverGarzone]

Firstly I'm glad to hear you removed your axolotls to detox after having been exposed to such high ammonia readings.

Bravo to you for finally getting your own kit - nothing beats doing your own tests... Nothing!! Your shop should've rung the alarm bell for any fish / axolotls being kept in water with such high ammonia.

Shops often tell you to buy a new filter when all you need to do is give it a good clean - remove the sponges / media & cartridges keep them in some water from the aquarium - then clean the body / motor of the filter, getting into the impeller area & making sure the metals are deslimed so the magnets work properly. This will usually help them run like new.... But!! You mention you can't remove the carbon :-/ how long has your carbon been in the filter? Because it is only effective for 2-3 months then can actually leech toxins back into the water. You're better off using sponges & ceramic media than carbon. So depending on the style of filter I'd be eliminating the carbon completely & adding the ceramic media instead. Adding a sponge filter will help to hold more good bacteria & aeration. I have at least one in every tank (handy for setting up emergency tanks if needed).

Another alarm bell is that you are letting the evaporation take the place of proper water changes - evaporation simply concentrates the toxins & even if you just topped up the tank you would not be removing any toxins. You must remove water weekly in a healthy cycled tank & replace it with fresh dechlorinated water - only this keeps nitrates low & does not affect the bacteria needed to convert ammonia & nitrite. In a toxic tank you can change 30-40% daily & not affect the good bacteria - you will however reduce the toxins rapidly & help the tank to not be overloaded.

To help your axolotls recover & detox - try adding black tea to their temporary tanks & to their tank when you put them back in. I've found it amazing its seems to soothe & detox them after toxic stress.
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<3 >o_o< <3

Well they said I definitely had an ammonia bloom but that it would sort it self out and just to not worry. So I assume they were just telling me to cycle the tank with them in there still but it was just too high and I couldn't risk them.

They weren't telling me I couldn't change my carbon so I'd build a new filter, my apologies for that being confusing. They were telling me not to touch the filter because it would crash the cycle all over again and start the entire process over. They said not to switch the filter and not to wash it out so that the bacteria would just continue to build. The carbon's only been in the filter for maybe two weeks or so though. Under a month for sure, so it's not toxic by any means. I want to look into getting a new HOB filter regardless and just putting this sponge in it while the larger tank cycles if that would be alright because the one that's currently in there is just ... eugh. I'm not a fan of it at all.

Do you have a specific sponge filter you recommend? After I tested my parameters, I went back to get a sponge filter to help it along and one of the workers said since they were out I should just let it run it's course. But I think placing a sponge filter with a nice HOB filter would be beneficial in the larger tank. If I'm wrong by all means, correct me. Haha.

I wasn't letting evaporation do it all. I was doing water changes nightly, but during the day (since I live in South Florida) I have the fan on the water and it would evaporate some of it out and then the filter would start gurgling and churning so I'd top it off with spring water to prevent it from frying.

 

[ForeverGarzone]

And I'll be looking into the tea baths for sure! Thank you for that!

 

[layna]

My sponge filters are literally the cheap ones off ebay i think i paid like £3, it does the job anyway as my tanks are all good now