High ammonia? Plants?

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Astro

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Hello!
So i had some issues a while back that resolved very well! The tank was lovely and cycled, and my boy went back in
But then my plants started to die, so ammonia went up. I removed the plants and very recently purchased new ones.
My axie seems to show no signs of stress except for a few seconds of frantic swimming, but the ammonia is up again, and i'm really not sure why!! I did a water change just a few days prior, and he is eating fine. Only thing is one of the plants is dropping its leaves, which i have removed it and all of its dropped leaves since.
He is in a 10 gallon tank, with two plants and a filter that runs constantly, along with a chiller that I turn on and off as needed.

Could it be the plants? Should I change to fake plants only, or could that ruin the little cycling I have at the moment? Or should i be doing water changes more frequently than a few days? (which i will be doing until the ammonia decreases)
 
i dont think 10 gallon its enoght for 2, better a 20 gallon.
about the plants remember that they need light (neon or led)and the best for clean water are
egeria densa
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/plantfinder/images/Hydrocharitaceae/Egeriadensa.jpg

hydrocotyle leucocephala
http://www.acquariofilia.biz/geek/gars/images/4/4/9/8/hydr.JPG

Phyllanthus fluitans
http://theaquatank.com/Public/Plants/phyllanthus fluitans logo.jpg

What substrate are you using? big gravel can be a hell cause its not easy to clean (it give me problems with ammonia), use sand or nothing.

what filter are you using? (biological is better)
 
Sounds like your tank isn't cycled for what ever reason hence the plants dying. Post some pictures of your setup, do a 50% water change. Move your Axie into a tub till your water parameters are correct or continue the regular water changes. Are your plants getting any light? What types are they?
 
Oh I only have one axie in that tank, not two, sorry for the confusion!
I was told by an aquarium store that using the plants i have (not sure on the species) would be okay for a few weeks without a light(didn't want to stress the axolotl out) that i would just have to change them once they started dying, so maybe he was wrong?
I don't use any substrate,, clear bottom, just a driftwood log, large rocks and a cave
The filter i am using is an aqua one 100
 
AxolotlChris said:
Sounds like your tank isn't cycled for what ever reason hence the plants dying. Post some pictures of your setup, do a 50% water change. Move your Axie into a tub till your water parameters are correct or continue the regular water changes. Are your plants getting any light? What types are they?
Click to expand...

I will try and get some pictures, sadly my lights aren't working so i'll try and get some that will help!
I did a 50% water change just before posting this
as i commented just above, they aren't as the person at the aquarium shop said they would be fine for a bit, they get light daily from the sun they get inside, but none from a proper light
 
1) Plants without light don't clean anything they die making more ammonia, they need light to do Photosynthesis and take no3
http://www.caudata.org/cc/images/articles/misc/NitrogenCycle.jpg

2) under the driftwood log, large rocks and a cave there is a full amount of dirt trash, clean it with this
http://acquariomania.net/images/Prodac Magic cleaner.jpg

3) to do a complete cycle of ammonia you need a filter with this
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/mlbiorings.jpg

and the right species of plants

4) the person of your aquarium shop is not a good mentor for this things and you see that with the full amount of ammonia.
 
Daimler said:
1) Plants without light don't clean anything they die making more ammonia, they need light to do Photosynthesis and take no3
http://www.caudata.org/cc/images/articles/misc/NitrogenCycle.jpg

2) under the driftwood log, large rocks and a cave there is a full amount of dirt trash, clean it with this
http://acquariomania.net/images/Prodac Magic cleaner.jpg

3) to do a complete cycle of ammonia you need a filter with this
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/mlbiorings.jpg

and the right species of plants

4) the person of your aquarium shop is not a good mentor for this things and you see that with the full amount of ammonia.
Click to expand...

Yeah, i assumed as much, and i'm quite familiar with the nitrogen cycle and photosynthesis so i thought that maybe the high ammonia was them dying, but i wasn't sure if it could have been the other way around
I have siphon that i've been using to remove the junk under everything, so hopefully thats okay
I don't have those in my filter, only carbon and a sponge, is there anyway i can have those thats not in a filter? like a supplementary thing i can add into my tank?
Should i remove the plants and replace them with fake ones, just to avoid the plants dying all together?
Thanks!!
 
Astro said:
Yeah, i assumed as much, and i'm quite familiar with the nitrogen cycle and photosynthesis so i thought that maybe the high ammonia was them dying, but i wasn't sure if it could have been the other way around
I have siphon that i've been using to remove the junk under everything, so hopefully thats okay
I don't have those in my filter, only carbon and a sponge, is there anyway i can have those thats not in a filter? like a supplementary thing i can add into my tank?
Should i remove the plants and replace them with fake ones, just to avoid the plants dying all together?
Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Now its clear what is the problem, its the filter. :D
filter with carbon works only for a week and it absorb the good bacteria that you need for the ammonia-no2-no3 cycle and after a week they release what they absorb (lots of ammonia)
you need a biofilter for your aquarium, i use the askoll kompatto, it is the best internal filter, it also has the carbon, you need to take out the carbon (with this filter its very simple).
And about the plants ammonia cant be too hight to kill them because the first that die are the axolotl not the plants. Your plants die because all the plants need light to survive, and also the animals need light to be healthy ;)
 
Daimler said:
Now its clear what is the problem, its the filter. :D
filter with carbon works only for a week and it absorb the good bacteria that you need for the ammonia-no2-no3 cycle and after a week they release what they absorb (lots of ammonia)
you need a biofilter for your aquarium, i use the askoll kompatto, it is the best internal filter, it also has the carbon, you need to take out the carbon (with this filter its very simple).
And about the plants ammonia cant be too hight to kill them because the first that die are the axolotl not the plants. Your plants die because all the plants need light to survive, and also the animals need light to be healthy ;)
Click to expand...

Right... I suppose i better find some money to buy one soon! I had heard about the carbon, but i read it was 6 weeks, so i had changed it, but seems like its a lot shorter than that haha
I did some more research and I think i will buy fake plants and go from there, my axie seems very sensitive to light (he still gets some from the windows and lights in my house just not a aquarium light) so i think that will be easier...
 
Oh right! I had Elodea without lights for a month or so but took it out when it didn't grow much >.< I'll do a bit more reading :)
 
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