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  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran SCWood's Avatar
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    High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Hi! I'm having a lot of trouble getting my tank to balance. My one fish's tank is extremely high in ammonia and when I came home he was laying on his side. I removed him and put him in clean water and he seems better but I'm freaked out. I was told not to touch the water but I know the only way to gee t rid of ammonia is to change it so I removed 25%. Anything else I can do?

    If you wanna step inside, pay admission at the door...
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    Total: 6❤
    2.1 Ball Python(Sterling, Boots, & Eden)
    1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa(Anakin)
    0.1 Bearded Dragon(Beatrix/Trixie)
    0.1 Kitty Cat(Willow)
    1.0 Chihuahua(Panda-Bear)
    2.0 Betta Fish(Finnley & Pescado)
    0.2 Rats(Mishka & Laney)

  2. #2
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    Not trying to come off as rude but you do realize your on a forum based about reptiles and even ball pythons in particular, right? Your best bet will be to register on here > http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/
    Last edited by MrGriffyn; 10-12-2015 at 08:46 PM.

  3. #3
    BPnet Senior Member GoingPostal's Avatar
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    You could add prime or some other ammonia binder/remover. Is this a new uncycled tank? Do you have a stable setup tank you can get some good bacteria from?

  4. #4
    BPnet Veteran SCWood's Avatar
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    Re: High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Quote Originally Posted by MrGriffyn View Post
    Not trying to come off as rude but you do realize your on a forum based about reptiles and even ball pythons in particular, right? Your best bet will be to register on here > http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/
    I know but this is a subforum and there's a lot of people here so I figured I could ask..

    If you wanna step inside, pay admission at the door...
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    Total: 6❤
    2.1 Ball Python(Sterling, Boots, & Eden)
    1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa(Anakin)
    0.1 Bearded Dragon(Beatrix/Trixie)
    0.1 Kitty Cat(Willow)
    1.0 Chihuahua(Panda-Bear)
    2.0 Betta Fish(Finnley & Pescado)
    0.2 Rats(Mishka & Laney)

  5. #5
    BPnet Veteran SCWood's Avatar
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    Re: High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Quote Originally Posted by GoingPostal View Post
    You could add prime or some other ammonia binder/remover. Is this a new uncycled tank? Do you have a stable setup tank you can get some good bacteria from?
    This is a new tank. We have 2 and only one is doing this so no :/ no way to get the bacteria. I used Quick Start but it didn't help

    If you wanna step inside, pay admission at the door...
    🐕
    🐱
    🐍🐍
    🐊🐊
    Total: 6❤
    2.1 Ball Python(Sterling, Boots, & Eden)
    1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa(Anakin)
    0.1 Bearded Dragon(Beatrix/Trixie)
    0.1 Kitty Cat(Willow)
    1.0 Chihuahua(Panda-Bear)
    2.0 Betta Fish(Finnley & Pescado)
    0.2 Rats(Mishka & Laney)

  6. #6
    Registered User kriwu's Avatar
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    Re: High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Quote Originally Posted by GoingPostal View Post
    You could add prime or some other ammonia binder/remover. Is this a new uncycled tank? Do you have a stable setup tank you can get some good bacteria from?
    Actually, prime mostly neutralizes chloramine and chlorine, to remove ammonia from the water you need to do a water change. Your tank cycle has either crashed or was never established. What are you using to test your parameters, and what are they exactly? If the ammonia is "extremely high" I would suggest doing at LEAST a 50% water change. It would also help to know what size tank you are using and how long it's been established.


  7. #7
    Registered User kriwu's Avatar
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    Re: High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Quote Originally Posted by SCWood View Post
    This is a new tank. We have 2 and only one is doing this so no :/ no way to get the bacteria. I used Quick Start but it didn't help

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    Quick start doesn't do anything, don't buy it, it's a scam. Bacteria doesn't have a shelf life and it can't live in a bottle. The only way to establish a cycle is to use pure ammonia or in-fish cycling. Here's a great guide on cycling.


  8. #8
    BPnet Veteran SCWood's Avatar
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    Re: High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Quote Originally Posted by kriwu View Post
    Actually, prime mostly neutralizes chloramine and chlorine, to remove ammonia from the water you need to do a water change. Your tank cycle has either crashed or was never established. What are you using to test your parameters, and what are they exactly? If the ammonia is "extremely high" I would suggest doing at LEAST a 50% water change. It would also help to know what size tank you are using and how long it's been established.
    Okay, so it's 2.5 gallons with a filter. It's been running 2.5 weeks now. I added stress coat and quick start when I added my water and changed 10% a week later and added pre-mixed water. I took my water in to test it. All of my parameters look great except PH is low (not sure exactly but under 7.8) and ammonia turned the strip dark green and said DANGER under the chart. I usually have it tested at work weekly and I'm so tired I sound like and idiot and can't remember the numbers

    If you wanna step inside, pay admission at the door...
    🐕
    🐱
    🐍🐍
    🐊🐊
    Total: 6❤
    2.1 Ball Python(Sterling, Boots, & Eden)
    1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa(Anakin)
    0.1 Bearded Dragon(Beatrix/Trixie)
    0.1 Kitty Cat(Willow)
    1.0 Chihuahua(Panda-Bear)
    2.0 Betta Fish(Finnley & Pescado)
    0.2 Rats(Mishka & Laney)

  9. #9
    BPnet Veteran SCWood's Avatar
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    Re: High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Quote Originally Posted by kriwu View Post
    Actually, prime mostly neutralizes chloramine and chlorine, to remove ammonia from the water you need to do a water change. Your tank cycle has either crashed or was never established. What are you using to test your parameters, and what are they exactly? If the ammonia is "extremely high" I would suggest doing at LEAST a 50% water change. It would also help to know what size tank you are using and how long it's been established.
    The thing is I was told NOT to change my water. That 'the cloudiness will go away just leave it alone'. But it only got worse

    If you wanna step inside, pay admission at the door...
    🐕
    🐱
    🐍🐍
    🐊🐊
    Total: 6❤
    2.1 Ball Python(Sterling, Boots, & Eden)
    1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa(Anakin)
    0.1 Bearded Dragon(Beatrix/Trixie)
    0.1 Kitty Cat(Willow)
    1.0 Chihuahua(Panda-Bear)
    2.0 Betta Fish(Finnley & Pescado)
    0.2 Rats(Mishka & Laney)

  10. #10
    Registered User kriwu's Avatar
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    Re: High Ammonia in Betta Tank

    Quote Originally Posted by SCWood View Post
    Okay, so it's 2.5 gallons with a filter. It's been running 2.5 weeks now. I added stress coat and quick start when I added my water and changed 10% a week later and added pre-mixed water. I took my water in to test it. All of my parameters look great except PH is low (not sure exactly but under 7.8) and ammonia turned the strip dark green and said DANGER under the chart. I usually have it tested at work weekly and I'm so tired I sound like and idiot and can't remember the numbers

    If you wanna step inside, pay admission at the door...
    ��
    ��
    ����
    ����
    Total: 6❤
    Does your betta have a heater? 2.5 is a tad small for a betta, did you add him immediately without cycling the tank? If you have a fish in the tank and it's not cycled, you need to be changing and checking the water DAILY. Most people, while doing in-fish cycling will change about 25% per day until you get nitrite and finally nitrate readings. If you're using strips to test your water, I'd definitely suggest investing in a liquid test kit. They're about 30$ and are FAR more accurate.

    Quote Originally Posted by SCWood View Post
    The thing is I was told NOT to change my water. That 'the cloudiness will go away just leave it alone'. But it only got worse

    If you wanna step inside, pay admission at the door...
    ��
    ��
    ����
    ����
    Total: 6❤
    Whoever told you that definitely doesn't know how to cycle a tank, you have to remove dirty water and replace it with clean, treated water. Your fish makes his dirt in there, you have to remove it, or the ammonia will build up and become fatal.
    Last edited by kriwu; 10-12-2015 at 09:05 PM.


  11. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to kriwu For This Useful Post:

    Megg (10-12-2015),wolfy-hound (10-12-2015)

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