Habitat - Indoor :: High Ammonia

[Barnaby]

Hello I have a RES in a 75 gallon (male...12 years/7" carapace)

I cleaned the 2 Eheim canisters under the tank (2213 & 2215) & there's been high ammonia still.

A couple of nights ago the reading was off the chart (which goes as high as 4 ppm)!

That was just before I cleaned the filters. I rinse the media on tank water but the empty canister itself & hoses I used the tap.

This tank is very well established, 13 years but I've had the turtle for only 8 months or so.

Could the aquarium be going through some sort of mini cycle?

I don't want him being stressed but is it something that I just have to wait out? He eats & swims.

I just did a 100% water change which I've never done & the ammonia is lower but still at 3 ppm!

If it's a mini cycle will doing these HUGE water changes really do much or will the ammonia be back up the next day?

I feed him every 2 days. He has an above tank basking area.

[ljapa]

The high ammonia was before the filter cleaning?

Those two filters would provide about 160 gallons of filter capacity for fish. That's less than ideal for a turtle in a 75 gallon aquarium, but I would think it could keep up. Is the turtle the only bioload?

Had you tested the ammonia level in the preceding 8 months?

High ammonia says you don't have the bacterial capacity for the bioload. Assuming this isn't the first time you tested ammonia and that the filters were keeping up, I'd have to assume something has changed. It may not be something you did. Perhaps the biomedia has become clogged, and there isn't as much surface area exposed to water flow.

Are you seeing rising nitrate levels, which show you do have bacteria? Do you have nitrites?

I've come to the point where I am a proponent of water changes during a cycle. The bacteria involved in the nitrogen cycle stick to surfaces. They aren't really free floating, so you aren't removing much. Yes, by pulling some of their food, the ammonia, you may extend the time for a complete cycle, but you're also removing poisons for your turtle/fish.

One final comment, by cleaning the filter/tubes with tap water, you did remove some nitrifying colonies. I rinsed out my Fluval 206 on a 20 gallon fish aquarium once. I didn't touch the hoses and I rinsed all media in aquarium water. That did create a mini-cycle that took a week and a half to recover.

[Barnaby]

Hi & thanks for the information. Unfortunately that's all I can afford as far as filters go.
I will test the nitrates & nitrites too as well as consider your other suggestions.
Thanks again!

[Barnaby]

By the way he is the only tank occupant.

[ljapa]

By the way he is the only tank occupant.

Then I would suspect something has happened, which is fixable.

My tank is over filtered, but I do think your filters can be sufficient.

Assuming nitrates are climbing, you have bacteria. If it were me, I'd watch the ammonia levels, do water changes to keep it from getting too high, and make sure I had climbing nitrates. Maybe look at the biomedia to see if it looks clogged, and try a good rinse in aquarium water if it is.

Keep us updated.

[devilduck]

+1 ljapa

Sounds like there a mini cycle going on for some reason. What type of media do you have in the canisters?

[VeipaCray]

I'd agree with above and suggest that you might look at optimizing your filter media load. Additionally you can increase biological filtration by adding surface area in the system for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize and propagate (sand substrate).

[dekabreak1000]

i just bought a fluval about a week ago and its working great water is nowhere near as bad as it was before but i tested my water tonight and the color didnt stay at green it went dark blue should i be worried

[steve]

What's the media in it? Was the tank water also changed?

[dekabreak1000]

its a fluval 406 so it has 2 sets of charcoal sponge and ceramic rings and i did like a 50 percent change

[steve]

What brand test kit are you using? I'd double check the expiration date and do the test again.

[dekabreak1000]

its done it again the ammonia levels are high the water is yellow and stinks it was very clear 2 days ago not really sure what happened as nothings changed i changed some of the water and ill check it again tomorrow

[steve]

Yellow water is not normal, I'd do a change sooner than later.