ammonia

[jason0allisonm]

Hi people, I have been reading previous posts.

I have a 4 x 2 x 2.5 tank with 6 discus
Plants drift wood a few catfish and a hand full of black phantoms

Tank is 4 months old

My filter is a Eheim 2217 full of noodles and Eheim mech balls

I use a api test kit and I have no dead fish or food in tank but still have an ammonia reading of between .25 to .50 it varries from wqeek to week
My question is do I need better or more filtration??? Also I use prime only

[ILLUSN]

1 2217 isnt really big enough id run 2 on a tank that size.

is your water stained from the drift wood?
tannins will make an api kit read higher, try a hagen kit it turns green with ammonia and tannins dont seem to effect it.

[Mr Wild]

1)
I would double check the reading with another test kit or that of the lfs if you can.
2)
Up water changes to eliminate ammonia
3)
Have you recently given you filter a really good clean? Was the tank cycled before the fish went in?
4) What are you other parameters nitrite and nitrate, PH and temp?
5) Best to find out why you have the reading before it affects your fish and your wallet!

[jason0allisonm]

Ok temp is 30 no nitrites ph 6.4 nitrates are 5.0 gh 5 kh 1 I do water changes every 2-3 days and with the ammonia I have been doing water changes everyday 30-50%. I clean my filter every 4 weeks wash the bio material in tank water only.

Fish look all good no clody eyes or fins

[swampy1972]

I agree that your filter isn't large enough for the tank and bioload.
By "tank water", do you mean aquarium water or raintank water?

[jason0allisonm]

i mean the aquarium water.
i am limited to space mainly hight with a canister filter, would you recommend two 2217 eheims (if so how would you run them ie as two individuals or daisy chain) or does any one have any other ideas, does any one know what the g6 fluvals are like?

[swampy1972]

I can't help you with the G6 sorry. Personally I'd run the filters separately only to allow me to get them into an alternate cleaning cycle.
That way you always have one undisturbed mature filter going at all times while you work on the other and clean them a couple of months apart.

[ILLUSN]

G6 look too complicated, keep filtration simple and it will run forever.

with no cloudy eyes or igns of stress i think your test kit is reading wrong.

[jason0allisonm]

Thank you people, i have ordered another 2217 and will run them separate, i have also ordered a hagen test kit. thank you so much for all of your input and help

[AS28]

I use some ZELBRITE in my filter, it absorbs amonia and Nitrite. readings are always 0. Change 33% water every week.

[Merrilyn]

Jason, just a thought - have you tested your water straight out of the tap for ammonia?

[mistakes r crucial]

400ltrs of water and a few fish in the tank. Are there enough in there to keep it cycled?