The Puffer Forum

It's been about 25 days since I traded in my three figure 8s FOR a single GSP (the f8s were fighting a lot).

The GSP is in a 100l tank with more than enough filtration but my tank is consistently at about 1 mg/l ammonia a recent test found that nitrates were at 5mg/l

I've been doing weekly 30% water changes and this week did 60%.

I may have been overfeeding a bit so I'm cutting back on that.

Why is this happening? Does god hate me?

Have you tested your tap water for ammonia?

That's a great idea! I haven't had problems with it before but i'll give that a go tommorow.

My tap water contain ammonia as well and my understanding is that the water department does that intentionally to disinfect or something.. But that is detectable immediately after a water change and the biofilter should that care of that soon after. No offense but are u doing water changes right such that u are not killing your bio filter? What kind of filter are u using?

No offense taken whatsoever.

Turns out my water is fine. I was doing a freshwater test on a brackish tank.

No wonder the color came out a bit funny...

Thanks for your help guys

Low level BW tanks commonly are tested w/FW test kits until at and above SG 1.010 - 1.015. Are you using an ammonia neutralizer agent with the water change - you should be. If your biofilter is mature, it should oxidize the inactivated/neutralized ammonia within a day or so to nitrite, and that should be in turn oxidized to nitrate soon afterward. But you must use a neutralizer whenever you get positive readings for ammonia or nitrite. Otherwise you can damage the fish's gills permanently.

Nice 1 mate, thanks

I didn't explain properly. ~ I tested the water with a SW tester and it came out as clean (My water is within 1.010-1.012)