# Toxic ammonia levels in new setup



## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Hello, I'm new here, but doing my best to fix a bad situation.

I set up a 55 gallon El Natural tank (with filtration) mid-February. On the 19th, the ammonia/nitrate cycle began, and it has been a roller coaster ride since then. Ammonia levels won't go below toxic levels, even with 80 percent water changes daily. 

I am heavily planted, with driftwood (mopani), Miracle Gro organic choice potting mix, and a beach pebble cap. The water is so cloudy that I can't see the driftwood in the middle of the tank, Ammo Loc and Ammo Chips are only minimally helpful, and even adding bacteria from API isn't helping. This greyish/white cloud also settles on my plants and hardscape, making them look like they are covered in ashes.

I don't want my plants to die--I've invested too heavily in my flora to watch it die due to too much ammonia. Most of them are growing well, and putting out runners here and there. the dwarf baby tears have died, and the banana plant leaves are developing dark spots that look like melting is coming soon. 

ETA
Ph is 6.8, temp is consistently 79 to 80 F.

Does anybody have any suggestions for helping this along before my plants die?

Thank you


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

How big are the beach pebbles? Did they come from an ocean beach?

If they are too large, they aren't doing a good job of keeping soil particles out of the water. And if they came from the ocean, they might be releasing salt. This would not cause high ammonia levels, but would cause other problems.

If too large, you could add smaller gravel or coarse sand to fill the gaps without tearing down the tank.

Plants like ammonia, as long as it isn't TOO high. They can use ammonia at levels that are toxic to fish. Dwarf baby tears is a delicate plant, maybe not the best choice for your tank. Keep doing the water changes. As long as most plants are growing well, be patient and things will improve.

Good luck!


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Thank you for the reply.

Pebbles range from 3 to 4 millimeters down to almost sand--around 1 millimeter. They did come from an ocean beach, and were thoroughly rinsed before being added to the tank. Even though I rinsed them very thoroughly, could they still be releasing salt?

I understand that plants like ammonia--that's why I wanted to do a natural tank. Eventually, I would like it to grow into something almost self-sustaining. I'm glad to hear that most plants can survive ammonia that would be toxic to fish. It is off the chart, even with huge water changes.

Do you think it is leaking out of the substrate? I get huge bubbles popping up all over the place, and I would imagine water from the soil is coming up with the bubbles.

I'll keep doing my water changes (as much as I loathe it at this point), and try to be patient. 

Thanks.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

It might be that the MiracleGro has lots of peat in it and it is decomposing. Also -Maybe the tank still hasn't been set up long enough for the cycle to complete.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Newt said:


> It might be that the MiracleGro has lots of peat in it and it is decomposing.


The bag has long since been thrown out. I'm going to have to go hunting online to find the contents. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case....the tank smells like a bog, and anything that comes out of the tank just reeks.

Miracle gro was highly recommended on a different planted forum, so that was what I decided to use. I feel like even with all the research I did, I still made all the wrong decisions. 

ETA
Yup, lots of peat...."Contains a blend of all-natural, organic ingredients: sphagnum peat moss and composted bark fines"


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

What is the regularly recommended soil around here? If I ever do this again, I want to use the least-troublesome soil to start with.


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## Nachos (Jan 6, 2012)

Sophie and Mom said:


> What is the regularly recommended soil around here? If I ever do this again, I want to use the least-troublesome soil to start with.


I do know that I have this soil in 2 large tanks with plants and fish. it's the cheap top soil (not potting) from my local Lowes. I spread and pulled out the small ammounts of wood parts in the bag and tossed it out. At the same time broke up the nice chunks of clay and mixed it in the soil better then added it to the tanks. added a little water and smashed it all down to expell as much air pockets as possible using a spatula. Then capped it with gravel.


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## PaulG (Apr 25, 2011)

Most soils will release massive amounts of ammonia at first, I waited 4 weeks for mine to go down.


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## Sumthin Fishy (Aug 22, 2009)

I've used the MG Organic Choice Potting Mix on several tanks as have many other people here. It's not unusual to have some ammonia released at first, though mine have never gone over 1.00 ppm with MGOC. What is the ammonia level at? You didn't mention any fish - If you haven't added any yet, then you can just wait the ammonia out. 

It seems unusual to me that a tank that has only been set up for two weeks has large bubbles and an odor. IME, it's normal to have some bubbles from the substrate, but it doesn't happen that fast - It takes mine at least a month to start and doesn't peak for at least two months. MG makes a similar product called “Organic Garden Soil” that contains higher nutrient levels. Is it possible you used that by mistake?

As for the white/gray cloud, it could be the substrate. Or a harmless bacterial bloom. Or from the Ammo-chips - They can make a mess, especially if not rinsed well. 

One other thing - I recently had a bad experience with ammo lock. It seemed to not just give me a false positive (detecting non-toxic ammonium) as other ammonia “lockers” do but seemed to give me a sky-high reading - One that seemed impossible to be true. Since you don't seem to have any fish, there's no need for any ammonia locker or ammo-chips, so I'd definitely stop using them. 

I hate water changes also, so I'd probably just leave the tank alone for a few weeks. Chances are it will sort itself out just fine.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Sumthin Fishy said:


> I've used the MG Organic Choice Potting Mix on several tanks as have many other people here. It's not unusual to have some ammonia released at first, though mine have never gone over 1.00 ppm with MGOC. What is the ammonia level at? You didn't mention any fish - If you haven't added any yet, then you can just wait the ammonia out.


I'm at 8 ppm right now. It could be part of the ammo lock false reading, but it was high before the ammo lock, so I'm thinking it's at least close to a true reading.

I did have a few fish (2 mollies and a few neons) but when the ammonia spiked out of control, so I removed them.



Sumthin Fishy said:


> It seems unusual to me that a tank that has only been set up for two weeks has large bubbles and an odor. IME, it's normal to have some bubbles from the substrate, but it doesn't happen that fast - It takes mine at least a month to start and doesn't peak for at least two months. MG makes a similar product called "Organic Garden Soil" that contains higher nutrient levels. Is it possible you used that by mistake?


I just went back and checked my calendar--I started set up on February 4. I'm certain I used the potting mix. I wrote it down and made sure the package matched. I didn't want to screw this up in any way!!



Sumthin Fishy said:


> As for the white/gray cloud, it could be the substrate. Or a harmless bacterial bloom. Or from the Ammo-chips - They can make a mess, especially if not rinsed well.


I had the cloud before the ammo chips, and was thorough in my rinsing. I know how dusty they can be (used to have a tank years ago--but it has been a looooong time). I'll stop using that now. I hope it is a bacterial bloom. I would get up and go kiss my tank right now if I knew for sure it was bacterial bloom!



Sumthin Fishy said:


> I hate water changes also, so I'd probably just leave the tank alone for a few weeks. Chances are it will sort itself out just fine.


So maybe once per week or less? That would be beyond awesome, especially for my back!


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Also, I made dirt soup at first, and scooped out all the floaties, so I wouldn't have wood pieces in there messing up my ammonia levels!


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## Sumthin Fishy (Aug 22, 2009)

Wow...that is high. That's the thing with using potting soil...You never know what's in each individual bag. 

I think your plants will thrive, but ammonia that high can interfere with the cycle, which is why when doing a fishless cycle they say to keep it under 5ppm. Still, if you are heavily planted it will be used up eventually. Just might take longer than if you do more water changes. So, you can save your back or have your tank finish faster, depending on your priorities.

If you don't already have one in there, I'd add an airstone to the tank. It sounds like there's a lot of soil decomposition which is causing the bubbles. This can cause a reduction in oxygen in the tank, which is bad for the cycle since the bacteria need oxygen in order to grow. My first NPT took forever to cycle because of this and it was only after the fact that I realized what had happened. So now I always add an airstone for the first couple of months. I've found it makes a huge difference.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Thank you for your thorough replies. Now that there are no fish, and I know that it won't harm the plants, i'm going to give myself a break and wait until the weekend for any more water changing.

Thank you also for the tip about the airstone. I have one just waiting to be put to use!


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Another question--do i have to use my water conditioner if I have no fish in the tank? Potted plants do well on tap water; will aquatic do well too?


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## D9Vin (May 12, 2011)

I would go ahead and de chlorinate. The plants may not mind the chlorine, but it will probably kill the bacteria you are trying to get started in there.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

D9Vin said:


> I would go ahead and de chlorinate. The plants may not mind the chlorine, but it will probably kill the bacteria you are trying to get started in there.


I didn't even THINK of that. Thank you.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

New developments!!

This morning, the water was noticeably clearer than it has been, and has continued to get more clear as the day progressed. This allowed me to see plant growth that I didn't even know I had! The cabomba is going crazy (can I take clippings from that and spread it around the tank?), the Java ferns that I forgot about have sprouted taller, and the hornwort is much bigger than it used to be. I love being able to see all this stuff.

Ammonia levels are still ridiculous (higher than 8 ppm--but that's as high as the scale goes, so that's what I'll call it for now).

One question: I can now see that there is a whitish clear slime on all of my driftwood, and it is THICK--up to two millimeters in places as far as I can eyeball. Is this my bacterial bloom attaching itself to hospitable surfaces, or something I need to worry about?


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

The white material on the wood could be bacterial but more likely a fungus. I would take it out and pour hydrogen peroxide on it and scrub it clean,then put it back in the tank. If you have a big enough pot that you dont want to use for food you could boil it and then scrub it. This is not unusual for wood. If you didnt have the high NH3 I would suggest getting some Black Mollies to eat it up.


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## sandeepraghuvanshi (Feb 22, 2007)

A soil substrate will release large amounts of ammonia when freshly submerged.
Large water changes about 70% every three days will help in keeping ammonia down
Also do not add any ammonia locking chemicals they might interfere with establishment of nitrifying bacteria.
Also they might be responsible for false reading of your test kits.
The whitish coating on your driftwood might be fungus, and is seen in woods which are not dead. Taking it out would be a better option.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

sandeepraghuvanshi said:


> The whitish coating on your driftwood might be fungus, and is seen in woods which are not dead.


I would hope that it was dead...I got it from Foster and Smith specifically for tank use. It is Mopani. Taking it out would be a real hassle...I have plants tucked in around the edges at this point. 

I'm trying to upload a pic of the slime, but photobucket isn't cooperating at the moment.

ETA
A lot of it came off when I was siphoning the tank. I just ran the siphon over it and it came right off. I'll see how fast it comes back....


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## Sumthin Fishy (Aug 22, 2009)

Glad to hear things are getting better. It's very common for fungus to develop on driftwood. It will go away on it's own, so no need to do anything unless you just can't stand looking at it.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Here's the photo:


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Fungus

Did you repeatedly soak the wood in a bucket of hot water before placing it in the tank. That's a step a lot of people dont do. It will help eliminate what you have.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Newt said:


> Fungus
> 
> Did you repeatedly soak the wood in a bucket of hot water before placing it in the tank. That's a step a lot of people dont do. It will help eliminate what you have.


yes, I did. I did it to get the tannins out, but I guess the result would be the same.

So, it has to come out? All my driftwood has to come out? Is there anything I can do in-tank?

*sigh*


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Upon closer inspection, it appears that the "grey cloud" that has been settling on my plants looks an awful lot like that fungus that is on my mopani wood. Do I have to tear apart this whole tank, wash/soak/peroxide everything, or is there something I can add to wipe it out in-tank?

Would something like this help?

Tearing down the tank really isn't an option this weekend.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I doubt that the Fugnus Cure will help. That product is intended to treat parasitic fungi on fish. The fungus on your wood is a very different organism.

From the one photo of part of your tank, it looks like it would not be too difficult to remove the wood and do a throrough cleaning of it. Hydrogen peroxide would be good, or a 5% bleach solution. If you use the bleach, rinse the wood very well, and let it soak in water with a double dose of declorinater before you put it back.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Sophie and Mom said:


> Upon closer inspection, it appears that the "grey cloud" that has been settling on my plants looks an awful lot like that fungus that is on my mopani wood. Do I have to tear apart this whole tank, wash/soak/peroxide everything, or is there something I can add to wipe it out in-tank?
> 
> Would something like this help?
> 
> Tearing down the tank really isn't an option this weekend.


No need to tear down the tank. You really should try to remove the wood and clean it. Try a gravel vac or scoop out the rest with a net or your hand. Jungle Labs makes (or made) a product for small fish fungus. I think it was Small Fish Saver and Mardel Labs makes one called MarOxy; one of these may help.

The tank is coming along.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Newt said:


> The tank is coming along.


It is a _big _difference from a few days ago.

Day before yesterday:









Five minutes ago:


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## Sumthin Fishy (Aug 22, 2009)

How thick is your substrate? Maybe it's just the picture, but it looks very deep. Generally, 1.5" of potting soil is the recommendation.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

It is thick. The other forum I was on recommended two inches, so that's what I aimed for. The left end is about two inches. It came out closer to three at the right end by accident.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Sumthin Fishy said:


> Glad to hear things are getting better. It's very common for fungus to develop on driftwood. It will go away on it's own, so no need to do anything unless you just can't stand looking at it.


Somehow I missed your post.

Yes. THIS is the approach I will take. Stand back, see what happens. Thank you.


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## Sumthin Fishy (Aug 22, 2009)

Sophie and Mom said:


> It is thick. The other forum I was on recommended two inches, so that's what I aimed for. The left end is about two inches. It came out closer to three at the right end by accident.


With greater depth, your substrate can develop anaerobic pockets that can release hydrogen sulfide, which can harm your fish. But it's difficult to say exactly how much of a risk there is. Some things that will help minimize the risk are adding lots of strongly rooting plants in the deepest area, adding Malaysian trumpet snails to the tank and poking the area regularly to prevent gas buildup.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I agree with Sumthin Fishy. I made that same mistake with my first 
Walstad tank, also by accident. The tank was eventually successful, but it took longer than normal to become fish-safe.

That tank is still going, with great plant growth and healthy fish. But it is the only tank that ever bubbles hydrogen sulfide from the substrate. I manage it with strong, deep rooted plants, and ocasionally poking the substrate with a chopstick. And I'm seriously considering Malaysian trumpet snails.

In all my later tanks, I've used no more than 1.5" of soil, and often less.


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## sandeepraghuvanshi (Feb 22, 2007)

Sophie and Mom said:


> I would hope that it was dead...I got it from Foster and Smith specifically for tank use. It is Mopani. Taking it out would be a real hassle...I have plants tucked in around the edges at this point.
> 
> I'm trying to upload a pic of the slime, but photobucket isn't cooperating at the moment.
> 
> ...


All wood have a soft center (sap), in dead wood meant for aquairums, even this soft part is supposed to be dry.
However if it it is still wet and is immersed in water, it starts to rot and fungus appears.
One way of drying out the sap is to boil as already suggested above, or dry it in sunlight, but that might take a very long time.
Hopefully it might go away, however it fungus appears again, you might have to start thinking of taking it out.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

sandeepraghuvanshi said:


> All wood have a soft center (sap), in dead wood meant for aquairums, even this soft part is supposed to be dry.
> However if it it is still wet and is immersed in water, it starts to rot and fungus appears.
> One way of drying out the sap is to boil as already suggested above, or dry it in sunlight, but that might take a very long time.
> Hopefully it might go away, however it fungus appears again, you might have to start thinking of taking it out.


Would putting it in a low oven help speed that up if the fungus reappears? Or do you mean throw it out?

Also, it would appear that my little pond snails looooove slimy fungus, and are doing a number on it. Who knew?


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## sandeepraghuvanshi (Feb 22, 2007)

Sophie and Mom said:


> Would putting it in a low oven help speed that up if the fungus reappears? Or do you mean throw it out?
> 
> Also, it would appear that my little pond snails looooove slimy fungus, and are doing a number on it. Who knew?


I meant that if fungus reappears, then you should take wood out, boil it in water, and the put it in your aquarium.
I am not sure about oven, never had the guts to try it out, most probably my wife would had thrown me out along with wood.
It might burn.
I don't think snail eat fungus, it is possible that sap of wood might be coming out and snails would be loving it, can't say for sure


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

sandeepraghuvanshi said:


> most probably my wife would had thrown me out along with wood.


Since I'm the only one who uses the oven, I don't think I have to worry about throwing me out with the wood!

I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens. Right now, the snails really are decimating whatever it happens to be. And reproducing like crazy--so it must be doing them some good.


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## corsair75 (Dec 21, 2011)

Glad to hear the snails are helping out!

I used a bunch of potting soil when I set up my 55 and I'm still paying for it 10 weeks later. I laid down about an inch and a half, and unless I aerate pretty heavily I get ammonia. Almost every problem I've had with the tank can be traced back to the dirt. Too rich, and too much. I run a pair of powerheads with the asperators wide open. I'm also using malaysian trumpet snails to burrow into the substrate and keep it from compacting (as much). It will settle down in time I'm sure, but I'll be measuring that time in months not weeks.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

corsair75 said:


> Glad to hear the snails are helping out!
> 
> I used a bunch of potting soil when I set up my 55 and I'm still paying for it 10 weeks later. I laid down about an inch and a half, and unless I aerate pretty heavily I get ammonia. Almost every problem I've had with the tank can be traced back to the dirt. Too rich, and too much. I run a pair of powerheads with the asperators wide open. I'm also using malaysian trumpet snails to burrow into the substrate and keep it from compacting (as much). It will settle down in time I'm sure, but I'll be measuring that time in months not weeks.


Oh, that's awful.

Can the trumpet snails survive my current parameters (ammonia is over 8 ppm, even with big water changes)? I'd hate to put them in and have them shrivel up and die.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Instead of poking at it constantly, could I just insert straws in the substrate, like little smokestacks all over the place?


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## corsair75 (Dec 21, 2011)

The straws won't really do it if they're just stuck there. The trouble spots would just form around them.

In the short term, the organic parts of the soil are composting in the bottom of the tank. That directly produces ammonia. More soil means more stuff to break down. Deep soil means that the chemical reactions happen more slowly in the lower layers. That drags on the ammonia producing phase. Sooner or later, all that stuff breaks down and its over.

That's what I'm wrestling with in my tank, but aeration and water circulation keep it in check. I have lots of fish in my tank, and shrimp that are breeding away. If I don't aerate, I get a problem. Turn the aspirator back on and it clears up in a day or so. You need the oxygen saturating the water for the bacteria, and you need to blow it around enough to avoid large stagnant areas. I turn my tank over about 8x an hour. That's just pumps, I don't have filters.

The MTS snails would probably do fine. They're tough as nails, to the point they're usually called a pest. They burrow though, and breed like crazy so they do a good job of turning over the substrate. Large rooted plants help alot too. The roots transport oxygen down into the substrate.


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## sandeepraghuvanshi (Feb 22, 2007)

corsair75 said:


> I used a bunch of potting soil when I set up my 55 and I'm still paying for it 10 weeks later. I laid down about an inch and a half, and unless I aerate pretty heavily I get ammonia. Almost every problem I've had with the tank can be traced back to the dirt. Too rich, and too much. I run a pair of powerheads with the asperators wide open. I'm also using malaysian trumpet snails to burrow into the substrate and keep it from compacting (as much). It will settle down in time I'm sure, but I'll be measuring that time in months not weeks.


If you are using potting soil, it is better to ensure that it does not have terrestrial fertilizers mixed in it.
These fertilizers release a lot of ammonia when submerged.
Plain soil without fertilizer of any type is a good option.
I had set up a 45g tank last month with plain garden soil and cuttings from my another tank.
It has not presented any problem till now.


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

1. Are you using test strips or a liquid test kit? Either way, check the expiration date. Liquid drops are generally more reliable, but out of date strips are common and can give very unreliable results. 

2. If your ammonia readings are accurate and you are changing 80% water daily, with no fish in the tank, you have an ammonia source somewhere. Maybe kitty used the bag of soil before you did. Maybe there was a dead mouse or other critter in there. Or maybe there is something funky with your wood. 

I recommend time and water changes, with a minimum of added products. Yes, dechlorinate, but skip the ammo lock stuff. If you suspect the wood, remove it to a bucket with water, and test that water for a few days. Again, something might have burrowed into the wood, undetected. If you have dead, rotting plants, remove them and try again. 

Your soil does look quite deep. +1 to plants with vigorous root systems, MTS, and poking the soil. I use a bamboo skewer, like for kabobs. I have no clue on how much ammonia MTS can handle, but if the water quality is bad they head for the surface. Try to release the gas bubbles without releasing soil into the water column, if you can. Miracle Grow is frequently recommended and often gives great results, but every bag is different. If your plants are growing, water changes and patience will overcome. If you have one, a sponge filter with an airstone would be a good place for beneficial bacteria to do their magic while the plants fill in. But again, time and water changes are your best allies. That last photo looked pretty good, so maybe a healthy tank is just around the corner.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

The ammonia reading was a smidge lower today before the water change this morning!! Instead of the liquid being deep pine green, it was more like regular pine green. Not quite 8 ppm, but not light enough to be 6. 

After the water change it was about 4. I took advantage of that to add some beneficial bacteria from API to see if it would do anything. I'm not terribly hopeful, but you never know. 

This afternoon's test came up at 4 ppm again. Progress!!


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

That does sound like great progress. Are you also testing nitrites/nitrates?


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Nitrates and nitrites are still high--Nitrates are at 20 ppm, nitrites are at 1 ppm.


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## Sumthin Fishy (Aug 22, 2009)

Sounds like you're almost there. How's the water clarity?


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Sumthin Fishy said:


> Sounds like you're almost there. How's the water clarity?


Clarity is becoming a thing of beauty. You can't see out end-to-end yet, but we're getting there. It's clear enough that people ask why there aren't any fish in my fish tank. [smilie=l:


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Actually, you want to keep using AmmoLock or Prime as it converts the ammonia to ammonium which is more easily assimilated by plants.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Newt said:


> Actually, you want to keep using AmmoLock or Prime as it converts the ammonia to ammonium which is more easily assimilated by plants.


Soon it won't even be an issue. This morning, I"m down to .5 ppm.


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## JeffyFunk (Apr 6, 2006)

Sorry i'm late to the conversation, but I would like to comment on a few things...

First of all, the problems that you're experiencing are most likely the result of having too deep of a soil layer (as others have said). Soil sub-layers should be no deeper than 1.5''. I usually keep mine @ ~1''. The problem with deep soil layers is that the greater depth results in a lower redox potential environment. This lower redox environment results in more anaerobic processes, processes that are considered detrimental to the aquarium (such as the release of hydrogen sulfide gas... as you're already noticed). Seeing that you're tank looks like it's almost cycled, i would take this all as a warning to keep your soil sub-layer depth limited to 1-1.5''.

Second of all, I always find it amusing that people recommend boiling driftwood. Do people actually boil their driftwood or are we just repeating some aquarium lore of old? Although i tried to find something in the article specifically about fungus on driftwood (and couldn't), in the January 2012 digital issue of 'Aqua Journal' (which, incidentally, is all about how to use driftwood in the aquarium), Amano states:



> People often say that boiling driftwood is a good preventive measure against the leaching of tannins; however, this is not only unrealistic but also has a negative effect. Firstly, driftwood usually cannot be boiled in a pan at home unless the driftwood is very small in size, and it is also not practical for us to prepare a very large pan just for this purpose. Furthermore, for some species of wood, the resin which is not leached out at room temperature can be leached from the driftwood when heated and may spoil both the driftwood and boiling pan. Heating driftwood also gives it a brittle surface besides the problem caused by the element which leaches out only when heated.
> 
> Purchased driftwood can basically be used for layout w/out processing, yet it is advisable to make the following preparations. Firstly, remove the dirt from the driftwood surface, if any, with a brush or other tool. If the driftwood is very dry and likely to float, soak it in water for a certain period of time. The soaked driftwood will usually sink in about a week, although the period required varies depending on the type of driftwood. Soaking driftwood in water also helps reduce the amount of tannins and organic acids contained in the driftwood. The tannins and organic acids leached from the driftwood after layout production and aquarium setup should be removed by way of water changes and the use of ... activated carbon.


Personally, if i had fungus (or anything, really) on my driftwood, i just manually remove it by using a dental pick and a siphon. (I purchased my cheap dental pick @ walmart, fyi.) I've used it on plenty of algae on my driftwood pieces and usually just scrape down to the wood. The fungus may grow back, but at least removing it will prevent it from spreading in your tank...


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

+1 on JeffyFunk's comments.

An interesting tip I got from Phil Edwards is to mix soil 50/50 with a high CEC substrate, then cap it. Although he did not say so at the time, I think one of the reasons is that the high CEC admixture has the ability to absorb excess nutrients released by the newly submerged soil, and keep them sequestered in the substrate until plant roots can use them.

There is a real tendency to think that if soil is good, more soil is better--not!

And last, I've never boiled driftwood in my life. Soak and power wash yes, boil no.


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## corsair75 (Dec 21, 2011)

Michael, I would agree with you completely about 'taming' the soil with a high CEC material. My 55 uses 1.5" of soil (which I now think is too much), and an inert cap. On the other hand, I set up a 6 gallon with a 1/2" of soil and a cap of aged Florite. The 6gal is only 5 days old but has clearer water than the 10 week old 55gal. No issues with dirt particles floating up into the water column, very little trouble with tannins. I suspect the Florite is "catching" the dirt particles.

I have boiled driftwood and it works very well. Assuming you have a pot bigger than the driftwood of course.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

My driftwood was only soaked, not boiled. Can't put a 5 gallon plastic bucket on the stove!!


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

oday I noticed teeeeeeny little white bugs here and there on my glass. They seem to flagellate to move. Any idea what they might be? 

I'm off to google.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

Found them...copepods. Harmless and common in aquaria.


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## corsair75 (Dec 21, 2011)

Sophie and Mom said:


> My driftwood was only soaked, not boiled. Can't put a 5 gallon plastic bucket on the stove!!


If you can't find a friend with a big stew pot, you can boil the driftwood in a pasta pot with the top sticking out. Just flip it over to get the other side. Not sure you need to though. I've never had mold grow in a tank that an algae eating critter wasn't happy to gobble up. Once you stock the tank the issue may resolve itself.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Repeatedly soaking it in hot water does pull tannins out. 
Boiling is to kill any microbes/'bugs'/spores - Not necessary but can have some benefits.


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## Sophie and Mom (Feb 28, 2012)

I never intended to boil it. I just wanted to waterlog it and pull out the tannins. 

I have a molly in there right now (one of three vertebrate inhabitants--the one molly and two guppy juvies) who is sucking up everything the snails have left behind. 

Next week (if all goes well): Neons!!


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