Hello all. I am new to the hobby, and like many am a little overwhelmed at times by all the information available, but I do my best to try and research valid information to help.
My tank was set up, moderately planted with ADA Amazonia substrate, on April 1st. Rightly or wrongly I decided after reading that I did not want to use ammonia, fish food or a rotting prawn to cycle the system. Instead I followed what I think some call a "silent cycle" with the plants as per helpful advice from others in this forum & from a video by Cory McIlroy (Aquarium Co-op) on Youtube
My tank seems to be thriving. The plants are growing well, my first fish seem very well & active, the water chemistry seem stable with zero nitrites & near zero nitrates, pH 7.4.
What frustrates & puzzles me is the persistent low level ammonia in the tank. I measure this with API liquid reagents, NT Labs and also Seachem Ammonia test. I am water changing 25% twice weekly. The Free ammonia level registers a nil most days using the Seachem test and the calculated free ammonia is also within safe limits. But total ammonia is 0.5-1 ppm. I keep the temperature at 23 degrees.
I assume the tank is cycled, there was a small peak in nitrite & nitrates in the second week. I assume the low levels of nitrite/ nitrate, despite the persisting ammonia, is because the plants are utilising it?
Thoughts on why the ammonia persists are welcome. Do I need to do anything other than wait?
I should add I dose with Seachem Prime, for peace of mind if nothing else, daily but want to stop this when I can.
I understand that Amazonia leaches ammonia. Does this persist long term?
TIA
My tank was set up, moderately planted with ADA Amazonia substrate, on April 1st. Rightly or wrongly I decided after reading that I did not want to use ammonia, fish food or a rotting prawn to cycle the system. Instead I followed what I think some call a "silent cycle" with the plants as per helpful advice from others in this forum & from a video by Cory McIlroy (Aquarium Co-op) on Youtube
My tank seems to be thriving. The plants are growing well, my first fish seem very well & active, the water chemistry seem stable with zero nitrites & near zero nitrates, pH 7.4.
What frustrates & puzzles me is the persistent low level ammonia in the tank. I measure this with API liquid reagents, NT Labs and also Seachem Ammonia test. I am water changing 25% twice weekly. The Free ammonia level registers a nil most days using the Seachem test and the calculated free ammonia is also within safe limits. But total ammonia is 0.5-1 ppm. I keep the temperature at 23 degrees.
I assume the tank is cycled, there was a small peak in nitrite & nitrates in the second week. I assume the low levels of nitrite/ nitrate, despite the persisting ammonia, is because the plants are utilising it?
Thoughts on why the ammonia persists are welcome. Do I need to do anything other than wait?
I should add I dose with Seachem Prime, for peace of mind if nothing else, daily but want to stop this when I can.
I understand that Amazonia leaches ammonia. Does this persist long term?
TIA