Expert: Chris Robbins - 9/14/2004

Question
I have had my 29 gallon tank for 2 months.  I have 3 goldfish in the tank.  I have the Penguin Bio-wheel 170 filtration system and I also use an additional polyfiber filter pad in the pump.  I have been doing bi-weekly water changes of 20%, and using a siphon to vacuum the gravel when I change the water.  I test my water weekly.  Typically the nitrate and nitrite levels are at 0, the water hardness is at 250 and the alkalinity is at 180.  The ph levels ociliate between 7.8 and 8.4.  The amonia level has been coming in between 1.0 & 3.0.  Whenever I get high ph results I add Tank Buddies Correct Ph.  I also use Tank Buddies Amonia Clear, or sometimes I'll add Bio-Safe to remove amonia.  My question is two-fold: why am I getting such high amonia levels for three little goldfish in a big tank that has a great filter and has 20% of its water changed regularly.  The second part of my question is why does the water always look murky.  I am very careful when I feed the fish to only give them a pinch at a time and then wait to give them more until they finish what is there.  Could the things that I am adding to condition the water be causing the tank to look murky?  Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

Answer
Hi Kendall;

I would suspect the pH altering products are causing the cloudiness. When a pH lowering agent is added, the water becomes cloudy as it reacts with the dissolved minerals in the water. It is best to leave the pH alone anyway. The fish adjust to the pH that exists and adding chemicals just makes it fluctuate. Fluctuation is more dangerous than a pH you don't think is correct. Fish are fine in anything between 6.5 and 8.5 as long as they are accustomed to whatever it is and it changes naturally from water changes and normal aquarium function. The chemicals just make it happen way too fast to be safe for the fish.

There may not be an ammonia problem at all. The only thing you really need to use in the tank is a regular water conditioner that removes chlorine/choramine and helps the fish with stress, and only when you make a water change. The ammonia reducing chemicals will cause a false positive on many test kits. Look on the label of the test kit to see if it contains "nessler reagents". If it does, ammonia removers are not compatible and will cause the kit to tell you that ammonia is present when it is not.

You might test the hardness and pH of your tap water. If they don't match the tank water, there may be some gravel or decoration in the tank (Dolomite, limestone, shells, coral) that is causing it to have more minerals in it than it should.

Followups welcome

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

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