Really bad ammonia even in quarantine tank

Question
QUESTION: Hi Jaymie. I am still having ammonia trouble even in my quarantine tank. I am assuming that the council flushed ammonia down the drains to clean them as the ammonia in my water (both tap and filtered) is at 0.50ppm.

I was very worried when my ammonia was at 8ppm when I didn't change the water for a day. I went out to the betta shop where I got him from and got a safe liquid ammonia detoxifier and some Indian almond leaves that they use in their tanks so I have been using that and so far the rot has stopped and the fins are healing with the aid of the salt.

Even doing daily water changes of 50%, my ammonia is constantly in the tank because I am essentially adding it back in. And since I have no filtration in that tank all I can really do is keep the bottom clean and add the detoxifier and replace the salt.

Are there any suggestions on anything else I could do? It is a huge mess and I just can't wait till my new tank has cycled and it can cope with the ammonia... The first 3 weeks of having him were fine as I had a good filtration and good water and I never registered any ammonia or nitrites, and it all has collapsed since I changed my filter media.

I am trying my best to keep him safe from the ammonia and it seems to be working, his fins are showing healing signs

ANSWER: Alexander,
I do not recall how big the tank is that he is in. What water conditioner are you using? As for the salt, remember, he is a tropical fish so be careful not to add too much salt. If you are having that big of an ammonia problem, your filter will not get it all out of the water. Make sure your filter is for a tank bigger than what you have. If filter media is not changed correctly, your tank will cycle again every time you change it. It is always best to have the new media floating in the tank for a few days before adding it to the filter. This way, the new media has been collecting, if you will, the good bacteria in the water. After a few days you can add it in. Also, when cleaning the media, rinse it with some of the tank water that you removed during a water change. If you rinse it in clean water, you will wash away the good bacteria and force the filter to cycle again. If someone flushed ammonia down the drains to clean them, it will not effect the water. It would effect it if the ammonia was put in the water coming out of the tap but since it is going down a drain it is not causing the ammonia issue.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, I will change the filter media correctly next time! Well I am not stressing over the ammonia at the moment as I have the detoxifier which is working well. His quarantine tank is 20L and his new tank which is cycling is 54L.

Something very strange has happened today, I cam home to find that all of his fins are going fully transparent. I can see through them and I am not sure why. They are not completely see through, but the red in the fins is fading and going lighter and see through. Is this something to worry about?

Thanks

Answer
Alexander,
Usually that means the fin rot has been controlled and the fins are now healing. But, it could also mean you have a stubborn strain of fin rot. Just continue with the water changes and keep an eye on him. Hopefully, it is just the fins growing back.