Cloudy Foamy Smelly Water update

Question
Hi Rach,

How are you?  You are a great resource to have for aquarium questions!  Just wanted to give you an update:

Well, after many, many, many, many 50% water changes, my water has finally cleared.  However, I'm still getting high ammonia readings (between 2 & 4 mg/L).  As I'm still using Ammo Lock, do you think I'm getting high readings because the Ammonia is REALLY that high or is the Ammo Lock throwing off the results?  Here's a link to info about Ammo Lock:

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.aspx?familyid=4066#details

I've been VERY careful about how much I've been feeding my fish.  As a matter of fact, I've gone to every-other-day feedings and only give them what they'll eat in 1 minute (usually no more than a fingertip's worth).

Also, I've noticed that my platys have really long poop trails and I had never seen this before from my fish.  I know Platys will eat algae if there is no other food source available.  Is algae consumption causing this?  I don't have any visible algae in my tank.  Again, there is no way the long poop trails are from overfeeding.  Thanks Rach.


Answer
HiYa  (Again!)

Glad to hear your water has finally cleared up!

As for your high ammonia readings. Ammo Lock doesn't eliminate ammonia from your water, it just makes it NON toxic for your fish, big difference, so even using that, your going to still register ammonia in your tank. Ok after much head scratching...and asking a few other people in the know, I think I may have an answer for you regarding your high ammonia levels.

Ok you know the whole deal about cycling a tank and ammonia turning to nitrites and then nitrites turning to nitrates, well what could have happened is by using Ammo Lock, you have interrupted your tank going through a normal cycle, eg you feed your fish, they produce ammonia etc and so on. By putting Ammo Lock into your tank, you have effectively stopped the ammonia turning into nitrites etc etc and so thus you have a high ammonia reading. Ammo Lock is only ever supposed to be used as an emergency product and you may find that your tank now has to go through a 'mini cycle' to get back on track.

In order to let this happen, you need to stop using Ammo Lock and let your tank proceed onto the next stage of the cycle, which as you know, is nitrites. Now as you know, cause your tank will be going through another cycle, some of your less hardy fish may struggle through it, so if you have another tank you could move them to during this process, I'd recommend it, otherwise they may just have to tough it out and keep everything crossed that you don't lose any.

As for the 'long poop trails', this usually indicates a bacterial infection.

I Hope I've been some help! Feel free to drop me a line anytime!

Cheers! Rach