Can't get ammonia to 0 at all - Need Help for beginner

[shakiigrrl]

HI,
  Ok so I will try to put as much information as I currently have to try and find a solution to this. Now I must say I know this tank is probably over populated and best solution is to get a bigger one...which is coming but not for another month so trying to find an alternative solution until then.

This tank has been running since end of November 2010

So to start off:
- 20 gallon (L24 X H17 X W12)
- Aquaclear 30 filter (using zeo-carb in its 2nd level)
- Hydro-Sponge III
- Aqua-Tech 5-15 (recently added  -2 weeks- to help out)
- Eheim Heater (100w)
- Nutrafin CO2 plant system (1 week installed)

- Moderately planted
- Sand substrate (caribsea instant aquarium sand with live beneficial bacteria)

Fish breakdown(like I said I know overpopulated):
- Kuhli Loach (4x - ~2.5in each)
- Glass/Ghost shrimp (2x adult)
- Panda Cory (3x ~1 inch ea)
- Juli Cory (2x ~1.5in ea)
- Trilineatus Cory (1x ~2in)
- Oto (2x 1in)
- Bolivian Dwarf Cichlid (1x 1.5in)
- ? Dwarf Cichlid (1X 1.5in)
- Zebra Danio (7x ~1.5)
- Cardinal Tetra (3x ~.5in)
- Harlequin Rasbora (9x ~.5in)
- Golden Cobra Guppy (2x)
- Red Wag Platy (1x adult)
- Rubby-Nose Tetra (5x ~1.5in)

All the present fish seem to be doing fine. I did have 7 oto at one point and 5 dies in a 2 week period.  All these fish have been together and going well for about 2.5 months except for the 2 dwarf cichlids which were added about 1 month ago after the otos, 1 guppy and 1 platy died.

3 weeks ago I bought 2 small (fry) bushynose plecos and 1 died after 2 days, bought another one to replace it and it got caught in my CO2 ladder overnight and died...then the next day I found the other one dead on the bottom.  As I thought it was because being so small and young I thought this was the reason so I bought a rubber lip pleaco about 2.5 inches just yesterday afternoon and he seemed to be going around just fine until I got up this morning and found him dead.

The aquarium temp is at a constant 80 degrees.

I have never added aquarium salt
I do add Aquaplus Conditionner in all water changes
I do one 25% water change mid-week and another 25% on the weekend when I clean the bottom

I feed them twice a day and never too much

No fish have been sick except for the rummynose (from PetSmart - bad idea) which had ick when I got them but that was cleared up right away and this over 3 months ago.
My Ammonia test kit is always showing light to dark green EVERYTIME I have tested and this practically since the start.

I thought by adding another filter this would help but  the levels are always the same.

I have a LED light which is on about 10hours a day

A couple of weeks ago I had started to get brown algae all of a sudden but I cleaned the tank (readjusted my plants and sand) and have not had any since then.

NOW here are my questions:
- Since I can't buy an larger aquarium in the next couple of weeks what can I do to stabilize the ammonia levels?
- Why are all my other fish swimming around just fine but no pleco has survived?
- Would aquarium salt aid in this overpopulated tank?
- Any other suggestions / tips for me to do with this current set-up?

Thank you for your help in advance,
Shirley

[Brent Shaver]

You have almost double the fish that I have in a 110 gallon.  I am not sure you will ever get your ammonia levels down with that many fish. 

Good luck but I think you might be forced to upgrade the tank size or continue to suffer loses.

[sas]

As well as what Brent had to say, I'd suggest you start using a quarantine system
as well. Introducing new fish without quarantine, you're just asking for trouble.

Another option is to set up a Rubbermaid container and house some of the fish
separately until you can get another tank. Some of those fish could stay at room temperature,
if your house is kept fairly warm and all you would need would be a filter.

But as I said earlier you may have more going on health wise other than high ammonia.
Just my thoughts at the moment.

Just an addition too, I'm wondering if your tank is still in a cycling stage?
Four months is still pretty new for a tank, especially if you started adding fish and didn't wait
til the bacteria was up to speed?
Another thing you could do is reduce the number of feedings.

[The Newb]

I leave this open to correction by those with more experience than myself, but I would think frequent enough water changes would hold off any more deaths until you get the bigger space. I don't know how big and frequent those would have to be to counter the bioload but even changing 50% of a 20 gallon doesn't take that long.

Good luck!

[Nerine]

personally I'd do a bigger water change...I am overstocked on my 55 gallon - and I do 50-70% water changes every week or so (depending on how much they feed) plus I have 2 filters...and I have 2 filters on most my tanks!

Try adding a second filter till you get a bigger tank and DO NOT clean both filters at once...run at least one without carbon to get good bacteria built up...

So: two filters and either more water changes or more water taken out...go with at least 50%!

Good luck!

[Nerine]

sorry forgot one thing...Try Prime...it's excellent and if you get to emergency levels of ammonia you can add extra to combat it...but follow directions!

[shakiigrrl]

Hi ,
  Thank you to everyone that commented and provided their suggestions.  I do have 2 filters right now and will keep these going of course...obviously no more additions will be made to this tank (no new pleco trials) and the rest of my littles guys should be fine is what I am thinking as they have been good since the start. 
  Brent - Now you mention that this would be too many fish for a 110 gallon?  Really?

Thanks again everyone,
Shirley

[Darth]

yes you have a LOOOOOT of fish in a 20 gal rule of thumb has been 1 inch of fish per gal (that being max growth calculations) Your tank is stocked to the gills (no pun intended) you have if my math is right 43 fish!!! you need lots and lots of filtration for that, you may see tanks like that in retail stores packed like that, but 2 things they have the filtration for it, and the fish do not stay in the tanks long term, and you have added lots and lots in a short time. The bacteria is not buliding fast enough for the tank

just my thoughts though