Substrste Change - Ammonia spike

[kanturner]

Good morning, My Ammonia spike, following a substrate change, doesn't seem to be reducing, a check this morning on the fifth (at least) day of the spike shows it's still around 1 to 1.5ppm (based on the tetra test kit) so I'm adding 15ml of Seachem stability (Bacteria supplement) and 15ml of Amguard (Ammonia lock) each morning. I'm aware that the Amguard merely binds the ammonia for 72 hrs and the positive test results will continue, but I have the following questions if someone would kindly share their wisdom:

1. Should I continue to use the Amguard, or let the cycle progress without?

2. How long will the spike last and can I expect a Nitrite spike to follow?

3. All fish appear to be behaving normally (with exception of rainbow shark actually allowing Odessa barbs into his log) with no obvious red gills or anything similar, is this my main indicator?

4. I'm changing 25-40% water each day, but none seem to alter test results much, would a huge water change be sensible?
I've not had a spike in 15yrs of fish keeping - that I've noticed at least - and I'm concerned that this is now at least 4 days long and not reducing.

Grateful for any advice, even if it's just confirmation that we're doing all we can.

[fr499y]

Test strips are not acurate at all.
Pick up a liquid test kit like the API Master Freshwater.
Keep up the amguard and water changes.

And welcome to AF-UK

[plankton]

Welcome to the forum.
I'm not sure about using the Amguard with the Stability?
I'd be inclined to only use the Stability with the water changes, with Seachem Prime as the conditioner.
Which Tetra test kit is it? Strips don't usually test for ammonia.

[kanturner]

Test strips are not acurate at all.
Pick up a liquid test kit like the API Master Freshwater.
Keep up the amguard and water changes.

And welcome to AF-UK

Thanks for the welcome, I too am currently living in the West Mids. Just clarifying that it's a Tetra three-liquid test kit called "Test NH3/NH4+". I have a brand new API mater kit too, and that confirms the results. It's been a bout a week now and whilst the fish seem unaffected, I can't see why there is no change - in either direction?

[kanturner]

Welcome to the forum.
I'm not sure about using the Amguard with the Stability?
I'd be inclined to only use the Stability with the water changes, with Seachem Prime as the conditioner.
Which Tetra test kit is it? Strips don't usually test for ammonia.

Thanks Plankton, you gave me some good advice on a previous issue on the old website, good to hear from you again.

Please see my response to 499 above, I'm confident that my tests are accurate and genuine as an old API Master kit, a brand new one and the Tetra three-liquid kit, all read 1-1.5ppm. I wonder if when we changed the substrate the rinse water was not chlorinated and whilst Prime was added to the wet sand before adding, some chlorine may have found its way into the system. We rinsed and added 30 litres of sand, so there was a fair amount of water in the wet sand. The mix of Amguard and Stability seems to be working well as there are no obvious ill-effects yet, so I guess I'll carry on as is, unless anyone else has any experience that advises against.

Thanks to all for advice provided.

[jacksdad]

What is the tank volume and how many fish do you have? Any plants?

[plankton]

If you're using Prime, then surely it isn't worth the money to use the Amguard as they do the same sort of thing, lock the ammonia and nitrite?

[fr499y]

Agreed

[kanturner]

Jacksdad - It's a vision 260, there are some plants (5 or 6 Anubias) and around 60 fish, all small tetra and barb-types with one Bulldog Plec and one Rainbow shark.
Plankton - I'd always assumed that Prime dealt with small amounts of Ammonia etc from the tap, not a higher concentration associated with a spike. If Prime does the job alone should I be adding sufficient for the change water, or sufficient for the entire tank volume given that the test results reflect the latter?
Fr499y - Thanks for sharing your perspective too.
Some other details - All other water parameters are as they have always been, but we did recently add some rocks, bought as 'aquarium safe' from fleabay and have added Purigen to the Eheim external to try to reduce phosphates in an ongoing algae battle. I can't see how either might increase ammonia, but perhaps there was too much change in one go?
Cheers all, we appreciate the advice.

[plankton]

Add for the tank.