High Ammonia after adding nitrifying bacteria

[CFish4812]

Hello,

I added 2 ppm of ammonium chloride and dosed one small bottle of Dr Tim’s nitrifying bacteria at the beginning of this month. This is for an observation/quarantine tank.

The tank is bare bottom with pvc for the fish to hide, a heater and HOB filter with sponge and ceramic media.

The ammonia is still at 2 ppm after almost a month and I’m not sure what to do. I added additional bacteria a week ago but there has been no change.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I leave the tank alone and keep waiting, do a water change?

 

[Subsea]

Check your test kit or have LFS test your water.

Either your bacteria in a bottle is dead or your test kit is bad.

 

[CFish4812]

Check your test kit or have LFS test your water.

Either your bacteria in a bottle is dead or your test kit is bad.

Good idea will do. I’ve used two bottles of bacteria now. One at the beginning of the month and one about a week ago so I’m leaning toward the test kit possibly being bad.

 

[Fish Fan]

Dr. Tim's bacteria can take +/- 3 weeks to "work", despite what it might suggest on the bottle

I'd give this a little longer without a water change to see if the ammonia starts to decline.