Easy Green causing high Ammonia and Nitrite?

[Frodo]

Hi. 
Now that my tank is cycled a few times and readings have been stable for more than 2 months, I wanted to establish a routine with maintenance. 
I am trying the empirical method using API MASTER TEST KIT. I feed my fish alternate days. 

Its a 30G with 2 HG, 4 Cory, 3 Ottos with Hob filter and an airstone.

I have 1 Compacta Amazon, 1 Frazeri Anubias, 1 Anubias Congensis, 1 water sprite, Around quarter surface full Frogbit.  

Roughly here is my findings so far. 

1. I change water once a week on Saturday upto 30-40%. 

2. Saturday- Day of water change- Ph-7.2 A- 0 Ni- 0 Na-5ppm

3. Add Aquarium Co-op Easy Green fert Tuesday- 2 pumps only

4. Wednesday - Ph-7.2 A-0.25-0.5 Ni- 0.25-0.5 Na- 5-10ppm. 

I cannot explain any other change in water apart from addition of fert. 
Is this normal? Do ferts cause high Am and Ni? Or did I just happen to catch my tank in middle of cycle? 
My fish are active and normal as far as i can tell.

Edited November 5, 2020 by Frodo

[McNubbin]

Add in a second test either on Monday, or on Tuesday before adding your fertilizers.  Add more more test on Friday as well, or just before doing the water change on Friday. This will help pinpoint the fertz as the cause and show if the ammonia and nitrates are being consumed properly by bacteria and plants.

[Seized]

Easy green contains both nitrates and ammonia. Dial it back until you reach a desired number. And also if your need more nutrients use flourish 

[Frodo]

Thank you. I will try both. Test more and reduce to 1 pump next week. 

[Cory]

46 minutes ago, Seized said:

Easy green contains both nitrates and ammonia. Dial it back until you reach a desired number. And also if your need more nutrients use flourish 

Our fertilizer doesn't contain ammonia. Some fertilizers do use ammonia assuming the average planted aquarium is below 6.4 ph and therefore it won't be toxic. 

Do know that using something like prime, will give false readings to test kits on ammonia. Also know that if you break down chloramine, it'll show as ammonia as well. 

I can't speak to every test kit and our fertilizer as chemicals can react and give false readings, such as prime and ammonia test kits. But I do know we specifically developed it without using ammonia, and have had 3rd party tests done to ensure the manufacturer was making it to spec.

[Daniel]

My Seneye monitors NH3 (Ammonia) it does not monitor NH4 (Ammonium).

At 9:16 am EST before adding Easy Green to my aquarium this morning the ammonia reading on the Seneye was 0.154 parts per million.

I added 4 mL of Easy Green at 9:21 am EST.

I measured again at 10:48 am EST and the ammonia reading on the Seneye was 0.144 parts per million.

The change in the ammonia was a decrease of 0.01 parts per million after adding Easy Green.

[Frodo]

Thank you Everyone. Ammonia is back to 0 but i have had a huge nitrite spike. I topped the API Chart in color. Luckily all fish are good but no change after multiple water changes either. Adding Seachem Prime today once it comes. 
Any other way I can prevent Nitrite spikes after water change? 
My HOB has a sponge on intake. Trying to figure out what killed my denitrifying bacteria. 

[Daniel]

Seachem Prime can get picked up in the API test results, according Seneye's website:

USING SEACHEM PRIME?

Testing for ammonia with the test kits above might produce false readings after a water change if you add to much de chlorinator. Seachem's Prime conditioner will give false readings for ammonia, on both Nessler's Reagent and salicylate tests. Sodium thiosulfate, Na2S2O3, in Prime reacts with the chloride ion that is part in the test reagents. According to Seachem after 24 hours you will then be able to test again and get accurate readings.

The denitrifying bacteria double in population size about every 24 hours which is slow for bacteria, but still fast by our standards so they should be back in full force soon.

[Frodo]

Thanks Daniel.

Using Prime only to get Nitrite down temporarily until bacterias catch up. Its up to 5ppm as of yesterday. 
At least on the bottle is says can be used to treat Nitrite spike as an emergency measure. 
Is it not a good idea? 

[Daniel]

Not saying Prime is not a good idea. Just saying that your test results might be skewed for 24 hours after using it so that you would have to take that into account when interpreting the test results.

I don’t have an opinion one way or another on Prime.

[Mychala]

Also have you checked your tap water to see if that's where your spike is coming from?

[Frodo]

I have. It says 0.  Its been 4 days now and no reduction in Nitrite. Tried following so far:

1. Water changes- 50% - 3 times. Any more and i would hamper bacteria build up.

2. Add more bacteria. 

3. Add Seachem Prime as an emergency measure. 

Nothing is helping! I may add some more prime. Nitrates have dropped below 5ppm. Ammonia is somewhere between 0-0.25ppm. 

The only thing left to try is add some gravel in a bucket, dechlorinated water, bacteria, leave it for 24 hours and add it in my tank. 

I just keep thinking, if I don't find a reason now why this happened, I would never know how to avoid it in future. Rather be proactive than reactive. Thanks.

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by Frodo