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Ned,

Got a quick question for you (somewhat of an amateur question). I've currently got a 20G long with 7 n. multifasciatus, 7 orange chela danios, 2 nerite snails and some mts snails. I'm fighting what I would deem a 'slight' ammonia problem with the tank up and running for about 4 months now. I'm running a Penn Plax 500 filter (rated for up to 30G). Weekly 25% water changes, used some of your dirty water to cycle the tank when I originally got the danios, very, very careful about overfeeding etc.

I've been kicking around the idea that perhaps the Penn Plax 500 isn't providing enough filtration and considering upgrading to the 700. Do you think this would help with the problem or am I missing something else obvious?

Thanks,
Steve

either you are cleaning the filter pad too well
(leave it dirty, never use hot water)
or
your ammonia test is off

try doing an ammonia test on your tap water

Thanks. I don't clean my filter pads at all I just open up the filter about once a month to make sure its not gonna get clogged with any sand etc.

Good idea on testing the tap water. Its a sera test so I assumed it was accurate, but I'll give that a shot this evening when I do a water change. Thanks for the advice!

LOL. LOL. So, rather than wait, I just went and ran a test on some tap water. Unless the water is coming out of my tap with .075 - 1.0 PPM Ammonia in it, I think its the test. It must not be metering the drops properly. (and if it is, I better call the EPA!!! LOL).

Any suggestions on a more accurate test than the sera ones?

Thanks,
Steve

I'll do a little research