Are plants not getting enough soil?

[Sunnyday]

I just set up this tank and got some fish last week, but the catch is they were a gift, so I didn't get to cycle it beforehand. The ammonia levels are still pretty high - here are the levels from just 30 minutes ago. I've done a couple of water changes already, 50% yesterday and 25% the day before. What I'm wondering about is the plants - are they planted deep enough in the soil? I've noticed the rocks in the tank seem to be blocking the plants from reaching the soil, which means they're not absorbing the ammonia like they should be. In fact, they might even be releasing more ammonia. I just removed a bunch of free-floating plants last night. Before that, I tried to plant the roots in the soil, but with all the water changes, they just wouldn't stay put. Any advice would be super helpful right about now.

[coltin]

I've been reading up on this stuff, and from what I've gathered, ammonia's basically a byproduct of the fish themselves, their food, and the waste they produce. If you're dealing with ammonia or nitrite levels above 0ppm, I'd recommend doing a 75% water change and giving the substrate a good gravel cleaning every day until those levels drop to zero.

I've also learned that healthy, living plants shouldn't be releasing ammonia - they actually absorb nutrients through their leaves and roots, with most of it coming in through the leaves.

[coltin]

Dead plants can indeed release some ammonia, but it's relatively minimal compared to the waste produced by fish or their food. If you notice any dead leaves, just remove them to prevent any further release of toxins.

When it comes to soil substrates, they can be a significant source of ammonia, especially in the initial months after setup. This is because the soil can leach ammonia into the water.

In terms of water changes, I've found that bigger changes, around 75-90%, are much more effective in diluting nutrients and ammonia in the water. This is because they leave less old water behind.

To identify the source of the ammonia, I would recommend an experiment. Take some of the soil and put it in a bucket of tap water for a week. Monitor the ammonia levels in that bucket, making sure to test the water first to ensure it's ammonia-free. If the soil does produce ammonia, that's likely your main culprit.

You can also test the gravel in a similar way. And to serve as a control, have a third bucket of tap water with nothing in it.

While you're running these tests, just do a big water change every day to keep the ammonia levels in check. Once you determine the source of the ammonia, you can take targeted action. However, if you find that the soil is the issue and you add more soil, you'll only exacerbate the problem.

[Giggletons]

I've been reading up on this stuff, and from what I've gathered, ammonia's basically a byproduct of the fish themselves, their food, and the waste they produce. If you're dealing with ammonia or nitrite levels above 0ppm, I'd recommend doing a 75% water change and giving the substrate a good gravel cleaning every day until those levels drop to zero.

I've also learned that healthy, living plants shouldn't be releasing ammonia - they actually absorb nutrients through their leaves and roots, with most of it coming in through the leaves.

Some soil actually contains nitrogen and ammonia as a source of fertilizers.

[Sunnyday]

I've been reading up on this stuff, and from what I've gathered, ammonia's basically a byproduct of the fish themselves, their food, and the waste they produce. If you're dealing with ammonia or nitrite levels above 0ppm, I'd recommend doing a 75% water change and giving the substrate a good gravel cleaning every day until those levels drop to zero.

I've also learned that healthy, living plants shouldn't be releasing ammonia - they actually absorb nutrients through their leaves and roots, with most of it coming in through the leaves.

I really appreciate the advice, I'm going to start doing those daily water changes and test the soil ASAP to see if that's the source of the issue, thanks a lot for the help.

[Giggletons]

I've been reading up on this stuff, and from what I've gathered, ammonia's basically a byproduct of the fish themselves, their food, and the waste they produce. If you're dealing with ammonia or nitrite levels above 0ppm, I'd recommend doing a 75% water change and giving the substrate a good gravel cleaning every day until those levels drop to zero.

I've also learned that healthy, living plants shouldn't be releasing ammonia - they actually absorb nutrients through their leaves and roots, with most of it coming in through the leaves.

Even with daily water changes, remember that fish in a cycling tank are still at risk. That's why doing daily changes will really help out a lot.