Ammonia High!!

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thread 'Does Prime actually "Detoxify" free ammonia, NH3?' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/does-prime-actually-detoxify-free-ammonia-nh3.849985/

 

[mjw011689]

Didn’t say it removes it. It binds ammonia making it non-toxic. Their words, not mine. But I can tell you over the last 15-20 years of using it, it does work. You can take BRS info with a grain of salt sometimes, but even they recommend using it on QT tanks for this very purpose, and they at least generally make sure something actually works before applying it to a situation like QT.

 

[paxton.rock]

Didn’t say it removes it. It binds ammonia making it non-toxic. Their words, not mine. But I can tell you over the last 15-20 years of using it, it does work. You can take BRS info with a grain of salt sometimes, but even they recommend using it on QT tanks for this very purpose, and they at least generally make sure something actually works before applying it to a situation like QT.

Will it mix with copper power tho?

 

[exnisstech]

I hear a lot of people highly recommending using the seachem ammonia alert badge? Opinion?

Maybe it's just dumb luck but I run these in my QT and don't even own an ammonia test kit. I do run a hob filter with sponges that are cycled tho. I always have at least one sponge in a sump at all times.

 

[taricha]

A bottle of biospira or fritz turbostart will be able to handle the ammonia production in a quarantine in short time - Fritz can eat like 8ppm+ ammonia in < 24 hr. Biospira can scale up to that in just a few days.

Prime (etc) cannot be demonstrated to do anything to ammonia, except make testing for it more complicated.

Make sure there's plenty of O2 and nitrifiers can do the job.

 

[mnl119]

Correct me if I’m wrong. I heard prime was not good because it only makes it “safe” and doesn’t remove it.

I've used Prime for setting up quarantine tanks for years. Eventually the tank cycles. Inhabitants seem none the worse after quarantine. Go ahead and use it for temporary relief.

 

[paxton.rock]

Yes, you will have to change water each time the ammonia shows above 0.5 Total Ammonia.

You can take some bio media from your cycled DT and put it into the filter you're running on your QT.
It should catch up in couple of days by which time you can slow down the water changes.

Will my ceramic media absorb the copper power too much?

 

[paxton.rock]

First, what is your ich treatment?" If you are using cupramine (and possibly other copper treatments) you can't use Prime as it releases free copper.

Coppersafe and Copper Power add about 0.50 ppm ammonia when you dose it, but it is not impossible for a new tank with a good fish load in it to build up 1 ppm of ammonia per day.

What is the pH of the tank? Ammonia is much more toxic at high pH than at low.

Do you have any established bio media you can move over from your DT? Filter floss, non-carbonate rock, etc.?
If not, your next best option is bacteria in a bottle, like Dr. Tims, but as you said, that will get pricey.

Jay

If my ph is high, how can I lower it? And can I put some of my ceramic media in there? Or will it absorbs the copper too much?

 

[Crustaceon]

My how "Qt your new fish" is quickly becoming the new "Is my tank cycled?" topic.

 

[exnisstech]

If my ph is high, how can I lower it? And can I put some of my ceramic media in there? Or will it absorbs the copper too much?

I never check ph in QT or display. If your using the same rodi and salt mix as your DT I see you no reason to check ph. JMO I figure it's not really something that I can control easily so I never test. More dumb luck

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

If my ph is high, how can I lower it? And can I put some of my ceramic media in there? Or will it absorbs the copper too much?

Ceramic media won't absorb copper, a small amount might "adsorb" onto it, but not enough to worry about. I wouldn't try to lower the pH, just don't add buffers to raise it, and just be aware that ammonia is much more toxic at a high pH.

Jay