Ammonia not going down..
- Thread starter Andynz2000
- Start date
- Tagged users None
After tan conversion from the instructions, nh3 is what reefing cares about, it’s .025 = safe and as good as that kit reads on 80% of any running reef tank, you’ve met the wait times from a cycling chart— can begin.
if you had rocks and sand in contact with the wastewater this whole time, they’re now active filter surfaces.
your actual nh3 level is likely in the thousandths but that kit can’t read it as well as digital testing options. I never understood nh3 conversion till Dan explained it to me, SeaBass from nano-reef.com mentioned it to me years ago but I didn’t understand the significance then.
if you had rocks and sand in contact with the wastewater this whole time, they’re now active filter surfaces.
your actual nh3 level is likely in the thousandths but that kit can’t read it as well as digital testing options. I never understood nh3 conversion till Dan explained it to me, SeaBass from nano-reef.com mentioned it to me years ago but I didn’t understand the significance then.
OP
OP
Andynz2000
Active Member
I wonder how long it will take to process 2ppm ammonia?
you have arrived at what cycled reefs run at, the directions to get to zero are flat wrong, not part of real cycling world, and come from a bottle bac sales group.
By never actually getting zero, people assume the cycle is stalled and will buy bac over, and over, and over = $$$$
****reef tanks do not run at zero ammonia**** they run in the thousandths ppm but you have to not test on a seven dollar kit to see it (get a seneye)
if you want to see real cycling, not for sale but for timely starts, make this your new rule and cease applying Dr Tims two ppm ammonia dosing rule.
www.reef2reef.com
Your tank meets every rule from the new science thread for being ready last month. Post a pic of your tank so we can see if there’s enough surface area, we use pics of the tank to call a cycle, not the non digital test charts.
even your ammonia chart above isn’t right, the blue line drop on seneye happens much faster, that’s a non seneye reading above with the expected lag time. Your cycle is done, your start date was last month
what brand of bottle bac did you use
you should have not re dosed, your kits are entry level and have a massive lag time vs the truth, now you’ll be waiting longer for proofing you don’t need, that one drop at the end of the chart above is enough. Change all this water out for new, add some life. That’s 24 pages and a hundred or more reefs exactly like yours who quit using old science and became very happy per their update pics.
By never actually getting zero, people assume the cycle is stalled and will buy bac over, and over, and over = $$$$
****reef tanks do not run at zero ammonia**** they run in the thousandths ppm but you have to not test on a seven dollar kit to see it (get a seneye)
if you want to see real cycling, not for sale but for timely starts, make this your new rule and cease applying Dr Tims two ppm ammonia dosing rule.
How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle
Updated Cycling Science in Action This is a testless reef tank cycling thread, the only one from any board. If you ever had trouble with reef tank cycling in the past, you won't any longer after working some jobs with us. chances are you are using/about to use a method of reef tank cycling...
www.reef2reef.com
Your tank meets every rule from the new science thread for being ready last month. Post a pic of your tank so we can see if there’s enough surface area, we use pics of the tank to call a cycle, not the non digital test charts.
even your ammonia chart above isn’t right, the blue line drop on seneye happens much faster, that’s a non seneye reading above with the expected lag time. Your cycle is done, your start date was last month
what brand of bottle bac did you use
you should have not re dosed, your kits are entry level and have a massive lag time vs the truth, now you’ll be waiting longer for proofing you don’t need, that one drop at the end of the chart above is enough. Change all this water out for new, add some life. That’s 24 pages and a hundred or more reefs exactly like yours who quit using old science and became very happy per their update pics.
Last edited:
Quietman
2500 Club Member
It can be very difficult to sort through all the conflicting info on 'cycling'. There's carry over from freshwater hobbyists, dated information, a whole bunch of marketing stuff from both good and bad vendors and just plain wrong info.
Your 2 ppm addition should drop to .5/.25 very quickly (a day).
The .25 ppm min isn't an error as it's very likely the test kit is measuring total ammonia NH3 (free ammonia) and NH4 (ammonium). Most test devices read total ammonia. At normal reef pH NH3 makes up only about 5% of total so if your kit is reading .25 ppm total ammonia the NH3 (toxic component) is <.02 ppm and that's safe as @brandon429 stated.
Your 2 ppm addition should drop to .5/.25 very quickly (a day).
The .25 ppm min isn't an error as it's very likely the test kit is measuring total ammonia NH3 (free ammonia) and NH4 (ammonium). Most test devices read total ammonia. At normal reef pH NH3 makes up only about 5% of total so if your kit is reading .25 ppm total ammonia the NH3 (toxic component) is <.02 ppm and that's safe as @brandon429 stated.
OP
OP
Andynz2000
Active Member
Weird thing is that two LFS tested my ammonia with different test kits and they both got 0.5 ammonia. I have the api and Salifert tests
But you’re fixed because of the 24 pages above which are all like your reef. Post full tank shot, your start date was last month. The pics show the degree of surface area in contact with the wastewater this wait time thats passed.
we already have each brand of bottle bac studied for deposition time, onto surfaces
what brand of bottle bac did you use
the thread above specifically shows api lagging ten days behind seneye ammonia control dates, the testers used by all three sources are the most entry level possible. and at .025-.05 that’s still within the safe range, we had covered prior how your stated number is one decimal off, you’re reporting tenths ppm we only use the nh3 scale from the test kit instructions. Your actual levels on low quality test kits are in a passing, not failing range. It took a big drop to arrive where you’re at, that means cycle is done. At no time does updated cycling science expect zero ammonia in systems that do not run zero ammonia.
we already have each brand of bottle bac studied for deposition time, onto surfaces
what brand of bottle bac did you use
the thread above specifically shows api lagging ten days behind seneye ammonia control dates, the testers used by all three sources are the most entry level possible. and at .025-.05 that’s still within the safe range, we had covered prior how your stated number is one decimal off, you’re reporting tenths ppm we only use the nh3 scale from the test kit instructions. Your actual levels on low quality test kits are in a passing, not failing range. It took a big drop to arrive where you’re at, that means cycle is done. At no time does updated cycling science expect zero ammonia in systems that do not run zero ammonia.
Last edited:
Quietman
2500 Club Member
Sounds about right then. Both of those measure total ammonia. Your free (toxic) is <.05 ppm and safe for fish. .25 ppm is within test kit agreement, these are hobby grade kits after all
Start adding fish soon as that last ammonia add is processed.
. As long as your API is reading .5 ppm or less you're good to go. And even if a bit higher than that.Good luck.
