Ammonia not going up?

[fishywishy]

So I just got 30 pounds of kp live rock in water for my 55 gallon and on kp’s website it says that the first week you will have to change the water every day to keep the ammonia down but I added all the rock to my tank in the ammonia never went up, the rock what delayed for 24 hours so does this have something to do with it?

 

[Saltyreef]

So I just got 30 pounds of kp live rock in water for my 55 gallon and on kp’s website it says that the first week you will have to change the water every day to keep the ammonia down but I added all the rock to my tank in the ammonia never went up, the rock what delayed for 24 hours so does this have something to do with it?

I believe the ammonia warning is for the die off that comes with shipping liverock.

Also, did you add it to an existing established tank with biofilter??

 

[fishywishy]

I believe the ammonia warning is for the die off that comes with shipping liverock.

Also, did you add it to an existing established tank with biofilter??

No, the guy at Kp said I don’t have to and a few people on here said I don’t have to either. So did I just not have that much die off?

 

[Saltyreef]

No, the guy at Kp said I don’t have to and a few people on here said I don’t have to either. So did I just not have that much die off?

I was going to say, if you had that would explain the no ammonia.

What are you using to test for ammonia?

 

[fishywishy]

I was going to say, if you had that would explain the no ammonia.

What are you using to test for ammonia?

I have one of those ammo alert badges, I also have a api test kit but I don’t trust using it.

 

[Saltyreef]

I have one of those ammo alert badges, I also have a api test kit but I don’t trust using it.

Oh thats because the alert badge is reading free ammonia vs total ammonia.

So technically your system/rock is processing ammonia very well if it doesnt show any alert coloration.

Also, fwiw, never let it dry out and consider replacing it after 30 days of use.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I've added live rock to an existing tank with no apparent change in ammonia.

 

[FlyinAg]

How long has the rock been in, and have you checked nitrate and nitrite?

 

[Akreefnewguy]

If your tank had already been cycled, it would be from random debris and die off, and a cycled tank depending on size may not show much at all because your system is processing the ammonia already. So watch nitrate this week it may go up a little more then usual.

 

[Akreefnewguy]

How long has the rock been in, and have you checked nitrate and nitrite?

Skip nitrite, go to nitrate. Nitrite doesn't harm saltwater fish so nitrate is what you want to watch rise to take back out with water changes and micro algae if you set on up

 

[fishywishy]

How long has the rock been in, and have you checked nitrate and nitrite?

The rock has been in for a day and a half, I haven’t checked nitrate and nitrite yet but the test kits are coming in today and ph is normal.

 

[Akreefnewguy]

The rock has been in for a day and a half, I haven’t checked nitrate and nitrite yet but the test kits are coming in today and ph is normal.

I'd give it 3 days for anything to die and start decomposition, how many lbs of rock did you add

 

[Akreefnewguy]

Nevermind it'd in your post im an idiot

 

[FlyinAg]

And confirm this was NOT added to an existing system, this is a new start?

 

[fishywishy]

And confirm this was NOT added to an existing system, this is a new start?

Yes

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes

OK, I misunderstood.

What does the rock look like? Got and pics of it in or before it went into the tank?

 

[Saltyreef]

Just gonna repeat what i said, your seachem ammonia badge is not measuring total ammonia. Just the toxic free ammonia.

 

[fishywishy]

OK, I misunderstood.

What does the rock look like? Got and pics of it in or before it went into the tank?

this is around half of all the rock I got

 

[fishywishy]

this is around half of all the rock I got

a lot off the cyano is gone because it was delayed so long, will it grow back?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d expect a little die off from that. I’d just keep watching ammonia.