Ammonia outbreak

[Jaxen Wages]

I have a 100 gallon tank that was going pretty steady until I tested it and there is an insane ammonia outbreak in my tank any suggestions on what to do.

 

[bushdoc]

Ammonia spike in cycled tank is unusual, but possible due to some decaying matter( anemone, fish, snail, shrimp etc).
Could you give more info, including how old is your tank, what is ammonia level, livestock, live rock present, filtration system, skimmer?

 

[Jaxen Wages]

There was 2 dead sails I’ve had it for almost 2 months have a baby blue tang and baby naso, Valentini pufferfish, and 2 clownfish. I don’t have a protein skimmer at the moment it’s on the way. Filtration Xpertmatic filter, and I’ll get back to you with the ammonia level.

 

[Cell]

Something not adding up here. 2 dead snails in a cycled 100G tank should not spike ammonia.

 

[bushdoc]

Just wanted to say that-2 dead snails in large tank cannot spike an ammonia. Is Tank cycled? Is live rock there?
I think this filter might be OK for freshwater tank of smaller size, but not for 100 gal saltwater with sizable fish population.
If I am right, you need to do partial or even subtotal water change, depending on ammonia levels and get some commercial bacteria to cycle tank and wish that fish survive.

 

[Jaxen Wages]

Something not adding up here. 2 dead snails in a cycled 100G tank should not spike ammonia.

Idk I thought it was weird to but could it possibly be over feeding and the food they don’t eat

 

[Jaxen Wages]

Just wanted to say that-2 dead snails in large tank cannot spike an ammonia. Is Tank cycled? Is live rock there?
I think this filter might be OK for freshwater tank of smaller size, but not for 100 gal saltwater with sizable fish population.
If I am right, you need to do partial or even subtotal water change, depending on ammonia levels and get some commercial bacteria to cycle tank and wish that fish survive.

It was kinda odd to me also I’m currently dosing it with prime and and did a giant water change but I will try those suggestions tomorrow thank you.

 

[brandon429]

Solid bet= misread via non digital test kit, no ammonia spike happened, post tank pics

heres forty of them, to show patterns

Sustained Ammonia spikes are misreads

The reason you think your reef tank can’t control its ammonia is due to false training from old cycling science. That and you don’t own a seneye on the tank in question: if you did, you wouldn’t ever think your ammonia was out of control...

www.reef2reef.com

post a full tank shot, it will be normal looking and not mid-crash

stocked and running displays simply don’t have ammonia issues, and your tank is cycled due to how long it’s been running with water in it + fed fish.

 

[Dom]

There was 2 dead sails I’ve had it for almost 2 months have a baby blue tang and baby naso, Valentini pufferfish, and 2 clownfish. I don’t have a protein skimmer at the moment it’s on the way. Filtration Xpertmatic filter, and I’ll get back to you with the ammonia level.

Okay, you have in a 100 gallon tank:

- Blue Tang
- Baby Naso
- Valentini Puffer
- (2) Clownfish

In my opinion, that is a lot of fish to add in such a short period of time.

As I understand it, it is about supply and demand. And the size of your bacteria colony will change based on the bio load.

You must allow your nitrifying bacteria colony time to grow in order to meet the supply of ammonia produced by fish waste.

Also, I urge you to quarantine!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Best of luck to getting the ammonia under control!!

 

[Jaxen Wages]

Okay, you have in a 100 gallon tank:

- Blue Tang
- Baby Naso
- Valentini Puffer
- (2) Clownfish

In my opinion, that is a lot of fish to add in such a short period of time.

As I understand it, it is about supply and demand. And the size of your bacteria colony will chang based on the bio load.

You must allow your nitrifying bacteria colony time to grow in order to meet the supply of ammonia produced by fish waste.

Also, I urge you to quarantine!

Thank you for the suggestions i will do that but I do have a quarantine tank, Sorry I took so long to respond I was at school we just got released early because a bomb threat.

 

[Jaxen Wages]

Best of luck to getting the ammonia under control!!

Thank you

 

[Dom]

Thank you for the suggestions i will do that but I do have a quarantine tank, Sorry I took so long to respond I was at school we just got released early because a bomb threat.

Really? Was there a test today?

Glad to hear you quarantine.

 

[brandon429]

Can you post the tank picture, you can see from the false alert thread its how we identify mis readings

(Ammonia non control leads to a crash in one day, a normal running reef tank isn't mid crash)

Nh4, what non digital tests read, isn't expected to be zero in a stocked reef tank. This is the heart of all false ammonia alerts, they expect zero where there isn't supposed to be zero

The pic of the tank with plenty of surface area fixes up the matter quickly

 

[Jaxen Wages]

Really? Was there a test today?

Glad to hear you quarantine.

Thankfully there wasn’t.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

In an entire thread about spiking ammonia, there's no mention of the levels observed or how it was tested???

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It was kinda odd to me also I’m currently dosing it with prime and and did a giant water change but I will try those suggestions tomorrow thank you.

The Prime is likely of no benefit with ammonia. It does not appear to function as Seachem claims.

 

[Jaxen Wages]

In an entire thread about spiking ammonia, there's no mention of the levels observed or how it was tested???

It was a 2.0 but it has gotten a little better sense my water change