Ammonia question
- Thread starter Tbird165
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dmort
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a little more info could be helpful - what are your nitrates and nitrites?
Is your tank newly setup? In that case, you might just let the tank cycle a bit longer and the ammonia should drop naturally. When you see a zero ammonia reading, but you are recording some nitrates and nitrites, its time to do a 50%ish water change.
You can do a water change - that should help bring it down too. If you tank is setup, its possibly that you don't have enough surface area for anaerobic bacteria (I think I'm getting this terminology correct) and you could maybe use some more live rock. However, I believe this is unlikely because between the surface area of the sandbed, current live rock, and any filtration media, you ought to have plenty of bacteria.
Is your tank newly setup? In that case, you might just let the tank cycle a bit longer and the ammonia should drop naturally. When you see a zero ammonia reading, but you are recording some nitrates and nitrites, its time to do a 50%ish water change.
You can do a water change - that should help bring it down too. If you tank is setup, its possibly that you don't have enough surface area for anaerobic bacteria (I think I'm getting this terminology correct) and you could maybe use some more live rock. However, I believe this is unlikely because between the surface area of the sandbed, current live rock, and any filtration media, you ought to have plenty of bacteria.
It's a 46 gal that's been setup for about 6 months. I have a 2 inch sand bed with about 30 lbs of live rock. I also have a 10 refugium for it that's only been setup less then a month. I do a 3 gal water change every 3 days plus a gal top off every other day.
My lvls are
nitrate 19
nitrite is under .5
alk is 300
ph 8.4
salinity between 1.024 and 1.025
My lvls are
nitrate 19
nitrite is under .5
alk is 300
ph 8.4
salinity between 1.024 and 1.025
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Are there fish in the tank?
Randy Holmes-Farley
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odd to have ammonia in an established tank.
What does the kit read on RO/Di water or new salt water?
What does the kit read on RO/Di water or new salt water?
dmort
Active Member
My understanding is that after a few days the saltwater starts to loose its integrity. Someone with more knowledge can correct me... But it doesn't seem likely that this is your issue as you are mixing fresh each time.
Are you using and additives or supplements?
Are you using and additives or supplements?
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
1) I would not add prime. and if you do only add prime to treat the dangerous free ammonia.
2) get a second opinion. --could be your test kit.
3) get a seachem multitest ammonia kit and test to see if the ammonia is already locked.
4) add macro algaes to consume the ammonia.
5) my api test kit would test .25 (lowest reading) ammonia yet everything was fine. Low reading error.
6) just my .02
2) get a second opinion. --could be your test kit.
3) get a seachem multitest ammonia kit and test to see if the ammonia is already locked.
4) add macro algaes to consume the ammonia.
5) my api test kit would test .25 (lowest reading) ammonia yet everything was fine. Low reading error.
6) just my .02
Randy Holmes-Farley
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I can't see ammonia coming regardless, but a few salt mixes that contain organics (such as the vitamins in Reef Crystals or Tropic Marin Bioactif) should be used soon after mixing if you think those ingredients are useful (I don't).
Otherwise, a mix is good for a long time. I use my Instant Ocean over a month or so. It sits unstirred and unheated.
me as well. i buy 5 gals premade from lfs, keep it open and stilled in the blue 5 gal water jugs as it gets slowly used over the month. imo, this ammonia reading isn't correct if all fish can be accounted for and not dead in the system. welcome to api interpretations, they range!
when not dealing with a cycling tank and all fish are accounted for and not using well water as topoff, id never need to test for ammonia and any reading by any kit wouldnt bother me. for sure if i tested my 9 yr old system right now with api it would read .25, but thats just something it reads, doesnt mean its the case. i think api is useful for indicating large changes
when not dealing with a cycling tank and all fish are accounted for and not using well water as topoff, id never need to test for ammonia and any reading by any kit wouldnt bother me. for sure if i tested my 9 yr old system right now with api it would read .25, but thats just something it reads, doesnt mean its the case. i think api is useful for indicating large changes
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