Ammonia spike and two dead snails?!

[Inversus]

You have 2 clowns living in there with 0 issues. You have other inverts living in there with 0 issues. You started cycling 2 months ago, your tank is cycled.

You do not have 1.2ppm ammonia. The fish would be fine, but your other inverts would be dying if ammonia was truly that high. Something is throwing the kit off, get a different kit just to verify. Or when you go to the LFS, have them test it.

Throw the test kit away and quit testing for ammonia. Or get a another test kit to confirm.

Your worrying over nothing, and going to add a bunch of carp thats not needed.

The Red Sea kits are fairly reliable, so while I wouldn't necessarily pitch it - an alternate testing kit wouldn't be a bad idea, either to rule that out.

The freshwater store had a ammonia test kit, unfortunately it expired 2019 (lol). But I took it anyway (payed half price).
The test return a ammonia level < 0,05

The Reef Energy stuff your adding is sugars and amino acids, I’m guessing this is screwing with your test. You don’t need it. Fish food, light, heat and good water (including aeration) that's all.

That might be it, I got it because of the many positive comments here on r2r and my GSP was and still is not open

 

[homer1475]

The freshwater store had a ammonia test kit, unfortunately it expired 2019 (lol). But I took it anyway (payed half price).
The test return a ammonia level < 0,05

According to senyeye users, that is a normal level of ammonia in a running reef tank.

I would tend to believe the expired test kit, over one that is telling you things should be dying at the level it's reporting since nothing is dying in your tank.

 

[blaxsun]

The Reef Energy stuff your adding is sugars and amino acids, I’m guessing this is screwing with your test. You don’t need it. Fish food, light, heat and good water (including aeration) that's all.

I use ReefEnergy AB+ daily and used the same Red Sea ammonia test kit yesterday; it returned 0.0. Maybe there's an issue with one or more of the reagents.

 

[Inversus]

I use ReefEnergy AB+ daily and used the same Red Sea ammonia test kit yesterday; it returned 0.0. Maybe there's an issue with one or more of the reagents.

I also ordered a new red sea ammonia testkit, as soon as it arrives I will test with this one.
Never the less, Im still pretty much confused on what exactly happend (or didnt happen in this case)^^

 

[blaxsun]

I also ordered a new red sea ammonia testkit, as soon as it arrives I will test with this one.
Never the less, Im still pretty much confused on what exactly happend (or didnt happen in this case)^^

Anyone's guess at this point. On the plus side you've improved your filtration setup, you can re-test with your new kit when it arrives and figure out if there's an issue with the old kit. And you now have a backup ammonia test kit.

 

[Garf]

I also ordered a new red sea ammonia testkit, as soon as it arrives I will test with this one.
Never the less, Im still pretty much confused on what exactly happend (or didnt happen in this case)^^

Is your nitrite going up?

 

[homer1475]

Is your nitrite going up?

Didn't even think of that! Duh.......

 

[Inversus]

Is your nitrite going up?

Didn't even think of that! Duh.......

Nitrite is around 0.5, maybe a bit more like 0.6
Last measurements where also around 0.5, so no it's not going up

 

[Inversus]

Today it looks like a small algea outbreak

 

[Inversus]

A week later nitrites and ammonia are rising. Last week reading was:
0.2 ammonia and 0.4 nitrite

Today reading (after 10% waterchange):
0.8 ammonia and at least 1 (probably more) nitrite.

Filtersocks (100) are installed and I change them every 3-4 days


Anything I should worry about? As far as I know nitrite itself isnt that toxic in marine life and 0.8 ammonia isnt that scary. But I dont know why its rising and also this weekend Im going to a 7 day holiday. So I want to be sure that nothing bad happens while Im gone

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I did not read through all 5 pages of this thread, so forgive me if this has already been addressed:
When you use an ammonia detoxifier (Prime, Amguard, etc), it will TEMPORARILY convert the ammonia into a non-toxic form. The ammonia will still be in the tank, and unless other measures are taken to reduce/eliminate it, in 24 hours it will become toxic again. Even while it is in the non-toxic state, most ammonia test kits will still register the ammonia (because it's still in the tank).
I'm not trying to discourage the use of these products, but adding them is usually only a temporary fix.

Have you thought about adding some (more?) bottled bacteria?

 

[Inversus]

I did not read through all 5 pages of this thread, so forgive me if this has already been addressed:
When you use an ammonia detoxifier (Prime, Amguard, etc), it will TEMPORARILY convert the ammonia into a non-toxic form. The ammonia will still be in the tank, and unless other measures are taken to reduce/eliminate it, in 24 hours it will become toxic again. Even while it is in the non-toxic state, most ammonia test kits will still register the ammonia (because it's still in the tank).
I'm not trying to discourage the use of these products, but adding them is usually only a temporary fix.

Have you thought about adding some (more?) bottled bacteria?

Hehe no worries. The ammonia spike was a false reading or better said a faulty test kit. With the functioning kit it was 0.2 (and now 0.8). So I didnt add any detoxifier.

I have not thought about that. I still have Nopox here. If thats what you mean? Should I start dosing again? (Stopped about 3 weeks ago because the vaules where good and I dont want to constantly dose it)

 

[Dburr1014]

Hehe no worries. The ammonia spike was a false reading or better said a faulty test kit. With the functioning kit it was 0.2 (and now 0.8). So I didnt add any detoxifier.

I have not thought about that. I still have Nopox here. If thats what you mean? Should I start dosing again? (Stopped about 3 weeks ago because the vaules where good and I dont want to constantly dose it)

I recommend you throw away nopox, aminos, and anything else you have been dumping in.
The only thing you should be doing is water changes.

You have nothing in your tank but fish and snails. Your tank will not/can not use what your putting in and fueling other bad things.
Let your tank happen. Sit back and relax.