AMMONIA SPIKE!

[swedishreefer]

So i just realized my tank got a amonia spike. Its a new tank 360l that i moved over all my rocks and fish to 2days ago i never haf amonia in my old 180l tank and the rocks only left water for 1 second. Pls help

 

[ColbyNTX]

Even a new tank with good live rock will need to cycle.

 

[Dan I]

Water change will help a lot. Try to do at least a 10% water change. Keep water at hand to change water if you notice ammonia spike again. If you have an ammonia binder, that can also be helpful.

 

[EmdeReef]

What was your ammonia and what test kit?
You could try adding some bacteria to speed up cycling.

 

[TinyChocobo]

According to his other thread, https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/amonia-spike.365939/, he's at around 1.8 PPM if the picture is good.

Honestly I'd be doing a massive water change - 75~100% [although probably in 25% increments].

 

[Dom]

So i just realized my tank got a amonia spike. Its a new tank 360l that i moved over all my rocks and fish to 2days ago i never haf amonia in my old 180l tank and the rocks only left water for 1 second. Pls help

Don't over react. Add some nitrifying bacteria and monitor.

 

[TinyChocobo]

Don't over react. Add some nitrifying bacteria and monitor.

If bottled bacteria is available, that's definitely a step to take although I'm not sure how fast exactly that would resolve the issue.

When I had an ammonia spike I added some prime to de-toxify what was in the water and then added the bacteria - granted I was only at 0.5PPM and now I'm undetectable 3 days later.

 

[CindyKz]

In the OP other thread he shows a photo of his tank, including the fish swimming around normally. He doesn't describe any distressed behavior, he states that he's not even sure if they are breathing rapidly. At an ammonia level of 1.8, wouldn't we expect to see pretty distressed behavior or outright death?

OP I know you said you did the tests multiple times, but are you sure you are following the instructions exactly? Not doubling or halving the amount of water or number of drops? (I'm not familiar with the Red Sea kit, sorry). Maybe I am off base and someone please correct me if I am but I have to wonder if that test is accurate when your fish seem ok.

 

[swedishreefer]

If bottled bacteria is available, that's definitely a step to take although I'm not sure how fast exactly that would resolve the issue.

When I had an ammonia spike I added some prime to de-toxify what was in the water and then added the bacteria - granted I was only at 0.5PPM and now I'm undetectable 3 days later.

Well i dont have bottled bacteria. I just noticed my new water also read 1.8ppm -_- i guess the test lit sucks. Its a fairly new red sea testkit exp12-18

 

[TinyChocobo]

Well i dont have bottled bacteria. I just noticed my new water also read 1.8ppm -_- i guess the test lit sucks. Its a fairly new red sea testkit exp12-18

As per your other thread - you're using tap water because you "didn't have time to make ro water".

Yes - it's entirely possible your tap water has 1.8 parts of ammonia per 1,000,000 units of water. [1.8 ML Ammonia in 1,000,000 ML water] - not something you'd taste or smell - but a concentration high enough to harm fish that live and breath and drink the water 24/7/365.

 

[CindyKz]

Well i dont have bottled bacteria. I just noticed my new water also read 1.8ppm -_- i guess the test lit sucks. Its a fairly new red sea testkit exp12-18

Or there is ammonia in your water supply. I don't know if that is possible, maybe someone else would weigh in.

Are you measuring ammonia in the same water you are using for your tank?

 

[CindyKz]

OP how do your fish look?

 

[TinyChocobo]

Or there is ammonia in your water supply. I don't know if that is possible, maybe someone else would weigh in.

Are you measuring ammonia in the same water you are using for your tank?

Yes, it's possible to have ammonia in tap water.

 

[swedishreefer]

Or there is ammonia in your water supply. I don't know if that is possible, maybe someone else would weigh in.

Are you measuring ammonia in the same water you are using for your tank?

Yes ihave used tapwater this time sience idint have the time to make osmos water. But if its 1.8ppm in tap wouldnt i be sick from drinking of it? Its from my whelm. And the tank dosent smell amonia either

 

[swedishreefer]

Yes, it's possible to have ammonia in tap water.

I just tested my brand new osmos water whitout salt and it had 1.1ppm amonia the osmos maker is alomst brand new

 

[graffitireef]

op, you need to do water changes with distilled water asap. Go to a supermarket and get some 5 gallon jugs filled. if you're starting with water that has ammonia already in it, its only going to go up from there as fish waste accumulates. You could pickup some Zeovit rocks and put it into a reactor to absorb the ammonia.

 

[TinyChocobo]

I just tested my brand new osmos water whitout salt and it had 1.1ppm amonia the osmos maker is alomst brand new

Are you doing any de-ionizing? Ammonia can pass through an R/O Membrane.

R/O will generally reduce the PH of the water down to the point that Ammonia becomes an ammonium ion which is removed by cation resin.

 

[swedishreefer]

op, you need to do water changes with distilled water asap. Go to a supermarket and get some 5 gallon jugs filled. if you're starting with water that has ammonia already in it, its only going to go up from there as fish waste accumulates. You could pickup some Zeovit rocks and put it into a reactor to absorb the ammonia.

Dont think any sort of store sells destilled water on jugs here in sweden. But im pretty sure there arent any amonia i have tested my tap and osmos water before and it have never contained any amonia + my fishhave being doing great for 5 hours now

 

[TinyChocobo]

Dont think any sort of store sells destilled water on jugs here in sweden. But im pretty sure there arent any amonia i have tested my tap and osmos water before and it have never contained any amonia + my fishhave being doing great for 5 hours now

The test could be bad... I have no experience with that sort of thing though.

 

[swedishreefer]

Are you doing any de-ionizing? Ammonia can pass through an R/O Membrane.

R/O will generally reduce the PH of the water down to the point that Ammonia becomes an ammonium ion which is removed by cation resin.

Dont know it is 1st a carbon filter then a fine filter lastly 70gpd membrane