Confused about Ammonia levels

[Fapman]

I had this tank running since the start of Feb, it’s a 3g Picoreef. Thought I cycled the tank because I had an ammonia spike followed by 0 then nitrite spike followed by 0. I used Seachem stability and Fritz 9.

I waited about a week before adding any livestock with 0 levels

I had two sexy shrimps die over night (Saturday) after being in the tank for about two weeks, and since then I’ve had high ammonia level such as 2.0ppm but 0 Nitrite. I performed 20% water changes with seachem stability the past three days and still have ammonia problems. What am I doing wrong?


currently
2 turbo snails
3 Nerite snails
3 Nassurius snails
5 dwaefhermit crabs

 

[CryptoNautical]

For 3 gallons I'd just do a full %100 water change and then re-test. Inverts should not be able to survive this level of ammonia. What test kit are you using?

 

[Fapman]

For 3 gallons I'd just do a full %100 water change and then re-test. Inverts should not be able to survive this level of ammonia. What test kit are you using?

API. I won’t be able to do the 100% water change until tomorrow but will do this.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I had this tank running since the start of Feb, it’s a 3g Picoreef. Thought I cycled the tank because I had an ammonia spike followed by 0 then nitrite spike followed by 0. I used Seachem stability and Fritz 9.

I waited about a week before adding any livestock with 0 levels

I had two sexy shrimps die over night (Saturday) after being in the tank for about two weeks, and since then I’ve had high ammonia level such as 2.0ppm but 0 Nitrite. I performed 20% water changes with seachem stability the past three days and still have ammonia problems. What am I doing wrong?


currently
2 turbo snails
3 Nerite snails
3 Nassurius snails
5 dwaefhermit crabs

2.0 ammonia would be very high.

How were shrimps acclimated and for how long
What test kits are you using? I suspect false readings

 

[Fapman]

2.0 ammonia would be very high.

How were shrimps acclimated and for how long
What test kits are you using? I suspect false readings

I had the shrimps acclimated by drip for about an hour. But they were in the tank happily for about two weeks then they died.
im using an API test kit, I’m getting different results on my other tank. Which is strange.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I had the shrimps acclimated by drip for about an hour. But they were in the tank happily for about two weeks then they died.
im using an API test kit, I’m getting different results on my other tank. Which is strange.

I asked about test kits as I suspected API . Your levels may be higher than you are seeing as these kits are well known for false reading results
In this case as i generally do, I recommend taking a water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use Api kits and see what results they come up with.

 

[Fapman]

I asked about test kits as I suspected API . Your levels may be higher than you are seeing as these kits are well known for false reading results
In this case as i generally do, I recommend taking a water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use Api kits and see what results they come up with.

just tested.

Is there any brands besides API you would recommend?

 

[Fapman]

This my result when i test my 5G picoreef which has a couple snails and hermits in.

 

[Fapman]

should I remove all livestock from the 3g until I figure out what’s going on?

 

[Fapman]

After 24 hours since doing a 100% water change. Ammonia levels are still at 0

 

[Ashish Patel]

Only cause of high ammonia is insufficient biological filter to process the ammonia and covert it into nitrate. Kind of strange to be getting ammonia spike going this long into it.
Do you have sand bed and rock or other biological media? Are you cleaning the media with freshwater? Upload a picture will help for sure.

I setup a QT in 1 day and with only 2 small pieces of rock from my display as only source of biological filter.I didn't even have ammonia spike in 6 weeks of setting it up. I do find it odd that your getting ammonia after doing a water change. Maybe test your make up water and give it time to establish.

 

[Fapman]

Only cause of high ammonia is insufficient biological filter to process the ammonia and covert it into nitrate. Kind of strange to be getting ammonia spike going this long into it.
Do you have sand bed and rock or other biological media? Are you cleaning the media with freshwater? Upload a picture will help for sure.

I setup a QT in 1 day and with only 2 small pieces of rock from my display as only source of biological filter.I didn't even have ammonia spike in 6 weeks of setting it up. I do find it odd that your getting ammonia after doing a water change. Maybe test your make up water and give it time to establish.

I had two shrimp die which may have been the cause of the ammonia. But when I did my water change I did notice a lot of gunk and nasty stuff coming out from the pump area so I cleaned all that with fresh saltwater.

 

[Ashish Patel]

After 24 hours since doing a 100% water change. Ammonia levels are still at 0

May have read that wrong before - yeah your at 0 so your good. It has to be the die off.
Maybe remove some of the sand bed, pretty cool that you can maintain a 3 gallon tank!