How much is 'too much' ammonia during a tank's initial cycle?

[wcfost]

Hello! This is my first post and my first SW tank. It's a 55g with 25g (roughly) sump. That's about 40 pounds of live rock in there. It's day 3 of the cycle but my ammonia is testing mighty high, probably between 2 and 3 ppm. Is that a problem? Will ammonia levels that high disrupt the cycle?

All 55g of water came straight from the LFS and tested below .25 ppm. Should I do a partial water change now to bring down the ammonia or just let it ride?

Thanks for any help you can provide! This forum has been a blessing so far.

 

[shecter]

id let it go. itll do what it needs to do to correct itself. just give it time the ammonia level spike is part of the cycle. its all going right.

 

[ritter6788]

Agreed. Let it do it's thing and don't add any livestock until ammonia and nitrites read zero.

 

[wcfost]

Wow, that was quick! My concern was that the high ammonia would inhibit or even kill the beneficial microfauna that came with the live rock, but I imagine they're pretty resilient little buggers. I'll take your advice and refrain from meddling in the tank's affairs. Thanks!

 

[gmoney243]

I would be more concerned that your lfs sells water with ammonia in it. I would test for phos/nitrate in that lfs water or just get your own ro/di unit.

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[wcfost]

@gmoney

true enough. maybe I'll take the water from one LFS and get it tested at another, and vice versa. certainly one way to see where I should be spending my dough...