KPA Live Rock Cycling

[Tired]

Again, I'm not going to regurgitate what others have already posted in the links.

Several of our resident scientists DID test it and it failed.

I'm still looking, and I'm seeing people who are talking about ammonia still showing up on test kits. Not ammonia still having impacts on fish. It looks like there's some discussion about whether supposedly bound ammonia showing up on the kits would mean it will still impact fish, but either I'm missing it or nobody has conclusively found an answer to that.

And that doesn't answer the question of if there are other ammonia detoxifiers that work. If Prime doesn't (and I do see the people saying it doesn't), what does?

Removing sponges is a good idea. Be gentle, and wear gloves- you don't want to damage any healthy stuff or wind up hurting yourself.

 

[pinocchio]

@stoney7713 I def have some sponges. I didn’t realize they were bad. Mine look pretty healthy, do I have to remove them? I can post a picture later.

 

[stoney7713]

@stoney7713 I def have some sponges. I didn’t realize they were bad. Mine look pretty healthy, do I have to remove them? I can post a picture later.

They may be fine, like I said they sometimes survive, but they usually die off, some sponges do better than others.

Share a pic, we would all like to see them! But honestly your nose will be able to tell better!

 

[pinocchio]

They may be fine, like I said they sometimes survive, but they usually die off, some sponges do better than others.

Share a pic, we would all like to see them! But honestly your nose will be able to tell better!

@stoney7713 here are some pics. I really love the color so hopefully I can keep them.

 

[stoney7713]

@stoney7713 here are some pics. I really love the color so hopefully I can keep them.

I've only had one experience with LR but the orange sponges seem to do better. Those look pretty good. I do see a little bit of white around the edges, that usually means die off. If they become more white I would consider removing them.

I had tons of sponges! They smell and reek when they die.

I see some white stuff around on the rocks If you can take a turkey baster or a powerhead and blow that off right before you do a water change It will help remove some of the dying material.

 

[pinocchio]

Thanks for the insight! For what it’s worth here is what my tests look like this morning. Ammonia looks like it may be going down. hard to tell what it’s at now. Maybe .25?

 

[C4ctus99]

Thanks for the insight! For what it’s worth here is what my tests look like this morning. Ammonia looks like it may be going down. hard to tell what it’s at now. Maybe .25?

That is API pictographic lingo for “cycled”

 

[stoney7713]

Thanks for the insight! For what it’s worth here is what my tests look like this morning. Ammonia looks like it may be going down. hard to tell what it’s at now. Maybe .25?

It looks good, I say leave it and check again in a few days. A water change won't hurt anything if you want to do another one.

How long did you leave the nitrate? I think the instructions say 5 minutes before reading it?

 

[pinocchio]

I’ve had the rock a week. Never had any nitrite or nitrate. I left them for 5 mins per instructions. So are you saying that a ammonia is fine? Maybe I’m just color blind hah.

 

[C4ctus99]

I’ve had the rock a week. Never had any nitrite or nitrate. I left them for 5 mins per instructions. So are you saying that a ammonia is fine? Maybe I’m just color blind hah.

API is notorious for usually measuring .25-.5 even in well established cycled tanks. Mine always read about what yours said even months after the tank was cycled and had fish and invertebrates in it

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

API is notorious for usually measuring .25-.5 even in well established cycled tanks. Mine always read about what yours said even months after the tank was cycled and had fish and invertebrates in it

... BUT, in a brand new cycling tank (with probable die off contributing to ammonia levels), it's a good idea to wait for a niTRATE spike to ensure the nitrifying bacteria is sufficient to fully process future ammonia.

In this case, once you see nitrates go to at least 10 (on the API test), if ammonia is reading 0.25 or lower, you should be good.

I'd recommend NO water change for a few days (a week is best) and then test again.