QT ammonia spike (with fish)

[kwall737]

I have a qt I set up about 3 weeks ago, cycled (or so I thought) with live rock and Fritz turbostart and tanked looked great. Added a pair of clowns about a week and a half ago to start monitoring them for a month or so before adding them to my DT that I just finished setting up, and noticed last night that the tank started clouding up (also had quite a bit of green algae on the live rock). Today tank was even cloudier, and needed to test some parameters cuz it had been a few days, and my Ammonia spiked to .4 with Nitrites at 1 (by far the highest I’ve seen of those 2 since I set it up) and testing the Nitrates now. What’s the next step I should do with my clowns in there ... water change, pull them out to wait for the Ammonia to drop? Any quick suggestions would be super helpful cuz don’t wanna lose these little guys!

 

[kwall737]

Current pic

 

[kwall737]

Nitrates are 5, salinity 1.026 and temp 78f

 

[NJDragonet]

Bring the salinity down by taking some of the water out and replacing it with flitered freshwater bring the Nitrates down too that is very high but you have clownfish in there so they will be ok if you act fast

 

[kwall737]

Got about 40% of lower salinity water ready for a change if that’s the route to go. Was meaning to do a change this afternoon anyway

 

[NJDragonet]

Got about 40% of lower salinity water ready for a change if that’s the route to go. Was meaning to do a change this afternoon anyway

Alright sounds good keep us in the loop

 

[kwall737]

Appreciate your help

 

[kwall737]

Why do you think the ammonia got so high?

 

[NJDragonet]

Why do you think the ammonia got so high?

Could be anything most likely something that should not have been in there went in there or it could just still be cycling and went nuts after the clowns where added happy to help been in the hobby for over 20 years

 

[lapin]

Maybe too much food and the bacteria colony was not large enough ?

 

[W1ngz]

Bring the salinity down

Can you clarify on this? I've not come across that as a technique for dealing with ammonia. The only thing I can come up with is that it would push down the pH to leave less toxic ammonia free in the water.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Yes... water change.

When the problem is ‘pollute’ (pollution), the answer is ‘dilute.’

 

[artieg1]

Add a small powerhead. I doubt there is enough flow in there. QT tanks really need a lot of flow, in my experience, otherwise you get oxygen issues, bacterial blooms, etc. Your AIO or HOB filter is not enough. Water needs to be lively and blowing things around.

 

[Intense37754]

The ammonia badge in the current pic looks to be in normal range. Agree with power head or gyre agitating surface, is that a 20tall or 29 gallon?

1k gyre worked well in a 29 gallon I had, don’t think it went above 50% and really moved the water around

 

[Mellotang]

What will lowering salinity do??
If anything that only causes more stress bringing it down quick

Lower salinity is not going to help amonia

Prob best to do Water changes with water that’s the same salinity, ph and temp to minimize stress to the already stressed fish living in ammonia.

 

[Mellotang]

Water change is your best frimed

Just match parameters

 

[Mellotang]

And the only thing that’s going to help with ammonia long term is the cycle being complete And bio diversity

You rushed

Only bad things happen quick in this hobby

 

[W1ngz]

What will lowering salinity do??

Curious about this also, I've never seen it suggested, though I think it could lower the pH which lowers the ratio of toxic free ammonia in relation to total ammonia/ammonium.

You rushed

All newbies rush. It's more helpful to give them tips than to lecture.

 

[kwall737]

Curious about this also, I've never seen it suggested, though I think it could lower the pH which lowers the ratio of toxic free ammonia in relation to total ammonia/ammonium.


All newbies rush. It's more helpful to give them tips than to lecture.

Yeah not looking for lectures here, just want to get advice to help with the situation I’m in so hopefully I don’t make that mistake again. I thought the tank was cycled, which is why I put the fish in. Appreciate your help W1ngz

 

[kwall737]

Maybe too much food and the bacteria colony was not large enough ?

We’re feeding them pellets once a day at night, and it’s been about 10 or less and they chomp down just about all of them, so not thinking that is the case but maybe??