saltwater aquarium water parameters

[croix67]

[h=5]this is bugging me nitrite = 0ppm nitrate = 0ppm po4 = 0ppm and i have an anommina spike nothing has died as i have double checked i have {2 blue chromes
2 clowns
1 devil finger
1 hammer coral
1 green cabbage
1 torch coral
1 branching hammer coral
1 star polpys
2 trachyphyllia
1 lobophyllia
1 Catalaphyllia
1 double frogspawn
hermit crabs
1 bristle starfish
cerith snails
3 money cowries
1 Haddon's Carpet Anemone } any views on this using salifert test kits on[/h]

 

[Downbeach]

You might get a second opinion on the NH_3/4 test. Anything die lately, or missing? A WC might be in order.

 

[beaslbob]

Maybe I missed it but how big a spike did you actually have?

are you using ammonia locks? the lock up the ammonia but most test kits still test positive for ammonia.

The api test kit with my eyes constantly has a tinge for color that to me reads .25 ppm but things lived for years.

If things are doing fine I wouldn't worry about it anyway.


my .02

 

[Mike J.]

What kind of nitrate reduction filtration are you using? When someone says 0 nitrates that sends up a red flag for me, especially if they aren't running an ultr low nutrient system. It makes me wonder if they ever had a sufficient ammonia spike to grow enough bacteria.

 

[croix67]

the spike is about 0.25 my mrs washed out filter trays in tap water at the moment iam using seachem prime to help reduce nothing has died i found a few empty crab shells that have been taken out every thing is thriving

 

[808jaymakoa]

You may have nh4 (ammonium) but no nh3 (ammonia). Nh4 is not nearly as toxic as nh3. Api tests for both nh3+nh4 i believe so a positive reading may not be bad. This may be the reason your fish are still ok. Is your ph and temp low? If I am right which I may not be a swing in higher ph and warmer temp could cause nh4 to convert to nh3.

 

[croix67]

ph is at 8.0 cant seem to raise it

 

[croix67]

temp is at 26.1 26.6 goes up a bit on a night

 

[beaslbob]

the spike is about 0.25 my mrs washed out filter trays in tap water at the moment iam using seachem prime to help reduce nothing has died i found a few empty crab shells that have been taken out every thing is thriving

.25 ppm? using sechem prime?

1) stop using prime! it is one of the chemicals the locks up ammonia but the ammonia still tests positive. .25ppm is more likely just the sensitivity of the test kit meaning there is no actual ammonia in the system. Plus prime has already "safed" the ammonia there is. I predict (looking into my magic prediction ball) ammonia will drop to 0 once you stop using prime.

 

[beaslbob]

ph is at 8.0 cant seem to raise it

Macro algaes balancing the tank will result in a just before lights out pH of over 8.4. In my tanks using the api test kit anyway.

(macros will suck out co2 raising the pH.)

 

[glb]

It's my understanding that the test will still read positive even if you use prime. But the overall idea is to get rid of ammonia. Good luck!


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[croix67]

ok thanks i iam using salifert test kits i a was told to use use prime to help remove it will stop using it giving 10 gallon WC on thursday