Small ammonia spike?

[Mickie]

Parameters:

pH 8.0
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10-20

Granted, I just fed my clowns, would that cause it?

Two days ago my ammonia was 0 and nitrates were 10.

3 days ago I JUST added my clowns.

I just suctioned out some old food that got caught under my live rocks...the other food I can't get....would that cause it? I have 3 snails and 3 crabs as a cleanup crew.

Mini cycle? Overload? Too much decomp on caught food? Anyway, should I panick or should I watch it for a few days?

 

[brandon429]

a wrong reading by api is possible, even varying lighting conditions can make the .25/0 hard to tell... as well as possible brief upwelling of detritus having a little ammonia, the tank w oxidize it fast, within minutes in fact. all surfaces in our tanks are ammonia hungry

the way you can best assess toxicity is fish will swim sideways or dart with labored breathing. their gills are the best indicators of true sustained ammonia concern over api anyway, and low level sustained true ammonia will also kill off pods etc.

 

[Mickie]

a wrong reading by api is possible, even varying lighting conditions can make the .25/0 hard to tell... as well as possible brief upwelling of detritus having a little ammonia, the tank w oxidize it fast, within minutes in fact. all surfaces in our tanks are ammonia hungry

the way you can best assess toxicity is fish will swim sideways or dart with labored breathing. their gills are the best indicators of true sustained ammonia concern over api anyway, and low level sustained true ammonia will also kill off pods etc.

I just tested again and it's at the same levels...though my fish are swimming normally and happily...should I just wait it out another day or two?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

What test kit are you using? is it expired? if the tank were fully cycled, I wouldn't think that adding two small fish would cause detectable ammonia.

 

[Mickie]

What test kit are you using? is it expired? if the tank were fully cycled, I wouldn't think that adding two small fish would cause detectable nitrites.

Api and it expires in 2021... We put in 3 clowns and a few cuc. We started the tank with already cured live rock and dry rock...50/50 mix.

They wanted to give me the three clowns because they came from an already established tank...

No protein skimmer yet, but I'm going to pick up one today... My nitrates have always hung around 10-20...but previously no ammonia.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

But did you make sure your tank went through a full cycle?

 

[Mickie]

But did you make sure your tank went through a full cycle?

They told me not to worry about it since the live rock was fully cured...and my tank was always stable (no ammonia spikes) and nitrates were always around 10 or 20.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Yikes. when you set up a new tank you have to ensure the nitrogen cycles starts, and completes. this is regardless of what type of rock you use. Can you explain your steps in setting up the tank?

 

[ArcKatana]

Cromag- she says 0 nitrites, she's detecting nitrates. Shouldn't be that much of an increase depending on size of tank. I wouldn't worry about Nitrates unless they go above 80 for fish, and then even a week or two won't hurt them.

"Parameters:

pH 8.0
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10-20

Granted, I just fed my clowns, would that cause it?

Two days ago my ammonia was 0 and nitrates were 10. "

 

[Mickie]

Yikes. when you set up a new tank you have to ensure the nitrogen cycles starts, and completes. this is regardless of what type of rock you use. Can you explain your steps in setting up the tank?

Live sand, 50/50 cured live rock and dry rock, premade sea water made by them from their tanks and seawater used to cover the live rock to transport home. It's a 60 gallon. After 7 days they had my LEDs come in, and as I picked those up they said I could put a couple fish and cuc in.

Now I'm 3 days out from putting fish in and I have a small ammonia spike.

Aqueon 70 filter
Power head 1150 gph

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Sorry, I edited my post, I meant ammonia.

Cromag- she says 0 nitrites, she's detecting nitrates. Shouldn't be that much of an increase depending on size of tank. I wouldn't worry about Nitrates unless they go above 80 for fish, and then even a week or two won't hurt them.

"Parameters:

pH 8.0
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10-20

Granted, I just fed my clowns, would that cause it?

Two days ago my ammonia was 0 and nitrates were 10. "

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

So, along the way you never tested for ammonia, nitrites or nitrates before adding the fish?

 

[Frop]

How many fish did you have before and how many clowns did you have in now? Maybe your bacteria population wasn't big enough to handle the new ammonia load. It would probably level off I imagine. How much do you feed them?

 

[Mickie]

So, along the way you never tested for ammonia, nitrites or nitrates before adding the fish?

I did. Ammonia was always 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates 10 ish.

 

[Mickie]

How many fish did you have before and how many clowns did you have in now? Maybe your bacteria population wasn't big enough to handle the new ammonia load. It would probably level off I imagine. How much do you feed them?

I had 0 and went to 3 clowns and a few cuc.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

How many fish did you have before and how many clowns did you have in now? Maybe your bacteria population wasn't big enough to handle the new ammonia load. It would probably level off I imagine. How much do you feed them?

Yeah I'm inclined to think the cycle never fully completed, and with the addition of fish, food and waste, ammonia is now showing up.

 

[Mickie]

I had 0 and went to 3 clowns and a few cuc.

Sorry...and they told me 3 times a day with little bits of food, not a whole lot (like one big meal). Other issue is that my power head tends to push some of of the food under my live rock.

 

[Mickie]

Yeah I'm inclined to think the cycle never fully completed, and with the addition of fish, food and waste, ammonia is now showing up.

Would a protein skimmer and a small water change help? Or monitor and do as needed? Fish seem happy, and I'm going down to 2 feeds a day, then 1

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

I have never fed clowns three time per day. once a day and sometimes I even skip feeding. your cuc should eat the food under the rock.

I don't think your nitrogen cycle is keeping up with the new additions. I'd scale back feeding to once a day and watch for any eradicate behavior. I would also do a 25% water change.

 

[Mickie]

I have never fed clowns three time per day. once a day and sometimes I even skip feeding. your cuc should eat the food under the rock.

I don't think your nitrogen cycle is keeping up with the new additions. I'd scale back feeding to once a day and watch for any eradicate behavior. I would also do a 25% water change.

Thank you! I'll keep monitoring levels and fishy happiness.

Maybe I should have listened to my gut and waited, but they convinced me otherwise. Lol.