Tank Emergency!

[Varsity09]

I am having a severe Ammonia issue in my 20g Saltwater tank. It has been up and running for a little more then 4 months. The ammonia is through the roof. Nitrates are a little high, and my Nitrites range from 0-0.25. Water temp is 77 degrees. Using a Marineland 50g bio-wheel filter and a small 20-40g power head. I have 8 pounds of live rock, and live sand for substrate. Just purchased a Fluval 24-36" LED lighting. To combat the ammonia, I have been using Ammo Lock every other day to turn it non-toxic. Also been using Tropical Science Nitromax Bacteria Booster and Nitrifying Bacteria every other day.Also tried the Pristine Natural Organic Waste Management. I also cut a small peice of ammonia filter from a brick I had and put it behind the bio-wheel to see if that would help. (have not seen a change)
Just did about a 40% water change last Saturday. I have also been doing 20% water changes every week and a half. I have almost completely stopped feeding the fish...maybe feed once a week.

I have:
A diamond goby in there for the sand clearing (Seems to be doing good)
6-7 hermit crabs
1 clown fish (Not doing to well)
3 Cardinals (All 3 doing well)
1 Scooter Blenny (Doing well)

I am getting algae build up, mainly on the back glass, which I have read is good. I have not cleaned any of that off. I am lost on what to do now since I have tried everything I can from my LFS to lower my ammonia.

Second question: I bought a frag of GSP Saturday. Acclimated it. It started to open up but not has been closed since. I have heard it is nearly impossible to kill GSP. Maybe not doing something right. Is there a specific setting on my lighting remote I should keep it on? It is in direct line of my powerhead, so getting a nice amount of flow. Also, if you look at the picture of the GSP Frag, what are those white corals? Looks like mushrooms?

 

[Varsity09]

Edit

 

[Jeff Hall]

Have you tried another test kit? With sky high ammonia, your fish would be dying left and right, also the tank should be cycled in four months...but if you truly have high ammonia you could try soaking some bio media in some nitrifying bacteria and then adding it to your filter.

 

[Varsity09]

Have you tried another test kit? With sky high ammonia, your fish would be dying left and right, also the tank should be cycled in four months...but if you truly have high ammonia you could try soaking some bio media in some nitrifying bacteria and then adding it to your filter.

I have been using the API Saltwater Master Test Kit which my LFS recommended. The only reason my fish are not dying, is because I have been using AMMO Lock religiously.

Where in my marineland filter would I fit media? I am using double filtration. Should I take one out?

 

[Livinlocal]

I agree with the above, check your test kits. Also, it’s not advised to use a bio wheel with a reef tank. I wouldn’t be surprised if the ammonia and nutrients are coming from the bio wheel.


This may be hard to grasp or understand, but if you are doing massive and consecutive water changes, you might be doing more harm than good. You may not be allowing enough time for the beneficial bacteria to colonize. Inside your rock and sand.

Has the ammonia always been high since you started the tank? It may also be possible that your tank was not quite ready for livestock, and now your system cannot keep up with the inhabitants.

Unfortunately there are several things that could be causing this. More information would be helpful.

 

[Jeff Hall]

What's the expiration date on the test kits?

 

[Livinlocal]

If your system has been set up for four months, I would personally take the bio wheel out, but continue to use the little carbon bags that come with the filter. Continue to use your additives, and possibly add prime into your regimen.

 

[Varsity09]

What's the expiration date on the test kits?

05/2022

 

[Varsity09]

If your system has been set up for four months, I would personally take the bio wheel out, but continue to use the little carbon bags that come with the filter. Continue to use your additives, and possibly add prime into your regimen.

Just did another Ammonia test. Below is the result. The Ammonia hasn't always been that green. At the start (After about 2 weeks of cyclying I purchased two damsels to "test" They ended up being fine)

I just purchased my MarineLand bio-wheel filter about 2 weeks ago, prior to that, ammonia was still like below. LFS said it would increase bacterial growth to eat the ammonia away.

 

[EmdeReef]

I have been using the API Saltwater Master Test Kit which my LFS recommended. The only reason my fish are not dying, is because I have been using AMMO Lock religiously.

Where in my marineland filter would I fit media? I am using double filtration. Should I take one out?

Api test kit detects total ammonia, it won't tell you the difference between free ammonia and ammonium, thus giving you a false positive. You should continue dosing bacteria and eventually your cycle will be restored.

 

[Varsity09]

Api test kit detects total ammonia, it won't tell you the difference between free ammonia and ammonium, thus giving you a false positive. You should continue dosing bacteria and eventually your cycle will be restored.

What test kit would you recommend? I am assuming free ammonia is good and ammonium is bad? Never heard of this.

 

[Greybeard]

I'm not a fan of API test kits... and in many cases, the LFS will have them sitting on the shelf for _years_ before they get sold. I'd recommend buying a new Sailfert, Nyos, or Red Sea Ammonia test kit from a fairly high volume vendor ASAP.

If you really do have that much ammonia, I'd recommend Dr. Tim's One and Only.

You're live rock volume on the low side, but that's not all that uncommon these days, with people going for a more 'open' look. With the sand bed, I'd say there's plenty of space for bacteria to populate. You're certainly not overstocked... with limited feedings, nothing is jumping out at me as a problem.

Long term, you might want to look into something other than the HOB bio wheel / carbon / floss filtration. I don't believe that would cause your problem, but that type of filtration isn't generally recommended in most modern reef systems.

Anybody know, chemically, what Ammo Lock does? It's binding up that Ammonia in some way... might well be the Ammo Lock that is keeping your Ammonia test results high. If whatever compound it is generating is still detectable by an ammonia test, and isn't biologically available to feed the nitrogen cycle... I'm not sure how you'd go about getting rid of it, once it was bound up. Water changes, most likely.

 

[Varsity09]

I'm not a fan of API test kits... and in many cases, the LFS will have them sitting on the shelf for _years_ before they get sold. I'd recommend buying a new Sailfert, Nyos, or Red Sea Ammonia test kit from a fairly high volume vendor ASAP.

If you really do have that much ammonia, I'd recommend Dr. Tim's One and Only.

You're live rock volume on the low side, but that's not all that uncommon these days, with people going for a more 'open' look. With the sand bed, I'd say there's plenty of space for bacteria to populate. You're certainly not overstocked... with limited feedings, nothing is jumping out at me as a problem.

Long term, you might want to look into something other than the HOB bio wheel / carbon / floss filtration. I don't believe that would cause your problem, but that type of filtration isn't generally recommended in most modern reef systems.

Anybody know, chemically, what Ammo Lock does? It's binding up that Ammonia in some way... might well be the Ammo Lock that is keeping your Ammonia test results high. If whatever compound it is generating is still detectable by an ammonia test, and isn't biologically available to feed the nitrogen cycle... I'm not sure how you'd go about getting rid of it, once it was bound up. Water changes, most likely.

The bottle of AMMO lock says "AMMO LOCK does not remove ammonia; it converts it to a non-toxic form. So, even thought the ammonia is in a safe, non-toxic form, aquarium water will still test positive for ammonia until it is removed by the biological filter."

 

[EmdeReef]

What test kit would you recommend? I am assuming free ammonia is good and ammonium is bad? Never heard of this.

It's the other way around, ammonia is bad and ammonium is not toxic. Seachem claims their test kits measure free/toxic ammonia. I haven't used the test to speak about it.

I don't believe they disclose what's in Ammo lock, I may be wrong, but the ammonium is biologically available and will be used by your biofilter.

The bottom line is that for some reason your cycle is not working so you could benefit from adding bacteria.

 

[Varsity09]

It's the other way around, ammonia is bad and ammonium is not toxic. Seachem claims their test kits measure free/toxic ammonia. I haven't used the test to speak about it.

I don't believe they disclose what's in Ammo lock, I may be wrong, but the ammonium is biologically available and will be used by your biofilter.

The bottom line is that for some reason your cycle is not working so you could benefit from adding bacteria.

I have been using Tropical Science Nitromax Bacteria Booster and Nitrifying Bacteria every other day. Would this work to increase bacteria growth?

 

[EmdeReef]

I have been using Tropical Science Nitromax Bacteria Booster and Nitrifying Bacteria every other day. Would this work to increase bacteria growth?

Yes it should. I’ve only used biospira and dr tims but I suspect they all work the same way.

What are your nitrates at?

 

[Varsity09]

Yes it should. I’ve only used biospira and dr tims but I suspect they all work the same way.

What are your nitrates at?

Just tested. Appears to be 7.0ppm I know Nitrites turn into Nitrates, not sure on the process after that.

 

[EmdeReef]

The presence of Nitrates is the last step of the cycle for our purposes. It means some nitrifying bacteria is present. Any ammonia means the cycle is not complete.

Maybe look into the seachem ammonia alert, just confirm it measures free, and then use it to decide whether to dose ammo lock if it changes color.

Water changes will only help temporarily if ammonia goes up. shouldn’t affect your biofilter as most bacteria colonizes rocks etc.but not too helpful in the cycle unless there’s a a need for emergency treatment (I.e. fish looking stressed).

 

[Dom]

Just did another Ammonia test. Below is the result. The Ammonia hasn't always been that green. At the start (After about 2 weeks of cyclying I purchased two damsels to "test" They ended up being fine)

I just purchased my MarineLand bio-wheel filter about 2 weeks ago, prior to that, ammonia was still like below. LFS said it would increase bacterial growth to eat the ammonia away.

YIKES!!!!!

IMO 4 fish in 4 months is a lot, especially if you've put them in all at the same time. You have to give nitrifying bacteria enough time to grow and catch up the the bio load created by the fish.

 

[Dom]

I have been using Tropical Science Nitromax Bacteria Booster and Nitrifying Bacteria every other day. Would this work to increase bacteria growth?

It will, but you're defeating the purpose with water changes. I would back off on the frequency of water changes or reduce the size of the water change if you don't want to reduce the frequency.