What is my next move - water issues

[Oceanwave45]

Hey everyone just woke up and tested my tanks water and I'm in hell again!

Nitrates - 20PPM
AMM - 1.0
Phosphate - 0.25
PH 7.8

I dosed with Prime 2 x the normal amount.

What should I do next? Water Change? How Big?

I can determine why this happened. Yes I am using RODI water

 

[RyanCSGO]

how long has the tank been running?

 

[Oceanwave45]

how long has the tank been running?

six months

 

[lou dog420]

Fish??

 

[Oceanwave45]

Fish??

The fish are all accounted for -
3 Cardinals
1 anthesis
2 clowns
2 chormisis

 

[RyanCSGO]

hmm, that's strange.
has anything died in the tank? how many fish do you have and how much do you feed?

 

[Oceanwave45]

hmm, that's strange.
has anything died in the tank? how many fish do you have and how much do you feed?

Feed once a day
I have a RBTA and a bubble coral
Nothing has died that I can see, unless some of the clean up crew has died, But they hide under the sand. So I wouldn't know if something died

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

While my tank was getting established, I did a 25% water change every weekend until things stabilized. I had to do that for around 2 months on a 20 gallon aquarium. I would maybe add a small bottle of bacteria and slow down on the prime for now, I know prime can affect some things in an aquarium if too much is used, my blastomussa in particular hates it if I use a little too much during a water change and will shrivel up for a few days.

 

[lou dog420]

Double check your test, or maybe get the LFS to test your water.

 

[RyanCSGO]

How big is your tank?
I would do a 10-15% water change and test for ammonia again a couple hours later

were any of these fish just added?

 

[CodyRVA]

What test kit are you using? I'm assuming you're concerned with the AMM reading? If you're using API throw that kit in the street and run it over. Nutrients are a bit high, address feeding regiments and nutrient export.

 

[Oceanwave45]

How big is your tank?
I would do a 10-15% water change and test for ammonia again a couple hours later

were any of these fish just added?

Nope, 38 gallon

 

[Oceanwave45]

What test kit are you using? I'm assuming you're concerned with the AMM reading? If you're using API throw that kit in the street and run it over. Nutrients are a bit high, address feeding regiments and nutrient export.

API test kits... I know I heard they are junk!

But right now I am trying to get the water under control....

 

[Oceanwave45]

What test kit are you using? I'm assuming you're concerned with the AMM reading? If you're using API throw that kit in the street and run it over. Nutrients are a bit high, address feeding regiments and nutrient export.

What do you mean with you say nutrient export?

 

[CodyRVA]

What do you mean with you say nutrient export?

I wouldn't worry about the ammonia, the API kit i used when i started out said i had ammonia after the tank had been up a year; those kits are junk. Monitor your nutrients better: reduce feeding or beef up the nutrient export. Exporting by mechanical: filter socks, skimmer, reactor media, etc or add more substrate for biological (long term), confirm your water source is good.

 

[lou dog420]

Drastic swings in temp and PH can cause changes in amonia levels, however I think your reading is false. Your fish would probably be dead or close to it by now.

 

[Oceanwave45]

Drastic swings in temp and PH can cause changes in amonia levels, however I think your reading is false. Your fish would probably be dead or close to it by now.

True - good point - I need to get a real test kit

 

[bif24701]

Double check your test, or maybe get the LFS to test your water.

This!

Easily could be testing error, bad kit, expired, something like that.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I've never had an issue with API kits on ammonia. So results do vary. (God bless Rerfing eh?)
But defiantly get another test done and probaly get ready for the WC.

Bummer problem. Sorry. With the fish and corals ok, I hope it's just one of those things that means it's just time to learn something new.

 

[Captmcfly]

My API kit always tests positive for ammonia. It almost always says .25 ppm sometimes.50 but I know it's a false reading.. I don't test for it anymore. I use salifert tests for everything else and don't ever test ammonia. I have 65 gallons of water with roughly 8 inches of fish and a small cuc so I doubt my one frozen cube a day of brine would justify .5 ppm . API ...junk