Ammonia in tank

RioReefer · 04/08/2007, 09:11 PM

Well where to start..
The tanke has been set up for some time and been runing good, but after about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks I start seeing ammionia at a fraction of a level. All my other levels are ideal. excpet for Cal. its at 500 a bet high. Any one have any ideas why? I thought after cycling a tank should not see ammionia.

drummereef · 04/08/2007, 09:21 PM

What test kit are you using? I've used crappy test kits in the past that will read .25 ammonia even though there is technically none. If you distrupt the sandbed or if there is any die-off, you could have had a mini cycle too. The calcium is a bit high... what salt mix are you using and are you dosing anything?

04/08/2007, 09:25 PM

How old is the tank specifically? You can cycle and re-cycle a couple times until it reaches maturity at roughly a 1 year mark.

RioReefer · 04/08/2007, 09:34 PM

The salt used it Oceanic but I am swiching to IO for a while, The take is 4 years ant the refug is 3 months it was moved to my place now about 6 months ago.

drummereef · 04/08/2007, 09:37 PM

The Oceanic salt could be your calcium issue. I believe it is one of the salts that has extremely high calcium levels in the mix. Instant Ocean on the other hand is usually at the low end of the spectrum, around 380. I suppliment my newly mixed IO saltwater with about 70ppm calcium to get the level up before doing the water change.

jerm290atlc · 04/08/2007, 09:48 PM

So you moved the tank about 6 months ago? Are you missing any critters that might have died recently? If so, they could be cause of the ammonia if they are decomposing in your tank.

drummereef · 04/08/2007, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RioReefer
The take is 4 years ant the refug is 3 months it was moved to my place now about 6 months ago.

This is the part I'm not understanding...

jerm290atlc · 04/08/2007, 09:53 PM

Sounds like rioreefer bought a 4 year old tank from some one and then moved it 6 months ago maybe???

RioReefer · 04/09/2007, 08:48 AM

I got the tank from a friend who passed away about 6 months ago, when I got it, it was a fish only, so i swaped out the bio balls and added more live rock, about 90-100lbs total, and then a little while later I added the fug. No critters are missing I only have a clown,BTE (that split now) so two, tang, flame angle, cleaner shrimp, and 5 pep shrimp, and the cleaner crew. I plan to do a big H2O change today to help, yet not doing any gravel vac.

drummereef · 04/09/2007, 08:51 AM

What brand of test kit are you using again?

RioReefer · 04/09/2007, 08:54 AM

At the time of getting it all the fish were dead, cause his family had no idea what to do excpet feed and feed and feed.... lots... thw water was all out of wack, the did top offs with saltwater exc.. so when I reset it up I used half old water half new and cycled the tank. I got the tank as a "gift" in his letter due to the fact that I knew the most about saltwater.

RioReefer · 04/09/2007, 08:55 AM

I use 2 kinds, Salfrit and Redsea,

jerm290atlc · 04/09/2007, 09:18 AM

ok, got it...the tank is still "new". You moved the tank and it is still working the kinks out. You're probably just having a mini cycle. The tank will stabalize out as it gets older. By moving it you have changed the equilibrium in the tank. Give it time and it will do fine.

IMAGINEER · 04/09/2007, 10:20 AM

So if the sand bed is stirred this could cause it to re-cycle? I maybe having this problem. My eel tears through the sand bed quite often stirring mess around

J

likhten · 04/09/2007, 10:32 AM

Check this out

http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=2751

RioReefer · 04/09/2007, 01:13 PM

Thaks for the help.
So today after I mixed up new salt I thought I would check it one more time, and it was 0 what the heck, so I checked everything elese and the Nitrates came up to 5.0 ant the nitrites came up to .05. but since I have the salt mixed and its been 2 1/2 weeks I guess I will do a H20 change anyways.

04/08/2007, 09:11 PM	#1
RioReefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Utah Posts: 99	Ammonia in tank Well where to start.. The tanke has been set up for some time and been runing good, but after about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks I start seeing ammionia at a fraction of a level. All my other levels are ideal. excpet for Cal. its at 500 a bet high. Any one have any ideas why? I thought after cycling a tank should not see ammionia.

04/08/2007, 09:21 PM	#2
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	What test kit are you using? I've used crappy test kits in the past that will read .25 ammonia even though there is technically none. If you distrupt the sandbed or if there is any die-off, you could have had a mini cycle too. The calcium is a bit high... what salt mix are you using and are you dosing anything? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system Last edited by drummereef; 04/08/2007 at 09:30 PM.

04/08/2007, 09:37 PM	#5
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	The Oceanic salt could be your calcium issue. I believe it is one of the salts that has extremely high calcium levels in the mix. Instant Ocean on the other hand is usually at the low end of the spectrum, around 380. I suppliment my newly mixed IO saltwater with about 70ppm calcium to get the level up before doing the water change. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/08/2007, 09:48 PM	#6
jerm290atlc Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: las cruces, nm Posts: 342	So you moved the tank about 6 months ago? Are you missing any critters that might have died recently? If so, they could be cause of the ammonia if they are decomposing in your tank. __________________ A day above ground is a good day-Scarface Current Tank Info: 125 gal reef tank/sump/fuge/VHO lights

04/08/2007, 09:53 PM	#8
jerm290atlc Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: las cruces, nm Posts: 342	Sounds like rioreefer bought a 4 year old tank from some one and then moved it 6 months ago maybe??? __________________ A day above ground is a good day-Scarface Current Tank Info: 125 gal reef tank/sump/fuge/VHO lights

04/08/2007, 09:25 PM	#3
Azial Unregistered Posts: n/a	How old is the tank specifically? You can cycle and re-cycle a couple times until it reaches maturity at roughly a 1 year mark.

04/08/2007, 09:34 PM	#4
RioReefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Utah Posts: 99	The salt used it Oceanic but I am swiching to IO for a while, The take is 4 years ant the refug is 3 months it was moved to my place now about 6 months ago.

04/09/2007, 08:48 AM	#9
RioReefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Utah Posts: 99	I got the tank from a friend who passed away about 6 months ago, when I got it, it was a fish only, so i swaped out the bio balls and added more live rock, about 90-100lbs total, and then a little while later I added the fug. No critters are missing I only have a clown,BTE (that split now) so two, tang, flame angle, cleaner shrimp, and 5 pep shrimp, and the cleaner crew. I plan to do a big H2O change today to help, yet not doing any gravel vac.

04/09/2007, 08:51 AM	#10
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	What brand of test kit are you using again? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

04/09/2007, 08:54 AM	#11
RioReefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Utah Posts: 99	At the time of getting it all the fish were dead, cause his family had no idea what to do excpet feed and feed and feed.... lots... thw water was all out of wack, the did top offs with saltwater exc.. so when I reset it up I used half old water half new and cycled the tank. I got the tank as a "gift" in his letter due to the fact that I knew the most about saltwater.

04/09/2007, 08:55 AM	#12
RioReefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Utah Posts: 99	I use 2 kinds, Salfrit and Redsea,

04/09/2007, 09:18 AM	#13
jerm290atlc Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: las cruces, nm Posts: 342	ok, got it...the tank is still "new". You moved the tank and it is still working the kinks out. You're probably just having a mini cycle. The tank will stabalize out as it gets older. By moving it you have changed the equilibrium in the tank. Give it time and it will do fine. __________________ A day above ground is a good day-Scarface Current Tank Info: 125 gal reef tank/sump/fuge/VHO lights

04/09/2007, 10:20 AM	#14
IMAGINEER Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: ORLANDO/CHARLOTTE Posts: 190	So if the sand bed is stirred this could cause it to re-cycle? I maybe having this problem. My eel tears through the sand bed quite often stirring mess around J __________________ LORD OF THE EEL !!

04/09/2007, 10:32 AM	#15
likhten Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New York, NY Posts: 96	Check this out http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=2751

04/09/2007, 01:13 PM	#16
RioReefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Utah Posts: 99	Thaks for the help. So today after I mixed up new salt I thought I would check it one more time, and it was 0 what the heck, so I checked everything elese and the Nitrates came up to 5.0 ant the nitrites came up to .05. but since I have the salt mixed and its been 2 1/2 weeks I guess I will do a H20 change anyways.