how long for ammonia spike?

mattleycrue · 03/13/2008, 10:12 PM

Hi everyone thought i'd itroduce myself, I'm pretty new to this whole reef thing. my tank is a 72g bow about 2mos old.

ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 0
ph 8.4
alk 10 dkh
calcium 425 ppm

I was just wondering what the critical time frame is from when you introduce 1 or more new fish into a given tank until they would cause ammonia issues if the bacteria population turned out to be insufficient. So far except for the very beginning when i had a small spike i have never had any ammonia or nitrite readings. I'm just wondering when do I know that "I'm out of the woods"?

I also have a 20gl QT tank running at at the moment and am only using a HOB sponge filter which I had in my sump for about 2 weeks for filtration.

drparker · 03/13/2008, 10:19 PM

Hi and welcome.

Excellent start!! waiting two whole months WOW

If you've got a sufficient amount of live rock and add things one at a time and then wait a week to two before adding the next thing you'll be fine and won't see a spike. If you get crazy and buy 6 fish and over feed you'll get a spike.

Got any pics?

demonsp · 03/13/2008, 10:44 PM

Can you list tank specs like amount of LR and LS and all equipment used and any and all water readings you test for?

mattleycrue · 03/13/2008, 11:54 PM

the water readings i test for were listed in my original post. if there is somwthing else i need to test for let me know. i have aprox. 80 lbs of nice pre cured porous live rock, a phosban reactor, 20g sump, fuge w/macro algae, modded octopus 110 skimmer, 1koralia3, 1koralia4, 1maxijet 600, 2x 250x mh+ 4x65w pc blue actinics. as you can probably tell i have been reading alot and spending money accordingly. I know i have a lot to learn but i'm trying to do things right as best as possible from the start.

Blown 346 · 03/13/2008, 11:54 PM

I agree with Drparker, Add one thing at a time over a week or so and you wont have a problem. Once your tank starts to mature, the more stabile it will become and can handle more of a new load. Basically you could add 2 or 3 fish some corals and not have to even worry about it.

mattleycrue · 03/13/2008, 11:57 PM

i"ll try and get some pics asap

demonsp · 03/14/2008, 12:08 AM

8 weeks then your cycled.I would add some CUC befoer fish then wait and add a fish then wait and add more CUC and a fish or coral and wait and ect..

03/13/2008, 10:12 PM	#1
mattleycrue Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 18	how long for ammonia spike? Hi everyone thought i'd itroduce myself, I'm pretty new to this whole reef thing. my tank is a 72g bow about 2mos old. ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 0 ph 8.4 alk 10 dkh calcium 425 ppm I was just wondering what the critical time frame is from when you introduce 1 or more new fish into a given tank until they would cause ammonia issues if the bacteria population turned out to be insufficient. So far except for the very beginning when i had a small spike i have never had any ammonia or nitrite readings. I'm just wondering when do I know that "I'm out of the woods"? I also have a 20gl QT tank running at at the moment and am only using a HOB sponge filter which I had in my sump for about 2 weeks for filtration.

03/13/2008, 10:19 PM	#2
drparker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Palatine, IL Posts: 2,652	Hi and welcome. Excellent start!! waiting two whole months WOW If you've got a sufficient amount of live rock and add things one at a time and then wait a week to two before adding the next thing you'll be fine and won't see a spike. If you get crazy and buy 6 fish and over feed you'll get a spike. Got any pics?

03/13/2008, 10:44 PM	#3
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Can you list tank specs like amount of LR and LS and all equipment used and any and all water readings you test for?

03/13/2008, 11:54 PM	#4
mattleycrue Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 18	the water readings i test for were listed in my original post. if there is somwthing else i need to test for let me know. i have aprox. 80 lbs of nice pre cured porous live rock, a phosban reactor, 20g sump, fuge w/macro algae, modded octopus 110 skimmer, 1koralia3, 1koralia4, 1maxijet 600, 2x 250x mh+ 4x65w pc blue actinics. as you can probably tell i have been reading alot and spending money accordingly. I know i have a lot to learn but i'm trying to do things right as best as possible from the start.

03/13/2008, 11:54 PM	#5
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	I agree with Drparker, Add one thing at a time over a week or so and you wont have a problem. Once your tank starts to mature, the more stabile it will become and can handle more of a new load. Basically you could add 2 or 3 fish some corals and not have to even worry about it.

03/13/2008, 11:57 PM	#6
mattleycrue Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 18	i"ll try and get some pics asap

03/14/2008, 12:08 AM	#7
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	8 weeks then your cycled.I would add some CUC befoer fish then wait and add a fish then wait and add more CUC and a fish or coral and wait and ect..