Ammonia - how much is too much?

lmsmith · 07/30/2009, 04:18 PM

I know you should have no ammonia in your tank.

I recently set up a tank for my new pair of clowns. I used established rock from my other tank, and fresh, NSW. I was pretty sure that there would be some dieoff because the rock was out of the water for about 1/2 hr while I was transferring it all.

My ammonia spiked to 0.25, then down to 0. I added a shrimp, which was completely eaten away by the greeblies in the tank in 3 days. Ammonia spiked to 0.50, back to 0.25. I bought a new test kit because my other one was quite old.

Water change, ammonia 0.2. 3 days later, ammonia 0.1. It's now been 0.1 for 2 weeks - not sure why because I haven't added anything. I am beginning to wonder if I simply can't distinguish the colour difference between 0.0 and 0.1. My brother thinks its 0.0, but my partner thinks is 0.1.

There is currently no livestock in the tank. If I was to add my clowns, would they be ok?
Nitrite and nitrate 0.0. Nitrate was 0.5, but dropped after my w/c.

Ohiomom · 07/30/2009, 04:31 PM

How recently established, how big of a tank, and how much established rock..sounds like a bit of a cycle to me..I would wait to add the clowns till things stabalize..

Also a live shrimp or one used to help cycle..

KarlBob · 07/30/2009, 05:14 PM

The ammonia could still be 0.1 because of continuing, slow die-off in the rocks. Cycle times can sometimes reach a month or more, so it's pretty likely that you and your partner are right about the 0.1 reading.

lmsmith · 07/30/2009, 05:16 PM

It's 4 weeks old, 90l, 7kg of LR.

The clowns are going in on Monday because the person I'm getting them from is moving then and they have to go.

It was a shrimp used to start the cycle, not a live one.

reefergeorge · 07/30/2009, 05:25 PM

Use some prime, and add the fish.
My qt tank sometimes hits .5 with no problems. I just add prime, and the fish are still alive and healthy.

BurntOutReefer · 07/30/2009, 08:50 PM

dude....let the tank cycle....

07/30/2009, 04:18 PM	#1
lmsmith Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 323	Ammonia - how much is too much? I know you should have no ammonia in your tank. I recently set up a tank for my new pair of clowns. I used established rock from my other tank, and fresh, NSW. I was pretty sure that there would be some dieoff because the rock was out of the water for about 1/2 hr while I was transferring it all. My ammonia spiked to 0.25, then down to 0. I added a shrimp, which was completely eaten away by the greeblies in the tank in 3 days. Ammonia spiked to 0.50, back to 0.25. I bought a new test kit because my other one was quite old. Water change, ammonia 0.2. 3 days later, ammonia 0.1. It's now been 0.1 for 2 weeks - not sure why because I haven't added anything. I am beginning to wonder if I simply can't distinguish the colour difference between 0.0 and 0.1. My brother thinks its 0.0, but my partner thinks is 0.1. There is currently no livestock in the tank. If I was to add my clowns, would they be ok? Nitrite and nitrate 0.0. Nitrate was 0.5, but dropped after my w/c.

07/30/2009, 04:31 PM	#2
Ohiomom Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,586	How recently established, how big of a tank, and how much established rock..sounds like a bit of a cycle to me..I would wait to add the clowns till things stabalize.. Also a live shrimp or one used to help cycle.. __________________ .....Sandra “Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” Current Tank Info: 75 galllon reef, T5HO love em!

07/30/2009, 05:14 PM	#3
KarlBob Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Laveen, AZ Posts: 2,309	The ammonia could still be 0.1 because of continuing, slow die-off in the rocks. Cycle times can sometimes reach a month or more, so it's pretty likely that you and your partner are right about the 0.1 reading. __________________ Later, KarlBob Current Tank Info: No tanks for now. Starting over in Austin sometime next year.

07/30/2009, 05:25 PM	#5
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	Use some prime, and add the fish. My qt tank sometimes hits .5 with no problems. I just add prime, and the fish are still alive and healthy. __________________ $35-50 for a <1" frag of some stupid named thing that came from a colony you bought for $40-60 wholesale and chopped into 20-40 pieces? No thanks. "JasonH" Current Tank Info: 125 aggressive reef, DIY led lighting, swc cone skimmer, 33 gallon sump, posiden Ps3 return.

07/30/2009, 05:16 PM	#4
lmsmith Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 323	It's 4 weeks old, 90l, 7kg of LR. The clowns are going in on Monday because the person I'm getting them from is moving then and they have to go. It was a shrimp used to start the cycle, not a live one.

07/30/2009, 08:50 PM	#6
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	dude....let the tank cycle....