API Pharm Products Issues

mangelo · 08/12/2010, 01:12 PM

Has anyone else had any disasters related to these products? I added Ammo Lock to a cycling tank because it said that it turns ammonia into a non-lethal form. The next day, 3 fish were dead. Now, I know I should have waited until the cycle was completely finished, but these fish were eating and seemed perfectly fine. I thought the Ammo Lock would make up for the fact that I put them in a bit early. The NEXT MORNING, 3 fish were dead. I find it hard to believe that this was just coincidence.

I added Melafix to my reef because a few corals seemed to be degrading. Overnight ALL my my corals seemed to shrivel up to less than 1/2 their normal size. I continued the treatment for 3 of the 7 days called for until I had enough. I've since done two 20% water changes with Reef Crystals with no change.

MrTuskfish · 08/12/2010, 01:29 PM

If your tank is still cycling, it is continuously producing ammonia. I don't know how much ammonia Ammo-Lock can handle, but it sounds like you have too much bio-load for the dose of AL. I think using Ammo-Lock makes it impossible to test for ammonia, doesn't it still show up on test kits when its been made 'non-lethal? In any case, massive water changes are in order---there just isn't an easy fix when you put all this livestock into a tank that can't handle it. IMO, products like Ammo-lock are for small ammonia spikes and not intended to substitute for a bio-filter. If you can salvage anything, I'd take it back if you can; I'm afraid I just see more of the same as the tank cycles. i hope I'm wrong.

James404 · 08/12/2010, 01:33 PM

Wait you have put corals and over 3 fish to a non-established tank and complaining about them dying? Ammonia and Nitrite are LETHAL to livestock, I really dont think it was the AL that did them in. Products like Amquel and AL will temporarily remove Amm and Nitrites but you have to keep adding it and doing water changes to keep the levels low. This is done frequently in QT tanks. Slow down, stop adding chemicals and let your tank cycle without livestock.

sslak · 08/12/2010, 01:39 PM

A.) Chemicals are almost never the answer (aside from Ca/Mg/Alk)

B.) You stocked a tank that hadn't cycled, producing ammonia/nitrites that the bio filter can't cope with

C.) Ammonia/Nitrites are lethal

I don't see this as a product problem, they were probably intended for use in a barren QT tank with an extremely low bioload and frequent water changes. This is a result of you trying to counter your own impatience by spending money on chemicals instead of simply waiting for the tank to cycle.

mangelo · 08/12/2010, 01:40 PM

No. Sorry. This is 2 separate tanks. The reef has been up for 2 years. My corals propagate like crazy! I seem to have issues with brain corals so I though I'd put some of the Melafix in because I have a Maze Brain that is severly degredating. I'm also losing some Zoas on a large rock.

08/12/2010, 01:12 PM	#1
mangelo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 480	API Pharm Products Issues Has anyone else had any disasters related to these products? I added Ammo Lock to a cycling tank because it said that it turns ammonia into a non-lethal form. The next day, 3 fish were dead. Now, I know I should have waited until the cycle was completely finished, but these fish were eating and seemed perfectly fine. I thought the Ammo Lock would make up for the fact that I put them in a bit early. The NEXT MORNING, 3 fish were dead. I find it hard to believe that this was just coincidence. I added Melafix to my reef because a few corals seemed to be degrading. Overnight ALL my my corals seemed to shrivel up to less than 1/2 their normal size. I continued the treatment for 3 of the 7 days called for until I had enough. I've since done two 20% water changes with Reef Crystals with no change.

08/12/2010, 01:29 PM	#2
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	If your tank is still cycling, it is continuously producing ammonia. I don't know how much ammonia Ammo-Lock can handle, but it sounds like you have too much bio-load for the dose of AL. I think using Ammo-Lock makes it impossible to test for ammonia, doesn't it still show up on test kits when its been made 'non-lethal? In any case, massive water changes are in order---there just isn't an easy fix when you put all this livestock into a tank that can't handle it. IMO, products like Ammo-lock are for small ammonia spikes and not intended to substitute for a bio-filter. If you can salvage anything, I'd take it back if you can; I'm afraid I just see more of the same as the tank cycles. i hope I'm wrong. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

08/12/2010, 01:33 PM	#3
James404 I <3 Acros Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,523	Wait you have put corals and over 3 fish to a non-established tank and complaining about them dying? Ammonia and Nitrite are LETHAL to livestock, I really dont think it was the AL that did them in. Products like Amquel and AL will temporarily remove Amm and Nitrites but you have to keep adding it and doing water changes to keep the levels low. This is done frequently in QT tanks. Slow down, stop adding chemicals and let your tank cycle without livestock. __________________ 80g Deep Blue Rimless - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2651295 225g Reef Savvy SPS Dominant - Retired http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1945361

08/12/2010, 01:39 PM	#4
sslak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,705	A.) Chemicals are almost never the answer (aside from Ca/Mg/Alk) B.) You stocked a tank that hadn't cycled, producing ammonia/nitrites that the bio filter can't cope with C.) Ammonia/Nitrites are lethal I don't see this as a product problem, they were probably intended for use in a barren QT tank with an extremely low bioload and frequent water changes. This is a result of you trying to counter your own impatience by spending money on chemicals instead of simply waiting for the tank to cycle. __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 58 Oceanic/20g Sump/250w XM 20k/2x39w T5 True Actinic 03/2010 Reef Octopus NW Cone Skimmer

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08/12/2010, 01:40 PM	#5
mangelo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 480	No. Sorry. This is 2 separate tanks. The reef has been up for 2 years. My corals propagate like crazy! I seem to have issues with brain corals so I though I'd put some of the Melafix in because I have a Maze Brain that is severly degredating. I'm also losing some Zoas on a large rock.