QT ammonia

Eman79 · 03/06/2012, 10:06 AM

10 gal QT : recently purchased off of CL where it was unloved and set up with freshwater.

Cleaned and filled with 1/3 DT water, 2/3 new saltwater.

No inhabitants yet.

It is showing .25-.50 ppm ammonia. Using color cards for water testing is a PITA, but at worst, DT shows a trace, maybe .10 ppm.

Since most of the water is "new" if the ammonia was from my DT, it should be at a lower concentration than the DT, right? since there is no ammonia being produced, im wondering if it hitchhiked in in some internal part of the filter body that I wasn't able to clean. Is this possible? The tank was disassembled and the filter dry ( at least on the outside ). It's a typical tetra HOB.

Before I dump and refill, I don't want to end up with the same problem again. Will this solve my problem or do I need to super clean or replace the filter first? (brand new filter media already)

Since this is not an emergency, I'm guessing treating with ammo lock would be a bad idea.

JustinFromAL · 03/06/2012, 10:28 AM

That's strange, but I'm thinking you're probably right. If the tank is bare bottom/empty, then the HOB is the most likely choice.

I'd avoid the ammo lock if you can just fix it by removing/cleaning media.

Eman79 · 03/06/2012, 10:50 AM

So I guess this will eventually revolve back around to the cycled or not cycled QT tank question. I've seen differing opinions on cycling vs. water changes to keep ammonia in check. I had picked water changes, and if I start from scratch, I'm definitely committed to this approach.

Eman79 · 03/06/2012, 12:18 PM

Update: removed filter. Dumped rinsed in hot tap water and refilled. Same result. R/O source tested negative. I didn't think ammonia was a bacteria, so wouldn't it just rinse away if it was on the glass? Is there trace amounts of ammonia in salt water mix? (instant ocean). Now I'm baffled, and tired of wasting time and $$$

SweetTang · 03/06/2012, 01:16 PM

If the filter was used on a fresh water, and you left the filter media in the Tetra HOB filter, there could be some die off. The beneficial freshwater bacteria that would have developed in the filter pad, would have died off once exposed to salt water.

If that was the case, the ammonia was a result of that die off, which released into the water. Simply cleaning out the filter won't remove the ammonia right away, it just may prevent it from increasing.

If you have any kind of media or rubble from your DT, you may consider putting some of it in the QT. It may help to reduce the ammonia quicker the natural way, since it already has the beneficial bacteria established to do so.

Eman79 · 03/06/2012, 01:48 PM

Not the filter. It has new media and its not even in the QT tank for the second go around. (it's in my sump). I found an article that says instant ocean has detectable amounts of ammonia when new. Went on to say that it's no big deal with a partial water change into an established tank. This is obviously not the case here... So maybe I've found my smoking gun. The question just becomes removing the ammonia. It seems that relying on water changes instead of cycling may keep ammonia in check in the QT but it won't eliminate it.

SKurj · 03/06/2012, 03:44 PM

Tossing it out there.. was the tank clean when you got it? Could the last owner have gone and windexed the thing before you picked it up?

03/06/2012, 10:06 AM	#1
Eman79 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 87	QT ammonia 10 gal QT : recently purchased off of CL where it was unloved and set up with freshwater. Cleaned and filled with 1/3 DT water, 2/3 new saltwater. No inhabitants yet. It is showing .25-.50 ppm ammonia. Using color cards for water testing is a PITA, but at worst, DT shows a trace, maybe .10 ppm. Since most of the water is "new" if the ammonia was from my DT, it should be at a lower concentration than the DT, right? since there is no ammonia being produced, im wondering if it hitchhiked in in some internal part of the filter body that I wasn't able to clean. Is this possible? The tank was disassembled and the filter dry ( at least on the outside ). It's a typical tetra HOB. Before I dump and refill, I don't want to end up with the same problem again. Will this solve my problem or do I need to super clean or replace the filter first? (brand new filter media already) Since this is not an emergency, I'm guessing treating with ammo lock would be a bad idea.

03/06/2012, 03:44 PM	#7
SKurj Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Oshawa Posts: 539	Tossing it out there.. was the tank clean when you got it? Could the last owner have gone and windexed the thing before you picked it up? __________________ 40g Long since Mar 2012, 20lbs marco rocks, 25lb live rock, Aquamaxx HoB-1, sumpless, CPR Fuge, 4 tube T5HO, Mixed reef, softies and LPS Current Tank Info: 40g Long sumpless

03/06/2012, 10:28 AM	#2
JustinFromAL Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 253	That's strange, but I'm thinking you're probably right. If the tank is bare bottom/empty, then the HOB is the most likely choice. I'd avoid the ammo lock if you can just fix it by removing/cleaning media.

03/06/2012, 10:50 AM	#3
Eman79 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 87	So I guess this will eventually revolve back around to the cycled or not cycled QT tank question. I've seen differing opinions on cycling vs. water changes to keep ammonia in check. I had picked water changes, and if I start from scratch, I'm definitely committed to this approach.

03/06/2012, 12:18 PM	#4
Eman79 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 87	Update: removed filter. Dumped rinsed in hot tap water and refilled. Same result. R/O source tested negative. I didn't think ammonia was a bacteria, so wouldn't it just rinse away if it was on the glass? Is there trace amounts of ammonia in salt water mix? (instant ocean). Now I'm baffled, and tired of wasting time and $$$

03/06/2012, 01:16 PM	#5
SweetTang Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 198	If the filter was used on a fresh water, and you left the filter media in the Tetra HOB filter, there could be some die off. The beneficial freshwater bacteria that would have developed in the filter pad, would have died off once exposed to salt water. If that was the case, the ammonia was a result of that die off, which released into the water. Simply cleaning out the filter won't remove the ammonia right away, it just may prevent it from increasing. If you have any kind of media or rubble from your DT, you may consider putting some of it in the QT. It may help to reduce the ammonia quicker the natural way, since it already has the beneficial bacteria established to do so.

03/06/2012, 01:48 PM	#6
Eman79 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 87	Not the filter. It has new media and its not even in the QT tank for the second go around. (it's in my sump). I found an article that says instant ocean has detectable amounts of ammonia when new. Went on to say that it's no big deal with a partial water change into an established tank. This is obviously not the case here... So maybe I've found my smoking gun. The question just becomes removing the ammonia. It seems that relying on water changes instead of cycling may keep ammonia in check in the QT but it won't eliminate it.