Lagging ammonia

kenc87 · 05/18/2012, 08:01 AM

So here's the story, I'm just getting back into the hobby after a few years. My girlfriend and I purchased a biocube hqi from a guy who had it set up for roughly a year. It has about 40 lbs of rock, 30 lbs of sand, a full clean up crew, a diamond goby, a sailfin blenny, and a clown. It also has a few inverts. Now as I said its been set up and running for over a year when we moved it on Monday to our place. The ammonia seems to be testing at between .25 and zero ever since. Nitrite is zero as is nitrate and all the inhabitants are doing great including the corals. Ph is also a little low at 7.8-8. I know the previous owner used tap water for water changes so I did a water change with rodi and am hoping to get rid of the small amount of green hair algae we have. I guess the real question is why can't I get no ammonia. Could it be my test? It's the API master saltwater test.

sponger0 · 05/18/2012, 08:11 AM

No ammonia is a good thing. Why are you trying to get anything above zero reading for ammonia?

skidoctor · 05/18/2012, 08:41 AM

Don't get it. Why would you want ammonia?

rcharliesam · 05/18/2012, 08:49 AM

As above, you DO NOT want ammonia in your tank. The only time you want ammonia in your tank is when you are cycling to establish good bacteria in your tank.

Uncle Salty 05 · 05/18/2012, 09:40 AM

Probably a bad test kit.
Try another one.
You have a pretty heavy bioload for such a small tank.

kenc87 · 05/18/2012, 11:59 AM

Sorry I meant why can't I get rid of the trace ammonia I have. It seems to be testing around .25 but I can't get rid of it.

kenc87 · 05/18/2012, 12:01 PM

And three tiny fish is too many for this tank? I feel like that's not possibly. The biggest one is like 2 inches if that lol

thor109 · 05/18/2012, 12:07 PM

If you disturbed sand bed or removed live rock you are just seeing the tank cycling again. It will take a week or two to stabilize. Just keep an eye on ammonia and make sure it does not spike any higher.

kenc87 · 05/18/2012, 12:32 PM

Ok, I bought some ammo lock, at what level do you think I should use it or should I already be using it? And do you guys have any ideas for where to best place a Powerhead in the biocube hqi

pete33 · 05/18/2012, 12:35 PM

Which test kit? My API always reads some ammonia even though it's zero.

kenc87 · 05/18/2012, 01:06 PM

Ya I'm using API too, I was wondering if that was the issue, it always seems to be around .25ish but I don't know.

f3honda4me · 05/18/2012, 07:46 PM

My API kits never give me problems. My ammonia always reads zero with the API kit.

By chance you're not using the freshwater color chart are you?

kenc87 · 05/18/2012, 07:52 PM

Nope, I'm using the saltwater one, mine just seems to give me around .25 but everything looks great in the tank... I just don't get it.

eric w · 05/18/2012, 08:26 PM

Take a sample of your fresh saltwater and compare it to you DT results.. You know the fresh is 0.0

kenc87 · 05/18/2012, 08:50 PM

Hmm good call on that one. Hadn't thought of that.

eric w · 05/19/2012, 06:22 AM

The colors should match if you are at zero. I had the same problem with those kits...someone brought it to my attention as well

Randy Holmes-Farley · 05/19/2012, 07:18 AM

FWIW, new salt water typically has a small amount of ammonia in it, so don't try to use it as a blank for an ammonia test kit. An established reef aquarium is a better bet for that.

THis has more:

Ammonia and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/index.php

from it:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/index.php#5

Sources of Ammonia in Reef Aquaria: Salt Mixes
There are a variety of sources of ammonia in reef aquaria. Minor sources include: 1) tap water (especially if it contains chloramine and is not treated with a deionizing resin) and 2) impurities in salt mixes and other additives. It has previously been shown that the total NH4-N ranged from 0.55 to 11.9 micromole/kg (0.008 to 0.17 ppm total NH4-N) in an analysis of eight brands of artificial seawater mixes. At the higher end of the scale, those levels will be detected with an ammonia test kit and can present potential toxicity concerns if fish are kept at those levels (see below). These levels of ammonia may be introduced from impurities in calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, where ammonia is a well known impurity resulting from some of the commercial manufacturing processes used (such as the Solvay process, which involves ammonia).

Calcium and magnesium additives can also be a significant source of ammonia, especially for aquarists who are trying to use inexpensive sources of bulk calcium or magnesium chloride. I discussed testing calcium chloride for ammonia in a previous article.

kenc87 · 05/19/2012, 11:22 AM

Well the only issue I have is no one I know has a reef tank. However the fact the previous owner used tap water for top off and water changes may explain the ammonia. Everything in the tank seems very happy so I guess I'll just wait and keep an eye on it.

05/18/2012, 08:01 AM	#1
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Lagging ammonia So here's the story, I'm just getting back into the hobby after a few years. My girlfriend and I purchased a biocube hqi from a guy who had it set up for roughly a year. It has about 40 lbs of rock, 30 lbs of sand, a full clean up crew, a diamond goby, a sailfin blenny, and a clown. It also has a few inverts. Now as I said its been set up and running for over a year when we moved it on Monday to our place. The ammonia seems to be testing at between .25 and zero ever since. Nitrite is zero as is nitrate and all the inhabitants are doing great including the corals. Ph is also a little low at 7.8-8. I know the previous owner used tap water for water changes so I did a water change with rodi and am hoping to get rid of the small amount of green hair algae we have. I guess the real question is why can't I get no ammonia. Could it be my test? It's the API master saltwater test.

05/18/2012, 12:35 PM	#10
pete33 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Granada Hills, CA Posts: 259	Which test kit? My API always reads some ammonia even though it's zero. __________________ 29 gal. Sea Clear / eshopps sump-overflow-skimmer / Eheim 1250 / Arctica chiller / BRS GFO Reactor / Belize Sun 250 W.

05/19/2012, 07:18 AM	#17
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	FWIW, new salt water typically has a small amount of ammonia in it, so don't try to use it as a blank for an ammonia test kit. An established reef aquarium is a better bet for that. THis has more: Ammonia and the Reef Aquarium http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/index.php from it: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/index.php#5 Sources of Ammonia in Reef Aquaria: Salt Mixes There are a variety of sources of ammonia in reef aquaria. Minor sources include: 1) tap water (especially if it contains chloramine and is not treated with a deionizing resin) and 2) impurities in salt mixes and other additives. It has previously been shown that the total NH4-N ranged from 0.55 to 11.9 micromole/kg (0.008 to 0.17 ppm total NH4-N) in an analysis of eight brands of artificial seawater mixes. At the higher end of the scale, those levels will be detected with an ammonia test kit and can present potential toxicity concerns if fish are kept at those levels (see below). These levels of ammonia may be introduced from impurities in calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, where ammonia is a well known impurity resulting from some of the commercial manufacturing processes used (such as the Solvay process, which involves ammonia). Calcium and magnesium additives can also be a significant source of ammonia, especially for aquarists who are trying to use inexpensive sources of bulk calcium or magnesium chloride. I discussed testing calcium chloride for ammonia in a previous article. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

05/18/2012, 08:11 AM	#2
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	No ammonia is a good thing. Why are you trying to get anything above zero reading for ammonia?

05/18/2012, 08:41 AM	#3
skidoctor Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Geneva, NY Posts: 542	Don't get it. Why would you want ammonia?

05/18/2012, 08:49 AM	#4
rcharliesam Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 83	As above, you DO NOT want ammonia in your tank. The only time you want ammonia in your tank is when you are cycling to establish good bacteria in your tank.

05/18/2012, 09:40 AM	#5
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	Probably a bad test kit. Try another one. You have a pretty heavy bioload for such a small tank. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

05/18/2012, 11:59 AM	#6
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Sorry I meant why can't I get rid of the trace ammonia I have. It seems to be testing around .25 but I can't get rid of it.

05/18/2012, 12:01 PM	#7
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	And three tiny fish is too many for this tank? I feel like that's not possibly. The biggest one is like 2 inches if that lol

05/18/2012, 12:07 PM	#8
thor109 Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Plainfield, Indiana Posts: 822	If you disturbed sand bed or removed live rock you are just seeing the tank cycling again. It will take a week or two to stabilize. Just keep an eye on ammonia and make sure it does not spike any higher.

05/18/2012, 12:32 PM	#9
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Ok, I bought some ammo lock, at what level do you think I should use it or should I already be using it? And do you guys have any ideas for where to best place a Powerhead in the biocube hqi

05/18/2012, 01:06 PM	#11
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Ya I'm using API too, I was wondering if that was the issue, it always seems to be around .25ish but I don't know.

05/18/2012, 07:46 PM	#12
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	My API kits never give me problems. My ammonia always reads zero with the API kit. By chance you're not using the freshwater color chart are you?

05/18/2012, 07:52 PM	#13
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Nope, I'm using the saltwater one, mine just seems to give me around .25 but everything looks great in the tank... I just don't get it.

05/18/2012, 08:26 PM	#14
eric w Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 72	Take a sample of your fresh saltwater and compare it to you DT results.. You know the fresh is 0.0

05/18/2012, 08:50 PM	#15
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Hmm good call on that one. Hadn't thought of that.

05/19/2012, 06:22 AM	#16
eric w Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 72	The colors should match if you are at zero. I had the same problem with those kits...someone brought it to my attention as well

05/19/2012, 11:22 AM	#18
kenc87 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ypsilanti, MI Posts: 610	Well the only issue I have is no one I know has a reef tank. However the fact the previous owner used tap water for top off and water changes may explain the ammonia. Everything in the tank seems very happy so I guess I'll just wait and keep an eye on it.