test kit

[parmaker]

Can a test kit go bad? I am getting high ammonia test. The kit is by API. My ammonia was 1.0, nitrate was 20. I put some new live rock in could that spike the ammonia?

[Aquarist007]

yes test kits can go bad

yes the new life rock will cause an ammonia spike.

this also depends how long your tank has been running/and how established the bacteria are to handle the added bioload

[parmaker]

tank has been up for 2 1/2 weeks. salt water in for 5 days then i put 23 lbs of live rock into aquaqium. then i put 3 chromis in in about 6 days later. then added 9 lbs more live rock 4 days later.

[parmaker]

when the ammonia went up the fish still have their color and are swimming around and eating good.

[Aquarist007]

please remove those poor chromies--there are many more humane ways to cycle your tank then fish---eg a piece of raw shrimp
The ammonia spike is more then likely due to the addition of the uncured live rock--but it is a good time to do it rather then later when you have corals and fish in there,

[parmaker]

when i put the fish in everthing was testing good.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by parmaker
when i put the fish in everthing was testing good.

inverts, fish and coral should not be put in until your tank has fully cycled---3-4 weeks for cleanup crew, five weeks for corals and six weeks for fish

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by parmaker
when i put the fish in everthing was testing good.

this is exactly what is suppose to happen when you increase the bioload of a cycling tank by the fish and the extra rock--its going to cause an ammonia spike because the bacteria haven't established their numbers yet to handle it

[parmaker]

ammonia has dropped to .25 now just tested

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by parmaker
ammonia has dropped to .25 now just tested

what's the nitrate level at--it should rise as the ammonia goes to zero and then also fall to zero and your cycling is done

[parmaker]

nitrate was 20