got amonia again

Ronny#66 · 07/16/2008, 08:02 PM

was going to get a new damsel today had LFS test my water is 0.25 can't figure this out was 0 saturday . Feed very carefully every other day. Is it normal to have some amonia at times. This sems to be reacouring problem. Wonder if it's the rena cal canister just cleaned it two weeks ago and new carbon in it.

reefergeorge · 07/16/2008, 08:16 PM

It is not normal to have ammonia after the cycle unless something big dies.
How much LR is in the tank, and how old is the tank???

Ronny#66 · 07/16/2008, 09:07 PM

So what the hck is going on nothig but small damsel last week some snails do 5 gal water change in 25 gal set up weekly.

Playa-1 · 07/16/2008, 09:29 PM

Do you have a DI on your RO unit?

Aquarist007 · 07/16/2008, 09:34 PM

check with your water company. If it is using chloramine instead of chlorine then that can break down into ammonia when passing through the ro/di unit
Test some of your stored water just in case

LECorals · 07/16/2008, 10:19 PM

Canister filters tend to build up nutrients such as nitrates and ammonia. For people keeping salt water tanks who are running canister filters I would recommend removing the filter media and replacing it with live rock. I've seen a lot of people have spikes after about 2-3 months when they are running canister filters with media, even when changing media. If its a brand new tank you probably just don't have enough of those beneficial bacteria in there yet, so anything you add to your take that releases ammonia such as fish or fish food will cause a spike because there is nothing there to eat the ammonia up. I recommend also adding some live rock, 1lb+ per gallon will help control those excess nutrients.

Ronny#66 · 07/16/2008, 10:25 PM

No chloramine we have chlorine and tank is over a year and a half old.

Aquarist007 · 07/16/2008, 10:39 PM

do a small water change---if the ammonia doesn't fall to zero then it could be your test kit

Ronny#66 · 07/17/2008, 09:24 AM

Na Have three test kits we've went over all this before. Just puzzling that every once in a while it's 0.25 . i didn't trust the LFS that tested it so i tested myself and 0.25.

BurntOutReefer · 07/17/2008, 09:41 AM

good advice re: water change...and test your source water aswell.

Aquarist007 · 07/17/2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ronny#66
Na Have three test kits we've went over all this before. Just puzzling that every once in a while it's 0.25 . i didn't trust the LFS that tested it so i tested myself and 0.25.

Ronny, I just had a conversation with my supplier this morning about the content of our city water. He supplies everything including ponds. One of the things that was happening everyonce and awhile was that guys ponds were getting wiped out over night after a water change
Investigation found out that once a month are city does an extra chlorine ect flush on the entire water system. If you were unlucky enough to hit that day for a water change then you got zapped

Just thought of your case when I heard that.

Ronny#66 · 07/17/2008, 03:06 PM

Nope I do water changes on saturday and nothing is done at local treatment plant over weekend. The amonia is being produced in tank some how.

Ronny#66 · 07/17/2008, 06:02 PM

Going to try different approach . I have been doing 5 gal water changes every week . I called DR. Foster & Smith Live Aquaria teck suport. And gave her details of all my system . She thought I may be upsetting Bioligical process by doing the 5 gal change every week in the 25 gal . She sugested 3 gal every week or the 5 every other week I'm going to give the every other week. Amonia is .025 right now was going to do the ten gal change but she said 0.25 not a real big deal and we decided to let it be and let the tank just do it's think .If it goes any higher I will do the ten gal change. i've tried everything else and as we know we can go on with this for ever and not pin point cause!!

Ronny#66 · 07/17/2008, 07:56 PM

no opinions on this aproach ?

vader88 · 07/17/2008, 08:11 PM

I can't see that being the case, the biological process occurs in your sandbed and liverock. Doing water changes can only help by removing ammonia.

The bacteria is what breaks down the ammonia into harmless byproducts, so by doing water changes your not upsetting anything.

Aquarist007 · 07/17/2008, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vader88
I can't see that being the case, the biological process occurs in your sandbed and liverock. Doing water changes can only help by removing ammonia.

The bacteria is what breaks down the ammonia into harmless byproducts, so by doing water changes your not upsetting anything.

on that note--how much live rock do you have in your tank and how old is the sand bed

Ronny#66 · 07/18/2008, 06:29 AM

Well not shure on the amout of live rock tank was purchased 15 months ago look at pics of previous posts it's the same tank no live rack has been added since a year ago. Sand bed not shure but at least same time table with an inch or so added over a year ago. But listen to this tested today and amonia is 0 if i am looking at the color right as we all know your lemonade green and mine can be a little off . yester day it tested 0.25 . I'm going to test with other test kit to make shure. So whats going on.

Ronny#66 · 07/18/2008, 06:30 AM

I guese what she was saying takeing out so much water every week was takeing some of bacteria that is obviously in the water.

Aquarist007 · 07/18/2008, 06:34 AM

hold the vial against in front of the colour chart. Look through the vial--the colour that matches will be the same so you will not be able to see to different colours--just one
That's a better way of reading the colour charts then side by side matching of the bands

Aquarist007 · 07/18/2008, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ronny#66
I guese what she was saying takeing out so much water every week was takeing some of bacteria that is obviously in the water.

no, the anerobic and aerobic bacteria are not floating in the water column so they will be not removed in a water change.

Ronny#66 · 07/18/2008, 07:25 PM

Not shure what you mean by placing on front of chart are you puting the clear part of vial on colors on chart. I have been testing over 30 years and still find this way like driving a model T as far as tecknology had evoled but not as far as testing. color never matches exactly always kinda ike one of colors. Like i said tested today no amonia did no water change. used two different test so what hapened ?

07/16/2008, 08:02 PM	#1
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	got amonia again was going to get a new damsel today had LFS test my water is 0.25 can't figure this out was 0 saturday . Feed very carefully every other day. Is it normal to have some amonia at times. This sems to be reacouring problem. Wonder if it's the rena cal canister just cleaned it two weeks ago and new carbon in it.

07/16/2008, 08:16 PM	#2
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	It is not normal to have ammonia after the cycle unless something big dies. How much LR is in the tank, and how old is the tank??? __________________ $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.

07/16/2008, 09:34 PM	#5
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	check with your water company. If it is using chloramine instead of chlorine then that can break down into ammonia when passing through the ro/di unit Test some of your stored water just in case __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

07/16/2008, 10:39 PM	#8
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	do a small water change---if the ammonia doesn't fall to zero then it could be your test kit __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

07/18/2008, 06:34 AM	#19
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	hold the vial against in front of the colour chart. Look through the vial--the colour that matches will be the same so you will not be able to see to different colours--just one That's a better way of reading the colour charts then side by side matching of the bands __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

07/16/2008, 09:07 PM	#3
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	So what the hck is going on nothig but small damsel last week some snails do 5 gal water change in 25 gal set up weekly.

07/16/2008, 09:29 PM	#4
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	Do you have a DI on your RO unit?

07/16/2008, 10:19 PM	#6
LECorals Moved On Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tempe, AZ Posts: 22	Canister filters tend to build up nutrients such as nitrates and ammonia. For people keeping salt water tanks who are running canister filters I would recommend removing the filter media and replacing it with live rock. I've seen a lot of people have spikes after about 2-3 months when they are running canister filters with media, even when changing media. If its a brand new tank you probably just don't have enough of those beneficial bacteria in there yet, so anything you add to your take that releases ammonia such as fish or fish food will cause a spike because there is nothing there to eat the ammonia up. I recommend also adding some live rock, 1lb+ per gallon will help control those excess nutrients.

07/16/2008, 10:25 PM	#7
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	No chloramine we have chlorine and tank is over a year and a half old.

07/17/2008, 09:24 AM	#9
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	Na Have three test kits we've went over all this before. Just puzzling that every once in a while it's 0.25 . i didn't trust the LFS that tested it so i tested myself and 0.25.

07/17/2008, 09:41 AM	#10
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	good advice re: water change...and test your source water aswell.

07/17/2008, 03:06 PM	#12
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	Nope I do water changes on saturday and nothing is done at local treatment plant over weekend. The amonia is being produced in tank some how.

07/17/2008, 06:02 PM	#13
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	Going to try different approach . I have been doing 5 gal water changes every week . I called DR. Foster & Smith Live Aquaria teck suport. And gave her details of all my system . She thought I may be upsetting Bioligical process by doing the 5 gal change every week in the 25 gal . She sugested 3 gal every week or the 5 every other week I'm going to give the every other week. Amonia is .025 right now was going to do the ten gal change but she said 0.25 not a real big deal and we decided to let it be and let the tank just do it's think .If it goes any higher I will do the ten gal change. i've tried everything else and as we know we can go on with this for ever and not pin point cause!!

07/17/2008, 07:56 PM	#14
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	no opinions on this aproach ?

07/17/2008, 08:11 PM	#15
vader88 Dolphin Finatic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Trinity, NC Posts: 844	I can't see that being the case, the biological process occurs in your sandbed and liverock. Doing water changes can only help by removing ammonia. The bacteria is what breaks down the ammonia into harmless byproducts, so by doing water changes your not upsetting anything.

07/18/2008, 06:29 AM	#17
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	Well not shure on the amout of live rock tank was purchased 15 months ago look at pics of previous posts it's the same tank no live rack has been added since a year ago. Sand bed not shure but at least same time table with an inch or so added over a year ago. But listen to this tested today and amonia is 0 if i am looking at the color right as we all know your lemonade green and mine can be a little off . yester day it tested 0.25 . I'm going to test with other test kit to make shure. So whats going on.

07/18/2008, 06:30 AM	#18
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	I guese what she was saying takeing out so much water every week was takeing some of bacteria that is obviously in the water.

07/18/2008, 07:25 PM	#21
Ronny#66 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Twilight zone Posts: 1,839	Not shure what you mean by placing on front of chart are you puting the clear part of vial on colors on chart. I have been testing over 30 years and still find this way like driving a model T as far as tecknology had evoled but not as far as testing. color never matches exactly always kinda ike one of colors. Like i said tested today no amonia did no water change. used two different test so what hapened ?