Ammonia level way too high!!

thesapper · 09/29/2006, 01:07 PM

Hi all.... This is my second post to any aquarium forum, so here goes.

I am having difficulty with serveral things...

I have 4 fish tanks, 1x 90gal FOWLR, 1x 20gal FOWLR, 1x 20 gal Quarintine tank and a 30 gal Freshwater for some Parrots I'm keeping for someone.

My 20gal got ICH. I did the usual treatments including a Freshwater dip....The problem went away. MEANWHILE my on 90gal, I had a problem with my lighting. It was out for three weeks. I finally got it fixed, and turned them on. OH CRAP! ICH in my 90 gal!!! I have Purple and Hippo Tang, A maroon mated clown pair, and a very large damsel.

I moved them into the 20 gal quarinitne tank....They are doing OK. They are eating like they are supposed too BUT after testing the water quality my ammonia seems off the charts.

I have no carbon right now, absolutly nothing in the tank. I have done water changes every day for some time... The last one was a 75% change. After changing the water I've tested the water and saw NO change.

Also I cannot raise my PH.....but that might be another thread....

My parameters

PH 7.8 (Very low)

NITRATES .5 PPM

NITRITES >.10 PPM (Very high)

TEMP 80 F

RO/DI Water with TDS <.0

***Not sure of the rest because I'm at work and don't have the info in front of me.

I only have two more weeks of quaritining them....oh yes I'm using fomeline to treat them....Dunno if that helps..

Bebo77 · 09/29/2006, 01:19 PM

To Reef Central

you need some kind of filter for the QT tank... like one of these...

thesapper · 09/29/2006, 01:28 PM

I have one right now on it, but without any media in it, and or BIO wheel. Should I put the BIO wheel back in, or maybe throw some carbon on it for a bit?

JeffersonReef · 09/29/2006, 03:28 PM

the QT tank is just going through its first cycle. Since there were no animals in it before, it hadnt built up any nitrifying bacteria. Without this bacteria, ammonia cant be broken down to nitrite, and then to nitrate. There are products that claim to help to speed up this cycle ("cycle" and "Stress Zyme" are some I can think of). Other than that, maybe you can add some lr to the qt tank. HTH.

-TJ

bertoni · 09/29/2006, 04:16 PM

Some Amquel Plus will help with the ammonia level. It might hold the tank over until a filter gets established.

thesapper · 09/29/2006, 04:31 PM

The QT was established with some small fish for about 8 months. BUT I had to move them so that I could place the bigger fish from my 90gal into it.

Do you think because the fish are large ones, that they are causing it to overload? Each one is between 4-6 inches in a 20gal now.

JeffersonReef · 09/29/2006, 04:40 PM

Anytime you add or remove anything from your tank, the bio filter goes through a change. It is just going through a new cycle. I think that ur ammonia levels will begin to decrease in the next week or so. Try dosing (some of the other reefers may get upset at me for saying this) some sugar in the tank. Maybe a tea spoon, since it is just a 20g. That will feed the denitrifying bacteria and kinda kick start em. GL!

-TJ

bertoni · 09/29/2006, 04:47 PM

One downside of adding sugar is that it might lead to low oxygen levels, as the sugar increases bacterial metabolism. I don't know whether denitrifying bacteria are going to feed much on sugar or not.

meco65 · 09/29/2006, 04:48 PM

I would put the filter and the bio-wheel on the QT tank to help give the bacteria some place to thrive. The reason to not have them on a main tank is that they build up nitrates if you do not rinse the filters often, but a QT tank this wont mater. That should help get the ammonia down. Oh and rinse the filter pad in salt water every other day to get food and such out so it dose not build up nitrates.

thesapper · 09/29/2006, 05:23 PM

Thnx...The filter without the carbon right?

kass03 · 09/29/2006, 08:34 PM

Don't add a tsp of sugar or any sugar for that matter.
Ive been using sugar in my 150 to reduce nitrates and am only using 3/4 tsp in there. So I'm not against using it BUT all the threads I read used small amounts plus said you need a good skimmer on the tank (to skim the dead bacteria) and plenty of oxygen which my 150 has with a large sump.
Tangs need alot of oxygen and I think you would kill them doing that although that high ammonia prolly will anyway.

I would change more water and add amquel plus like bertoni said.
Adding some live rock would help also plus the filter but if your treating the tangs with anything you can't add live rock.

kass

09/29/2006, 01:07 PM	#1
thesapper Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Jersey Posts: 33	Ammonia level way too high!! Hi all.... This is my second post to any aquarium forum, so here goes. I am having difficulty with serveral things... I have 4 fish tanks, 1x 90gal FOWLR, 1x 20gal FOWLR, 1x 20 gal Quarintine tank and a 30 gal Freshwater for some Parrots I'm keeping for someone. My 20gal got ICH. I did the usual treatments including a Freshwater dip....The problem went away. MEANWHILE my on 90gal, I had a problem with my lighting. It was out for three weeks. I finally got it fixed, and turned them on. OH CRAP! ICH in my 90 gal!!! I have Purple and Hippo Tang, A maroon mated clown pair, and a very large damsel. I moved them into the 20 gal quarinitne tank....They are doing OK. They are eating like they are supposed too BUT after testing the water quality my ammonia seems off the charts. I have no carbon right now, absolutly nothing in the tank. I have done water changes every day for some time... The last one was a 75% change. After changing the water I've tested the water and saw NO change. Also I cannot raise my PH.....but that might be another thread.... My parameters PH 7.8 (Very low) NITRATES .5 PPM NITRITES >.10 PPM (Very high) TEMP 80 F RO/DI Water with TDS <.0 ***Not sure of the rest because I'm at work and don't have the info in front of me. I only have two more weeks of quaritining them....oh yes I'm using fomeline to treat them....Dunno if that helps..

09/29/2006, 01:19 PM	#2
Bebo77 Premium Nonpaying Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lost Posts: 14,377	*To Reef Central* you need some kind of filter for the QT tank... like one of these... __________________ Gabriel Current Tank Info: 300 Gal Envision Tank(98Lx30Wx26T) 120 Gal SoCalCreations Sump, Deltec TC2560, 2 LumenarcsMini 1 Reg on a light mover W Radiums 250& 400, Gallaxy ballasts, Red Dragon 10m3 return W/ 2 WavySeas, 2 6155 Tunze streams

09/29/2006, 04:16 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Some Amquel Plus will help with the ammonia level. It might hold the tank over until a filter gets established. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/29/2006, 04:47 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	One downside of adding sugar is that it might lead to low oxygen levels, as the sugar increases bacterial metabolism. I don't know whether denitrifying bacteria are going to feed much on sugar or not. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/29/2006, 01:28 PM	#3
thesapper Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Jersey Posts: 33	I have one right now on it, but without any media in it, and or BIO wheel. Should I put the BIO wheel back in, or maybe throw some carbon on it for a bit?

09/29/2006, 03:28 PM	#4
JeffersonReef Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: May 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,698	the QT tank is just going through its first cycle. Since there were no animals in it before, it hadnt built up any nitrifying bacteria. Without this bacteria, ammonia cant be broken down to nitrite, and then to nitrate. There are products that claim to help to speed up this cycle ("cycle" and "Stress Zyme" are some I can think of). Other than that, maybe you can add some lr to the qt tank. HTH. -TJ

09/29/2006, 04:31 PM	#6
thesapper Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Jersey Posts: 33	The QT was established with some small fish for about 8 months. BUT I had to move them so that I could place the bigger fish from my 90gal into it. Do you think because the fish are large ones, that they are causing it to overload? Each one is between 4-6 inches in a 20gal now.

09/29/2006, 04:40 PM	#7
JeffersonReef Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: May 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,698	Anytime you add or remove anything from your tank, the bio filter goes through a change. It is just going through a new cycle. I think that ur ammonia levels will begin to decrease in the next week or so. Try dosing (some of the other reefers may get upset at me for saying this) some sugar in the tank. Maybe a tea spoon, since it is just a 20g. That will feed the denitrifying bacteria and kinda kick start em. GL! -TJ

09/29/2006, 04:48 PM	#9
meco65 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 1,603	I would put the filter and the bio-wheel on the QT tank to help give the bacteria some place to thrive. The reason to not have them on a main tank is that they build up nitrates if you do not rinse the filters often, but a QT tank this wont mater. That should help get the ammonia down. Oh and rinse the filter pad in salt water every other day to get food and such out so it dose not build up nitrates.

09/29/2006, 05:23 PM	#10
thesapper Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Jersey Posts: 33	Thnx...The filter without the carbon right?

09/29/2006, 08:34 PM	#11
kass03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kaukauna, Wi Posts: 2,937	Don't add a tsp of sugar or any sugar for that matter. Ive been using sugar in my 150 to reduce nitrates and am only using 3/4 tsp in there. So I'm not against using it BUT all the threads I read used small amounts plus said you need a good skimmer on the tank (to skim the dead bacteria) and plenty of oxygen which my 150 has with a large sump. Tangs need alot of oxygen and I think you would kill them doing that although that high ammonia prolly will anyway. I would change more water and add amquel plus like bertoni said. Adding some live rock would help also plus the filter but if your treating the tangs with anything you can't add live rock. kass