Ammonia spike after first fish.

daveverdo · 10/15/2006, 02:50 PM

I am adding my first fish today, two False Percs. The tank has been running for over 6 weeks and has some cleaners in it for 11 days. I did get a small spike in ammonia after adding the cleaners but everything is OK now. How much of an ammonia spike, if any, should I expect after the 2 false percs go in.

Dave

30g
30lbs lr
4" sand bed
AquaC Remora w/maxi1200
2 maxijet 1200
20 assorted snails
4 scarlet hermits
2 emeralds

Shagsbeard · 10/15/2006, 04:17 PM

A 30 gallon is going to be really touchy. When you added the fish, did you remove it from the water it came in or did you pour the water from the bag into your tank? Most suggest not letting a drop of the store water, or shipping water come near the display tank.

sarduci · 10/15/2006, 04:25 PM

Adding two fish to a 30g may be a bit much if they are bigger. If they are tiny, then just keep about 20g of saltwater on hand in case things get out of control and you need to change the water. Make it up now so it has some time to age before you put it in.

bertoni · 10/15/2006, 04:32 PM

The spike depends so much on the filtration of the tank that predicting it is pretty much impossible. One of the reason I like having a macroalga in the system is that algae seem very good at consuming ammonia rapidly.

10/15/2006, 02:50 PM	#1
daveverdo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Horseheads, NY Posts: 1,881	Ammonia spike after first fish. I am adding my first fish today, two False Percs. The tank has been running for over 6 weeks and has some cleaners in it for 11 days. I did get a small spike in ammonia after adding the cleaners but everything is OK now. How much of an ammonia spike, if any, should I expect after the 2 false percs go in. Dave 30g 30lbs lr 4" sand bed AquaC Remora w/maxi1200 2 maxijet 1200 20 assorted snails 4 scarlet hermits 2 emeralds __________________ 90g Display with fish, LR and a few soft corals, 65g basement sump, eBay LEDs

10/15/2006, 04:32 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The spike depends so much on the filtration of the tank that predicting it is pretty much impossible. One of the reason I like having a macroalga in the system is that algae seem very good at consuming ammonia rapidly. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/15/2006, 04:17 PM	#2
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	A 30 gallon is going to be really touchy. When you added the fish, did you remove it from the water it came in or did you pour the water from the bag into your tank? Most suggest not letting a drop of the store water, or shipping water come near the display tank.

10/15/2006, 04:25 PM	#3
sarduci Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Wausau, Wisconsin Posts: 1,278	Adding two fish to a 30g may be a bit much if they are bigger. If they are tiny, then just keep about 20g of saltwater on hand in case things get out of control and you need to change the water. Make it up now so it has some time to age before you put it in.