Ahhhh! Ammonia Levels at 8.0+

S

Schmitty4311

New member
My tank is at 8.0+ for ammonia for the last week. (freaking out) I cannot get it down. I have tried water changes 5%-35% multiple times, started with tap water using prime, moved on to destilled.

I am new to marine aquariums.
I have had the tank for about 3 months.

Running a FOWLR tank in a 55gal with fluval eco bright, water jet 950(don't remmeber the brand), fluval 70 power filter, fluval 306 canister filter, just got a skimmer 65. No sump or refugium. About 20lbs of live rock.

Temp is at 78
pH - 7.8 - 8.0
Nitrites - 0.0 -0.25
Nitrates - 0.0
Ammonia - 8.0+(maxed) , started at under 2.0, just kept going up about three weeks ago.

Using the API master test kit. Have used strips, and have taken samples to the LFS for testing.

I am using ammo-lock, thinking it is the only thing keeping them alive. Also adding bacteria to help the process

Had seen fire worms and removed them.

I have had some fish and inverts die. Chocolate chip star, 5 turbos, one clown, one condy, 2 cleaner shrimp.

I have multiple fish still alive - Clown, tribal blenny, 2 engineer goby, golden head goby, scobas tang.

And inverts - 5 red leg hermits, 3 blue leg hermits, 5 nassaruis snails, halloween crab, 2 scarlett hermits.


I am about to use RO water and add some live rock, thinking that may help.

I have been surfing RC's forums for clues and using other techniques that I have seen posted.

Help! What do I do? Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
Last edited:
Remove all the livestock that is still alive and slow way down! You have much to learn young grasshopper, read through the stickies at the top of this forum titled "***SETTING UP: HOW TO!!! Comprehensive list of articles for the newbie aquarist!!!*** There is a lot to read and understand there, but it is imperative that you do both read and understand. Come back with questions after you've read a little. In the meanwhile I would try to have a friend or local fish store keep your livestock until your tank is ready for them (likely 4-5 weeks).
 
It might be because your tank is not fully cycled and you added way too many fish too fast...

I'd say add PRIME immediately to save the rest of your fish. if you can't find a LFS or friend to shelter the remaining fish.. set up a few 20gal quarantine tanks with newly mixed salt water. Spread the fish and inverts in those, then deal with your display tank.. let it finish it's current cycle and add the fish slowwwwly. say 1 every 2-3 weeks
 
I thought it cycle all the way(three times). I didn't add any fish until about two to three weeks ago. I will see if I can find someone to take care of my fish and/or setup other tanks.

Ugh! Damn I was afraid that would be the case.
 
thegrun said:
Remove all the livestock that is still alive and slow way down! You have much to learn young grasshopper, read through the stickies at the top of this forum titled "***SETTING UP: HOW TO!!! Comprehensive list of articles for the newbie aquarist!!!*** There is a lot to read and understand there, but it is imperative that you do both read and understand. Come back with questions after you've read a little. In the meanwhile I would try to have a friend or local fish store keep your livestock until your tank is ready for them (likely 4-5 weeks).
Click to expand...

I have read and understood a ton of those even before setting up. Best I keep reading though!
 
it probably barely finished cycling, but definitely not mature enough..it cannot handle such a huge bioload (fish poop, extra feeding, etc). this is why people tell you to add fish slowly. your tank needs time to adjust to the new feeding
 
If your ammonia and nitrites did in deed drop to zero you added way too many fish much too quickly. Your tank is not nearly big enough for the tang. Once the tank is cycled add one fish at a time with at least a week between additions. The fish should go through a quarantine period before you add them to the tank.
 
Ditch the canister filter and the power filter. All you need is live rock and a skimmer. I would dose prime following the instructions on the bottle. However it will not rid the ammonia from your tank it only binds it up into a less toxic form. You need water changes and large amounts of them. Multiple 50% water changes should do the trick. Good luck and go slow.
 
I do appreciate the help. I am planning ditching the mechanical filters. And priming the tank. Going to have to convince the other half to be patient. LOL
 
I noticed you said you used prime + api test kits. The ammonia test as far as I know is always inaccurate because it still reads the bound form of ammonia. Try a different test kit or an ammonia badge.
 
Update... Added 30lb more of LR and some fish died right after the posts. Waited for the tank to stabilize. 2 weeks ago, tank is stableand heathly. Good growth of algae, heathly fish and inverts, without the bad levels of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates now. I think it went through the last cycle(five cycles). Thanks again guys.
 
as others have said you went way to fast.....You must not have read up too much if you added 7 fish to a 55 gallon tank in the first 2-3 weeks after cycle not to mention one of which is a tang who's recommended min. tank size is 2x your tank size..... I'm doing my first tank so I am no pro, but i started with 2 fish after my cycle in my 180 gallon tank with 165ish lbs. of rock... 2 small (about 1.5 inch. occelaris clowns) and before them I had only a clean up crew. 5 nassarius, 2 turbos, 4 tiny blue legs, 2 halloween hermits, a serpent star, 3 astreas, and 2 skunk cleaner shrimp and even they were not added all at the same time. You have to have way way more patience in this hobby.
 
It sucks to have to wait, huh? I almost bought 4 fish last weekend, and then i had to remind myself that the plan was to buy one fish every 4 weeks, and that i needed to slow down. It's easy to get carried away when you're in the store.

As other's have mentioned, that Scopas tang is going to present a problem in the near future. There are some iffy things to do with Tangs that some will tell you is ok, and other's will tell you is not ok. A yellow tang in a 75, a blue tang in a 125, etc... A scopas tang in a 55 is not on that list, haha. Long term success with that fish is going to be highly unlikely. Sorry to lecture, but for the sake of the tang and the others' in the tank (who will be become the objects of his aggression), I would look into another "showpiece" fish for your tank. It's not a matter of "if" it becomes a problem, but "when."
 
Yeah we are planning to get a 180gal in the next several months. Then after the tank is ready ;P, add the scopas to that tank. Probably will have to move the 2 convict blennies/engineer gobies to that one as well
 
m0nkie said:
it probably barely finished cycling, but definitely not mature enough..it cannot handle such a huge bioload (fish poop, extra feeding, etc). this is why people tell you to add fish slowly. your tank needs time to adjust to the new feeding
Click to expand...

If the medium in a tank is really cycled, then it does not need more time to "mature" for the sake of processing ammonia.

When a robust cycle is complete, it is ready for high bioload, as for as ammonia and nitrite are concerned.

The point is that the cycle should be robust, enough medium (sites for bacteria to live) and enough ammonia processed in a rather short duration. Then your biological filtration medium is ready for high bioload.
 
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