Ammonia and nitrite still present??

[bsmith22]

I have a 55 gallon tank. It is about 3 months old. My question is, why do I still show Ammonia and Nitrite readings? Tank cycled about a month ago (Ammonia and Nitrite were at 0)

Parameters today show:
Temp 78
pH 8.2
ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 10 ppm (API)
phos 0
alk low 0-1.6 MEq (using Red Sea test kit)
Calcium off the charts (using API) - needed to add 32 drops to get base color. (Not dosing anything) ??

I do have a brown slime algae now with bubbles on it. Diatoms/Dinos not sure which for about a week now. Hopefully it goes away cause its on EVERYTHING

Using T5s 10-12 hrs a day. (Maybe should cut that down?)

Skimmer working and skimming dark brownish-black. Clean the cup every day since the algae outbreak.

Occupants:
2 blue yellow-tail damsels
3 emerald crabs (not eating bubble algae btw)
10 astrea snails (lost a few after algae showed up--which makes me think it might be Dinos)
10 cerith snails (laying eggs everywhere)
10 Nassarius snails
5 mini-hermits

Coral frags:
5 polyp tri-color zoa
dime-sized blue ric mushroom
2 polyp neon green Zoa

Chaeto blocked off in sump (no fuge yet)

Are these levels anything to be concerned about or will it go away with a little patience as part of the tank getting stabilized?

Do I have enough CUC to manage this tank?

Any suggestions appreciated!

 

[kraze3]

How much do you feed?
DO you have any filter socks, spoges, or pads? If so clean them.

 

[bsmith22]

I feed once a day. I clean the filter sock and sponges weekly

 

[kraze3]

The nitrates are ok, would be better at 0 but they are decent where they are.

Any reason you can think of why you ammonia would be reading.?Anything die in the tank recently? How fast did you add all of your live stock after cycle?

 

[bsmith22]

Nothing dead as far as I can tell. I waited 2 weeks after the cycle finished and added a few CUC. The frags were just added in the last week or so.

Maybe I'll do a more thorough check on the snails...see if any are dead

 

[kraze3]

a snail shouldnt spike a 55 gallon tank. I would do a water change and continue testng parameters to make sure ammonia doesnt go any higher.

 

[newguy1983]

I dont think a few snail deaths would cause a spike in ammonia in a 55g with a sump....

Im going to chalk it up to the cycle and then the addition of the bio-load building up bacteria in the tank.

 

[bsmith22]

ok, thanks guys....