ammonia problem
- Thread starter roxy6684
- Start date
Paintbug
New member
since i see you joined in Jan 06 i will assume that your tank is new. if so you tank is still cycling. also i wouldnt use chemicals to treat problems with your water, they only lead to bigger problems! give it some time, some tanks take 8 weeks to cycle. what do you have in the tank right now?
stevebydac
New member
Could you give us more information on your tank? Is it new? What is the source of the ammonia? What are you putting in it to remove ammonia?
If the tank is new, you need to let the nitrogen cycle run its course. It sometimes takes more than a couple of weeks for ammonia levels to drop. You don't have to add anything - it will drop on its own. What *usually* happens is that the ammonia drops to virtually nothing in a day suddenly. Then you will have high nitrite. Then a week or more passes and then the nitrite drops, and then you run into the far less threatening nitrate (which you will then monitor forever).
It's easier than you think. Don't get discouraged. You need to be patient and let nature run its course.
Here's a pretty accurate outline of the nitrogen cycle I found when I Googled:
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
If the tank is new, you need to let the nitrogen cycle run its course. It sometimes takes more than a couple of weeks for ammonia levels to drop. You don't have to add anything - it will drop on its own. What *usually* happens is that the ammonia drops to virtually nothing in a day suddenly. Then you will have high nitrite. Then a week or more passes and then the nitrite drops, and then you run into the far less threatening nitrate (which you will then monitor forever).
It's easier than you think. Don't get discouraged. You need to be patient and let nature run its course.
Here's a pretty accurate outline of the nitrogen cycle I found when I Googled:
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
collective21
New member
THIS IS AN AMMONIA PROBLEM
reverendmaynard
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6632788#post6632788 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by collective21
THIS IS AN AMMONIA PROBLEM
What did you do, mislable the ammonia as ro water?
davidcalgary29
New member
Ouch! That's a massive ammonia problem. I'd get those two fish out of the tank and into clean water quickly. This may not only save their lives, but will give you more latitude in fixing the underlying problem.
collective21
New member
No, Just 2 weeks into a cycle with 242 pounds of Kaelini live rock and Tonga Branch, 4 days later it was at 0, now Nitrites are off the charts, then Nitrates then CORALS AND FISH
TekCat
New member
Roxy, tank is very young and most likely cycling. As davidcalgary29 suggested best thing to do is to remove fish. If possibe return them to LFS (they should know better than selling fish to uncycled tank). Perform frequent water changes. And be patient. Do not put any boxed ammonia remedy, it only masks the problem, not fixes it. Cycle needs to go through by creating enough bacteria population to handle ammonia and then nitrites.
Fish food, and fish waste both fuel the cycle. IMO, remove them.
Fish food, and fish waste both fuel the cycle. IMO, remove them.
stevebydac
New member
If your fish are ok, you're fine. Don't do anything. The ammonia will crash soon (1-2 weeks most likely). It is inevitable. Don't feed the fish too much. Once every couple of days is fine right now.
If your fish are noticeably stressing, do a 50% water change and see if that improves them. EDIT: After reading the previous posts, I don't want to confuse you -- it is ok also to bring the fish back if you wish.
(The reason why it is preferable NOT to do a water change is so that you can get the biggest buildup of good bacteria to handle the loads you will place on them when you start feeding a bunch of fish).
Keep reporting back and let us know how it is going.
TekCat
New member
Here we go again
I don't mean to be a smart-a$$, but....good bacteria mostly lives on the surfaces of sand and rocks. Granted that there are some free floating in water column, however by doing water changes you'll lose very small amount of it (hardly noticeble, and insignificant). On the other side water change will export excess ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/proteins/etc... out of water column so your fish and other creatures on LR will have better chances of surviving the cycle.
stevebydac
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6633002#post6633002 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TekCat
Here we go again
good bacteria mostly lives on the surfaces of sand and rocks. Granted that there are some free floating in water column, however by doing water changes you'll lose very small amount of it (hardly noticeble, and insignificant). On the other side water change will export excess ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/proteins/etc... out of water column so your fish and other creatures on LR will have better chances of surviving the cycle.
I understand where the bacteria live
My position is: more ammonia in the water = more bacteria breeding on the rocks, etc.
which is preferable (to me) to: removing some ammonia in the water=less bacteria breeding on the rocks, etc.
We both know what we're talking about. We just have different preferences for cycling the tank, both of which work.
reverendmaynard
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6633209#post6633209 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevebydac
I understand where the bacteria live
My position is: more ammonia in the water = more bacteria breeding on the rocks, etc.
which is preferable (to me) to: removing some ammonia in the water=less bacteria breeding on the rocks, etc.
We both know what we're talking about. We just have different preferences for cycling the tank, both of which work.
This method is good. Probably the best for cycling. However, since he already has fish in the tank, don't you think he needs to do a WC for their sake?
I'm surprised they're still alive with that ammonia level.
IMO=In My Opinion
