Ammonia Spike in Hypo

[nosferatu51]

This is my 1st time doing a hypo treatment, so forgive me if I have stupid questions.
I have a small (maybe 2") puffer in a 20g hypo QT (1.010). I put a piece of live rock that I didn't want anymore (it's absolutely covered in that friggin Halimeda) to give him some shelter and because I'd read that the hypo won't kill the beneficial bacteria so it will act like live rock should even in the hypo.
Apparently the live rock isn't working as it should though since I have a 0.5ppm ammonia level (despite a 50% water change yesterday). Should I remove the rock, should I do some thing else? I'm pretty sure the puffer, though now ich free, probably isn't appreciating his home at the moment.

 

[kevin2000]

Hypo salinity doesn't kill ich on the fish .. just interupts the life cycle so the fact that you can't see ich on the fish doesn't mean that your fish is "ich free" .. many would say that your fish should remain in hypo for at least 3 weeks some would argue longer.

Ammonia is deadly and something to be avoided. When running a QT its always prudent to make a large batch of replacement water when you setup the QT .. that replacement water allows you to keep ammonia levels at Zero. Time for a water change.

Live rock doesn't do well in a hypo tank .. yeah most bacteria can survive hypo .. but most of the infauna within the rock will die off and promote ammonia issues.

 

[nosferatu51]

The fish IS ich free and has shown no signs for a couple of days now, though I do understand that the system is not "cured". That's what I meant by the statement. I understand the necessity for keeping him in hypo for a while longer.
It seems fairly worthless to have to do 50% water changes everyday and still only stay at 0.5ppm. Should I just remove the live rock and whatever detritus is on the bottom? Would that slow down the ammonia build up?

 

[wooden_reefer]

Nitrification bacteria won't die because of hypo but other organisms on mature LR likely will. The nitrification bacteria on the LR may not be able to handle so much decaying stuff.

LR, LR, and LR. I really don't know why so many people rely on it exclusively. I always have a sock (nylon panty hose) worth of other biological filter medium ready for miscellaneous purposes.

 

[luke33]

I wouldn't run LR in qypo. I keep a 75g qt available with filtration an deverything running for sick fish and new fish. Its BB with 2x emperer 400's on it. That way i don't just put together a new tank out of the blue and have amm probs. But i think the dieoff from the LR is the problem. And if that tank hasn't cycled yet, that would be a problem as well