was going to get a new damsel today had LFS test my water is 0.25 can't figure this out was 0 saturday . Feed very carefully every other day. Is it normal to have some amonia at times. This sems to be reacouring problem. Wonder if it's the rena cal canister just cleaned it two weeks ago and new carbon in it.
got amonia again
- Thread starter Ronny#66
- Start date
reefergeorge
New member
It is not normal to have ammonia after the cycle unless something big dies.
How much LR is in the tank, and how old is the tank???
How much LR is in the tank, and how old is the tank???
Aquarist007
New member
check with your water company. If it is using chloramine instead of chlorine then that can break down into ammonia when passing through the ro/di unit
Test some of your stored water just in case
Test some of your stored water just in case
Canister filters tend to build up nutrients such as nitrates and ammonia. For people keeping salt water tanks who are running canister filters I would recommend removing the filter media and replacing it with live rock. I've seen a lot of people have spikes after about 2-3 months when they are running canister filters with media, even when changing media. If its a brand new tank you probably just don't have enough of those beneficial bacteria in there yet, so anything you add to your take that releases ammonia such as fish or fish food will cause a spike because there is nothing there to eat the ammonia up. I recommend also adding some live rock, 1lb+ per gallon will help control those excess nutrients.
Aquarist007
New member
do a small water change---if the ammonia doesn't fall to zero then it could be your test kit
BurntOutReefer
New member
good advice re: water change...and test your source water aswell.
Aquarist007
New member
Ronny, I just had a conversation with my supplier this morning about the content of our city water. He supplies everything including ponds. One of the things that was happening everyonce and awhile was that guys ponds were getting wiped out over night after a water change
Investigation found out that once a month are city does an extra chlorine ect flush on the entire water system. If you were unlucky enough to hit that day for a water change then you got zapped
Just thought of your case when I heard that.
Going to try different approach . I have been doing 5 gal water changes every week . I called DR. Foster & Smith Live Aquaria teck suport. And gave her details of all my system . She thought I may be upsetting Bioligical process by doing the 5 gal change every week in the 25 gal . She sugested 3 gal every week or the 5 every other week I'm going to give the every other week. Amonia is .025 right now was going to do the ten gal change but she said 0.25 not a real big deal and we decided to let it be and let the tank just do it's think .If it goes any higher I will do the ten gal change. i've tried everything else and as we know we can go on with this for ever and not pin point cause!!
vader88
Dolphin Finatic
I can't see that being the case, the biological process occurs in your sandbed and liverock. Doing water changes can only help by removing ammonia.
The bacteria is what breaks down the ammonia into harmless byproducts, so by doing water changes your not upsetting anything.
The bacteria is what breaks down the ammonia into harmless byproducts, so by doing water changes your not upsetting anything.
Aquarist007
New member
on that note--how much live rock do you have in your tank and how old is the sand bed
Well not shure on the amout of live rock tank was purchased 15 months ago look at pics of previous posts it's the same tank no live rack has been added since a year ago. Sand bed not shure but at least same time table with an inch or so added over a year ago. But listen to this tested today and amonia is 0 if i am looking at the color right as we all know your lemonade green and mine can be a little off . yester day it tested 0.25 . I'm going to test with other test kit to make shure. So whats going on.
Aquarist007
New member
hold the vial against in front of the colour chart. Look through the vial--the colour that matches will be the same so you will not be able to see to different colours--just one
That's a better way of reading the colour charts then side by side matching of the bands
That's a better way of reading the colour charts then side by side matching of the bands
Aquarist007
New member
no, the anerobic and aerobic bacteria are not floating in the water column so they will be not removed in a water change.
