How do you keep Ammonia down in larvae tanks?

[Lou Young]

My ammonia levels are 2.0-4.0 in my clown larva tank at day 7 and my fry are dying.
I use 10g tank and start with 7g of new salt water that's been mixed for 2-4 days. After fry hatch I tint water very light with rotigrow plus. After meta i add a seeded doing filter and they grow out just fine.
I have raised several batches over the last year and haven't had a problem till now, so not sure why ammonia is so high. What do you do to keep your levels low?
Thanks Lou.

 

[shifty51008]

Water changes, and amquil, syphon out as much junk as you can once or twice daily if needed.. if the babies are big enough i will also add live rock to the tank.

 

[Lou Young]

What day do you do your first water change? Also how much amquel
do you add? Thanks

 

[shifty51008]

I will usually start doing water changes on day 3. amquel is just for a quick ammonia nutralizer that I add (5ml. per 10 gal. but have added that to 5 gal before also) but I will still do a water change afterward to lower the ammonia that way. I have read that if you only use amquel or prime to control ammonia it can make the fry grow slower.

 

[Lou Young]

Thank you for the information. I have babies hatching tonight so I will stop at pet store for some amquel and give it a try.

 

[shifty51008]

good luck, let us know how it goes.

I also wanted to ask, do you keep your NSW moving with a power head after you mix it till you use it? stagnant NSW can also cause ammonia to rise.

 

[reefstew]

Amquel can lower the O2 so keep good aeration & do 30% WC after day 3.

 

[modernREEF]

Use some tank water (from the parents' tank) 50/50 with your new water instead of just new water. There aren't enough bacteria in your water to process the ammonia.

 

[shifty51008]

There hardly any bacteria in the water from the dt also, the bacteria is within the rocks and sand.

 

[modernREEF]

There are many many species of free-floating bacteria in the dt water.

 

[dnh828]

What about sponge filters? Those work well to remove a good portion of the ammonia.

 

[temper76]

I use prime.and i started doing water changes ones i started feeding otohime because u are only adding green water and the rotifers are eating that. 15-20 minutes before I do water changes add some prime in their so it could turn any ammonia into non toxic because when you stir all the garbage u release the ammonia more so by adding prime it controls it and keeps it non toxic on my new water I add a few drops of prime and I drip my water back. But the crucial days must be larvae to meta. There is many thinks and trick that can be done.