angiedal712
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Woww, what could help the tank cycle? I feel so silly
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Impossible ammonia
- Thread starter angiedal712
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Woww, what could help the tank cycle? I feel so silly
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tkeracer619
New member
If your tap registers ammonia it has chloramines. The additives will help reduce toxicity but tbh, it still isn't safe for a reef tank.
Consider buying water from the lfs.
Consider buying water from the lfs.
angiedal712
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angiedal712
New member
angiedal712
New member
Oh one more thing if u dont mind, how frequently after i add the bio spira should i test the water?
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tkeracer619
New member
You're welcome. I have a lot of water ~1000gal and dealing with chloramines on a big system is a pain. With a 15gal I would have no reservations buying water from the store.
To safely produce water for a reef you would need an RODI system that has special chloramine pre filters (breaks the chlorine/ammonia bond and removes the chlorine) and a good amount of cation DI resin (removes the ammonia). It's just not worth it on a small setup.
Bio Spira is a great bacteria product that should get the cycle going.
To safely produce water for a reef you would need an RODI system that has special chloramine pre filters (breaks the chlorine/ammonia bond and removes the chlorine) and a good amount of cation DI resin (removes the ammonia). It's just not worth it on a small setup.
Bio Spira is a great bacteria product that should get the cycle going.
tkeracer619
New member
I'd let it go a week or two.
Mishri
Active member
It does take time, as said, a week at least.. depends on the live rock.. I'm guessing you premixed the saltwater before adding it to the tank with the live rock? .. otherwise you could be dealing with die-off from that. Also, the source of the dry rock.. ordered online and shipped or local fish store with a short drive?
I think with my tampa bay saltwater live rock it took it almost 2 weeks to get the ammonia to 0... but 2 months seems crazy.. you shouldn't have that high of a reading unless something is re-introducing ammonia (such as things dieing in the aquarium, or if you keep adding dead stuff to it).. You really shouldn't need to add bacteria.. I have never added bacteria to any of my tanks in 30 years of fish keeping.
I think with my tampa bay saltwater live rock it took it almost 2 weeks to get the ammonia to 0... but 2 months seems crazy.. you shouldn't have that high of a reading unless something is re-introducing ammonia (such as things dieing in the aquarium, or if you keep adding dead stuff to it).. You really shouldn't need to add bacteria.. I have never added bacteria to any of my tanks in 30 years of fish keeping.
angiedal712
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I did order my rock from online, and the saltwater was nutri sea water mixed with distilled.
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Mishri
Active member
hmm.. I guess you are bringing it down from the 1.027 to something closer to 1.023-1.025 with the distilled water then?
I've never tried the nutri-seawater before..
Rock from online.. hmm.. 2 months.. I wonder if things began growing then dying off on the rock during the cycling time that you were catching.. seems a bit high for 10lbs of live rock though.. but it is a 15 gallon tank so maybe..
Did you add tap water conditioner to the tank? (Can't find info on it right now, but I was told years ago adding tap water conditioner to saltwater is a bad idea)
I've never tried the nutri-seawater before..
Rock from online.. hmm.. 2 months.. I wonder if things began growing then dying off on the rock during the cycling time that you were catching.. seems a bit high for 10lbs of live rock though.. but it is a 15 gallon tank so maybe..
Did you add tap water conditioner to the tank? (Can't find info on it right now, but I was told years ago adding tap water conditioner to saltwater is a bad idea)
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angiedal712
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tkeracer619
New member
This does not work for chloramines. If you ever need to use tap you should be using seachem prime. I would however avoid your tap water like the plague.
The chloramines wrecked the bacteria in the live rock.
vhuang168
New member
According to the description, it does.
http://www.apifishcare.com/product.php?id=655#.WBPWUhVHaEc
"TAP WATER CONDITIONER instantly removes chlorine and neutralizes chloramines. It also detoxifies heavy metals in tap water. TAP WATER CONDITIONER is super concentrated. One ounce treats up to 600 U.S. gallons
Treats: 1ml treats 20 U.S. gallons
Directions: Use the API Dosing Cap on the Bottle. To remove chlorine and detoxify heavy metals: Add 1 ml for each 20 U.S. gallons (76 L) of aquarium water. To detoxify chloramines: Add 5 ml for each 30 U.S. gallons (114 L) of aquarium water."
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tkeracer619
New member
Interesting. I wonder if they changed formulas. I was going off a chart that shows them all.
Edit: Nevermind. API Tap Water Conditioner does not address the ammonia produced by chloramines, just the chlorine component. While that alone should just give you ammonia to start the cycle the fact that it is still there after two months leaves room to suspect that it didn't break the chloramines down.
Edit: Nevermind. API Tap Water Conditioner does not address the ammonia produced by chloramines, just the chlorine component. While that alone should just give you ammonia to start the cycle the fact that it is still there after two months leaves room to suspect that it didn't break the chloramines down.
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angiedal712
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MrsGsClassroom
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Get some RODI water. (Reverse osmosis drionized) its very different from distilled. Distilled water can still have a Lot if dissolved particles. A local fish store should have some. Even if it's petsmart.
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angiedal712
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angiedal712
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What other brand could I use to test my ammonia accurately?
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