Ammonia at .25ppm on 29 Gallon Biocube

[noclav]

I have a Oceanic Biocube that i started in May of 2018. I now have a 1 clown, 2 gobys, 1 damsel, Several snails, sand sifting star, pistol shrimp, several hermit crabs, and some coral.
In the sump area i have a skimmer, and media rack with purigen, chemipure, and filter floss at the top. Middle chamber i have Cheato growning.
My ammonia is at .25 i tested it with a non expired Salifert and an Api test kit from 2004 they both showed the same results.
I did a 5 gallon water change 3 days and still same result.

Water Params:
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
PH 8.0
Calcium: 450
Mag: 1500
Temp: 77.9
Salinity: 1.026

Is this ok for a 29 gallon with that amount of fish?
How often should i feed? (I feed now only once a day i switch between mysis and pellets.)
Should i do another water change?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Salt mixes do contain some ammonia so don’t test after the wc imo.

With all the things you have in there. I don’t understand why you have ammoina either. The chato should soak that right up.

Are you using rodi is the only question I can think of.
Clorine and copper pipes could kill the bacterial filter but.....

Is the sump dirty , detritus ? Big dead snail ?

 

[RobZilla04]

Find the source of ammonia. Are you missing any fish, snails, or crabs? Check the filtration area and be sure no food is clumped up back there decaying. Possibly another water change and siphon the sand bed to clean it of any trapped detritus.

 

[noclav]

i cleaned the Media rack when i did the water change a few days ago, Im not missing anything and when a fish dies Rambo my emerald crab takes care of it quickly. Last chromis that died all i saw left the next day was some bones. I have a RODI system and tds is low.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

When a cuc eats a fish. It’s still in the tank.
What is getting by the rodi to prevent it from being zero we’d have to send for an ICP test rather than speculate on.
I’d get some dr tims one and only and an ammonia alert badge.

 

[lapin]

old article but worth the read
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-02/rhf/
I find that live food produces less ammonia = less nitrates, than feeding pellets.

 

[noclav]

When a cuc eats a fish. It’s still in the tank.
What is getting by the rodi to prevent it from being zero we’d have to send for an ICP test rather than speculate on.
I’d get some dr tims one and only and an ammonia alert badge.

thanks for the info but after watching a ICP Comparison video im not sure its worth to spend the money for the test. How do you know if they are even accurate. I just did another 2 Gallon water change yesterday and today ammonia is at 0 on both test kits. I will keep monitoring it and see if it elevates again.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

thanks for the info but after watching a ICP Comparison video im not sure its worth to spend the money for the test. How do you know if they are even accurate. I just did another 2 Gallon water change yesterday and today ammonia is at 0 on both test kits. I will keep monitoring it and see if it elevates again.

Yup. It’s better to spend the time and money on getting the rodi to zero.

 

[noclav]

my tds meter shows the output of the DI is 3 should i replace filters?

 

[Captain Quint]

my tds meter shows the output of the DI is 3 should i replace filters?

When was the last exchange of filters and resign?

 

[noclav]

about 6 months ago.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

my tds meter shows the output of the DI is 3 should i replace filters?

3 is low. But double check the test. Is that the inline meter ?

Silly but , when I use the hand held I fill a glass with new rodi. Swish it dump it and wipe it with a paper towel. Fill and test.
If I don’t rinse and wipe I get some tds numbers.