Ammonia in new tank

[DEL 707]

I have a 55l reef tank that's been setup for about 18 months and 250l tank that was filled with water just over a week ago.

I've left the new tank running with it's equiptment and no stock, just to make sure everythings working.
The new tank has dry rock as well as some bio media in the sump.

Today I was going to move my fish accross with some of the dry rock and biomedia from my filter (no sump on the small tank).

I did tests on the water and I'm seeing 0.2-0.4ppm ammonia.
I'm not sure how that has happened, I've added nothing to the water.

I'm assuming these levels are too dangerous for fish.

Today, I'm going to move over some of that dry rock and media and well as some water.
Is it worth me moving some sand as well.

Should I monitor the ammonia levels as they are, or just buy some Dr Tims and do a proper cycle?

 

[JTP424]

It could just be tiny organic material etc causing the ammonia.

When you say
"
Today, I'm going to move over some of that dry rock and media and well as some water.
Is it worth me moving some sand as well."
Do you mean from your running tank?

Just move the media and rock. The water and sand hold minimal beneficial bacteria.

I would then add enough material/ammonia to reach 2ppm and then check tomorrow to see if it is gone, as well as check nitrates and phosphates.

 

[DrummerWithFish111]

I have a 55l reef tank that's been setup for about 18 months and 250l tank that was filled with water just over a week ago.

I've left the new tank running with it's equiptment and no stock, just to make sure everythings working.
The new tank has dry rock as well as some bio media in the sump.

Today I was going to move my fish accross with some of the dry rock and biomedia from my filter (no sump on the small tank).

I did tests on the water and I'm seeing 0.2-0.4ppm ammonia.
I'm not sure how that has happened, I've added nothing to the water.

I'm assuming these levels are too dangerous for fish.

Today, I'm going to move over some of that dry rock and media and well as some water.
Is it worth me moving some sand as well.

Should I monitor the ammonia levels as they are, or just buy some Dr Tims and do a proper cycle?

I would have done a proper cycle on the new tank previously, that is over 40 gallons of new “sterile” water. If you have the capacity to keep your 55L running while the 250L cycles, that would be the easiest way to go about it. Dr Tim’s ammonia and Fritz Turbo-start would do the trick quickly (at least it has in my experience).
I think the sand is a subjective topic for most hobbyists; I don’t think it would hurt to move some of it, but the sand bed is going to be probably icky in some capacity if it has been setup for long.

 

[Fish Fan]

A few thoughts that I hope will help

Just to be clear, there's little to no nitrifying bacteria in the water; they grown on rocks, sand, bio media, and other surfaces.

Sand grows beneficial bacteria just like rock. The danger of using old sand is that it's usually dirty, and can lead to high nitrate, or in the worse cases you can release hydrogen sulfide gas, which is very toxic.

Adding a couple tablespoons or so of "old" sand to a new tank to "seed" the new tank with beneficial bacteria is a decades old practice that's lost favor today because there's so many choices for bottled bacteria now.

You can reuse old, dirty sand by rinsing it first. Rinse in saltwater if you're concerned with keeping the beneficial bacteria alive, rinse in tap or RODI if you don't care and just want the sand clean.

It's not clear to me if you want to keep both tanks running or shut the smaller one down, but if so, just add all the rocks from your smaller tank into your larger tank and you should be pretty much cycled. If the rock in your small tank can process the ammonia the livestock in your small tank are producing, then it should handle that same bioload in your new tank as well. Go slowly when adding additional livestock to allow the bacteria to catch up, and I think you'll be fine.

This is my take, I'm sorry if I misunderstood your plan or question

Good luck!

 

[Dan_P]

I have a 55l reef tank that's been setup for about 18 months and 250l tank that was filled with water just over a week ago.

I've left the new tank running with it's equiptment and no stock, just to make sure everythings working.
The new tank has dry rock as well as some bio media in the sump.

Today I was going to move my fish accross with some of the dry rock and biomedia from my filter (no sump on the small tank).

I did tests on the water and I'm seeing 0.2-0.4ppm ammonia.
I'm not sure how that has happened, I've added nothing to the water.

I'm assuming these levels are too dangerous for fish.

Today, I'm going to move over some of that dry rock and media and well as some water.
Is it worth me moving some sand as well.

Should I monitor the ammonia levels as they are, or just buy some Dr Tims and do a proper cycle?

Two thoughts. The new aquarium is not cycled. Don’t put fish in yet. Second, the ammonia might be the small amount present in most salt mixes.

By the way, how are you measuring ammonia?

 

[Freenow54]

No one asked who's test kit you used or was it done in a lab. I have no idea how you could get such an exact reading assuming you did mean .2 -.4. are you playing around ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, that level can be test error, or from the salt
mix.

At that level it won’t kill fish, but if the tank is not cycled it may go
Much higher.

Move the media first, then fish.

 

[Freenow54]

FWIW, that level can be test error, or from the salt
mix.

At that level it won’t kill fish, but if the tank is not cycled it may go
Much higher.

Move the media first, then fish.

So You without any proof ( one of your pet peeves ) and no answer from the person who started this post regarding my question , say its possible to discern a .2 difference in any home test ? I Strongly Disagree

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So You without any proof ( one of your pet peeves ) and no answer from the person who started this post regarding my question , say its possible to discern a .2 difference in any home test ? I Strongly Disagree

Sorry, I cannot tell what you disagree with or what I said that needs proof.

I certainly have proof that 0.4 ppm does not kill fish.

Do I need proof that ammonia may go higher if the tank is not cycled?

 

[Freenow54]

Sorry, I cannot tell what you disagree with or what I said that needs proof.

I certainly have proof that 0.4 ppm does not kill fish.

Do I need proof that ammonia may go higher if the tank is not cycled?

No My question to the Original Poster was which test kit that was used. Having tried to read even Salifert test kits that accurately is impossible for me . And through the now years of people saying that API kits are unreliable at best That is why I mentioned lab testing or I assume ICP. They have yet to answer so I think your assumption was premature. I lean more towards error

 

[Freenow54]

There is another argument as well. We as Humans over the years have consumed harmful chemicals assuming that " someone " is looking after us . Now we know different . Some things do not show the harm for years if everything is to be believed . Cancer is the obvious one . Who knows what else . So without a clinical time study of slow exposer of Ammonia by fish you cannot make a conclusive " no Harm " statement even though me being the person that I am agree at this point of time . However I also cannot as a logical person rule anything out

 

[Freenow54]

Hence Arguing with Paul . We will never know the long term Immunity claim . We cannot only live in a short term belief system .

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

d through the now years of people saying that API kits are unreliable at best That is why I mentioned lab testing or I assume ICP. They have yet to answer so I think your assumption was premature. I lean more towards error

I allowed it might be test error and said so in my very first sentence.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There is another argument as well. We as Humans over the years have consumed harmful chemicals assuming that " someone " is looking after us . Now we know different . Some things do not show the harm for years if everything is to be believed . Cancer is the obvious one . Who knows what else . So without a clinical time study of slow exposer of Ammonia by fish you cannot make a conclusive " no Harm " statement even though me being the person that I am agree at this point of time . However I also cannot as a logical person rule anything out

You believe your ideas and I’ll believe the studies I have read. If you invoke the we don’t know everything card, then you can include the hundreds of thousands of other chemicals in a reef tank to worry about being too high or too low.

 

[Freenow54]

You believe your ideas and I’ll believe the studies I have read. If you invoke the we don’t know everything card, then you can include the hundreds of thousands of other chemicals in a reef tank to worry about being too high or too low.

True However I don't believe Ideas , and i am not privy to the experience of researchers background like you would . or how to read or understand what I would assume to be strict controls regarding a study . That is the failing of a Layman we only can learn usually from mistakes . That is why I read this Forum . I sometimes get a fact from a off the cuff remark that ties into my failures . I have the utmost respect for your Knowledge . My comment about we as Humans was just to point out what we are still learning as to what harms our fragile Bodies yet Resilient. Who knows about Fish ? i have observed that Coral react to an Environment much faster than Fish

 

[Freenow54]

I have a problem with speaking befiore thinking about everything that effects my conclusion probably because of the endless factors . Paul believes that his feeding methods give his fish imunity . Its possible that he also believes it is a combination of everything he does . I myself wonder about the fact that he uses real Ocean Water but does Atoll ? Don't know . What else does he do unconventionally ? I also when it concerns my health do not like Taking Drugs . I live in constant nagging pain but refuse to take any form of pain killer. I prefer to stay as Lucid as I possibly can , and deal with it another way. So I can relate to not wanting to use medications as a current add says as a cure . Medicine should be preventative . Therefore environment food intake stress are all contributors to our health . Are fish different ? Trying to eliminate all the impurities that we consume to me is a fruitless endeavor . We can only do our best, I just bought a card for my brother in laws 75th . They were on the rack in 5 year increments . They stopped at 100 I want to prove them wrong . Back to Paul. what are the impurities that are in the food that he feeds ? Who knows . He feeds his worms with stuff that has additives I am sure . What as my Daughter says a Rabbit Hole are we going down . It would be nice to have all the answers. Even you should agree that a real result would take decades .So maybe going Forward Scientists should be happy with the Journey , and adding to the common good. Not being the the chaser of the Glory

 

[Paul B]

Paul believes that his feeding methods give his fish imunity . Its possible that he also believes it is a combination of everything he does . I myself wonder about the fact that he uses real Ocean Water but does Atoll ? Don't know . What else does he do unconventionally ?

It is the living bacteria in the food and not just the food itself. But any dry foods are full of chemicals and things that are not food. I don't give artificial food to my family or fish.

I also have not used ocean water in 2 years, it's too polluted here now.

Back to Paul. what are the impurities that are in the food that he feeds ? Who knows . He feeds his worms with stuff that has additives I am sure

There are no impurities in the food I feed or what I feed to my worms.

My earthworms get rotten leaves and banana skins to eat and they multiply more than I can use.

My live whiteworms eat full fat, Greek yogurt and whole wheat bread. Nothing artificial.

I have a container of pellets. (someone much have given it to me)
There are at least 50 ingredients in it and only one or two of them are food. This is a big problem as to why almost no one has immune fish. But, what do I know?