Ammonia in new tank

[JamesThomas]

Thanks Beasl. I think Im getting a grasp of how this all works. My latest ammonia reading does appear to have a yellowish tint for sure. I just want to be sure everything is right before I start adding predator fish. Its amazing how much you learn with just an empty tank. Ive logged everything so it will be fun to see the changes as fish are added.

 

[Dom]

Thanks Sod and Ivan. I only have the live sand in there now. no rock. I can pick up a bottle of bacteria. Im surprised my damsel is alive! Im using the API testing kit

Live rock is the primary home to nitrifying bacteria. The general rule is 1 point of live rock per gallon of water. If it were my tank, I'd get rock in there as soon as possible.

 

[Dom]

I told him my ammonia was "raging" The exp. on the kit is 2022. I went back and read the instructions again. let me try only the refug area where the damsel is. I designed this whole tank and sump so maybe theres a circulation flaw.

I would think that your test results will be the same, no matter where you take the sample from.

 

[Dom]

I'm puzzled.

I expected to see nitrites with the presence of ammonia, but nitrates? There is definitely ammonia being processed in the tank. I'm very suspicious of that ammonia test kit.

 

[MnFish1]

I'm puzzled.

I expected to see nitrites with the presence of ammonia, but nitrates? There is definitely ammonia being processed in the tank. I'm very suspicious of that ammonia test kit.

Nitrite in the water causes a false positive nitrate. You cant really interpret them. I agree with @brandon429 - the ammonia of 8 ppm is a false positive - or the water conditioner (clarifier) may have contained some interfering substances. A fish can not live in >8 ppm ammonia.... (which is the way his test kit reads to me)

 

[brandon429]

A neat way to understand the patterns in this tank would be to post an updated ammonia test pic, and we predict the color ahead of time as of now.


Update ammonia test looks like:
Yellow, but possibly grayish api’ish yellow green yellow at a very barely detectable level lol that exact color.


What color it will not be: dark green, without subtlety
which is the high ammonia condition that would result from daily compounding if surface area was lacking. We’ve met submersion times, so the only other lack here can be surface area (but there’s sand)

If no daily compounding, then sand is the whole biofilter

 

[Dom]

Nitrite in the water causes a false positive nitrate. You cant really interpret them. I agree with @brandon429 - the ammonia of 8 ppm is a false positive - or the water conditioner (clarifier) may have contained some interfering substances. A fish can not live in >8 ppm ammonia.... (which is the way his test kit reads to me)

So... a positive test for nitrates isn’t necessarily true if nitrites are present?

 

[brandon429]

Lack of surface area in the presence of an ongoing fish bioload is not a chronic, lengthy or daily condition it’s acutely fatal. Overnite

It’s the system having kidney failure from not able to process nitrogenous waste. Across the animals kingdom = fast death


I’m not entirely sure of all the various conflicts with nitrate v nitrite testers, but am keen when any tank seems to have a noncompliant cycle based on test kit readings. ammonia is constantly consistent across tanks but nitrate ranges, we don’t like to use it in cycling in updated cycling threads for this very reason. We r about to see if ammonia is predictable and no green dye allowed no pranking a bro heh

 

[MnFish1]

So... a positive test for nitrates isn’t necessarily true if nitrites are present?

Correct

 

[brandon429]

Let’s see that slightly cloudy but still yellow as seen by 80% of viewers ammonia test

 

[beaslbob]

I'm puzzled.

I expected to see nitrites with the presence of ammonia, but nitrates? There is definitely ammonia being processed in the tank. I'm very suspicious of that ammonia test kit.

It is possible to have a nitrate bump with little to no ammonia/nitrItes. Algae consumed ammonia directly for nitrates and actually prefers ammonia. While doing that nitrates can rise as the algae is not consuming as much nitrates. then as aerobic bacteria build up, the algae starts consuming nitrates wo the drop.

my .02

 

[MnFish1]

It is possible to have a nitrate bump with little to no ammonia/nitrItes. Algae consumed ammonia directly for nitrates and actually prefers ammonia. While doing that nitrates can rise as the algae is not consuming as much nitrates. then as aerobic bacteria build up, the algae starts consuming nitrates wo the drop.

my .02

This is an interesting idea - where do the nitrates (that are rising) come from?

 

[JamesThomas]

just a quick update. I recieved and installed the SeaChem ammonia badge. its currently reading .02ppm! I will do another API test just for kicks.
Not sure if I need a need post, but I almost picked up the MarinePure block to help with things.....anyone try the MarinePure bio balls? Im thinking this is a better option for me.... need to make up a neat acyrlic basket or something

 

[beaslbob]

This is an interesting idea - where do the nitrates (that are rising) come from?

they were there before but were being consumed by the algae. (could also be coming from live sand/rock etc). So once the algae starts consuming the ammonia directly they are consuming less nitrates. It's called a silent cycle and well know and documented especially in FW planted tanks.

 

[JamesThomas]

just a quick update. I recieved and installed the SeaChem ammonia badge. its currently reading .02ppm! I will do another API test just for kicks.
Not sure if I need a need post, but I almost picked up the MarinePure block to help with things.....anyone try the MarinePure bio balls? Im thinking this is a better option for me.... need to make up a neat acyrlic basket or something

 

[JamesThomas]

so it looks like the API is giving the same results!! wish I had the SeaChem a few weeks ago to see how it read (I was getting insanely high ammonia readings)

 

[brandon429]

You have no free ammonia, all future purchases and reactions lend the same outcome as posting pics of the predicted, holding, outcome. That you switched to another tester confounded by water conditioners and also holding won’t change.

 

[JamesThomas]

I didnt realize I had no free ammonia until this post, multiple test approaches, posted pics and forum input, but thank you

 

[brandon429]

They're measuring something but it's unimpactful, meaning ammonia doesn't compound/grow but the pattern is each tester showing and holding only trace amounts where the expensive digital testers for ammonia show it is in too much demand in a reef tank to have a small unoxidized portion remain over a week, with no bio consequence

The testers are good for spike indicators for sure, but not cycle callers. You have the surface area via sand and sump inclusions, and you've met the required submersion times for nitrifers to be present and plump w fish in tow. Good fish in cycle was done.

If you cease any actions on behalf of ammonia the system just does fine daily...no clouding takeover or smell, hallmarks of free ammonia, the small readings which aren't spikes are best categorized as unimpactful, doesn't change tank direction or require purchase offset. Hope that helps

 

[JamesThomas]

great information! thanks for a true education. Im moving forward with the setup!