ammonia question

[Murice]

I use the API test kit and with ammonia it will read .0 after the 5 min mark and if I let it sit to about the 7-10 min mark it will change to .25...does this happen with anyone else ? would you say I have 0 ammonia or .25? tank is about 2 months old, I used bio spira to cycle. I have 6 fish and 3 small zoa frags, and 2 BTA... no signs of stress and corals come out daily

 

[brandon429]

That's amazing insight into what could be a cause for my own near loss of sanity, but not from wielding the test it's from trying to convince people cycles cannot stall in reefing. That load of fish would die overnite in an uncycled tank

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

0 ammonia. The api tests are notorious for showing a false .25 reading for ammonia.

 

[brandon429]

Here's work proof agreed above.

Bio-spira works great

Nice. What happened to the flame angel and the original clown? I sold all 3. The flame was picking at corals and my wife really wanted B&W B&W clowns. I actually just last night sold the kole tang as well. I added a small hippo tang and it tried to kill it so I took out the kole. I also have 2...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[brandon429]

Murice you have just posted my favorite thread of 2020 swings gavel closes the matter on month one. Some form of timing issue or unknown variant is always at play when the most toxic compound we encounter daily is shown free and active in a reef tank with surface area and ammonia-sensitive creatures.

Free ammonia is consequential. Not inconsequential

Any true lack of surface area (the real risk) can't allow for constant .25 or even 1, true sourced ammonia + lack of surface area presents a compounding number, the fact it's seeming to hold is the false reading alarm beyond just changes from waiting for sample

 

[MnFish1]

I use the API test kit and with ammonia it will read .0 after the 5 min mark and if I let it sit to about the 7-10 min mark it will change to .25...does this happen with anyone else ? would you say I have 0 ammonia or .25? tank is about 2 months old, I used bio spira to cycle. I have 6 fish and 3 small zoa frags, and 2 BTA... no signs of stress and corals come out daily

If the test says 'read at 5 minutes - you have '0' ammonia.

 

[Murice]

Murice you have just posted my favorite thread of 2020 swings gavel closes the matter on month one. Some form of timing issue or unknown variant is always at play when the most toxic compound we encounter daily is shown free and active in a reef tank with surface area and ammonia-sensitive creatures.

Free ammonia is consequential. Not inconsequential

Any true lack of surface area (the real risk) can't allow for constant .25 or even 1, true sourced ammonia + lack of surface area presents a compounding number, the fact it's seeming to hold is the false reading alarm beyond just changes from waiting for sample

Soooooo... it took me a while to post this because of the scrutiny I thought I'd be under for the newer tank with that load, so I may have lied a little to soften the blow... since you seem generally interested and supportive I'll come clean... my tank is 3.5 weeks old...I killed $120 worth of fish using live rock and some other brand of bacteria...basically added 3 fish and 2 days later 4 more with an emerald crab and cleaner shrimp... they died that night... shrimp lasted another half a day and crab is still with us... cleaned the tank and heard about bio spira... bought since that day and added a blood orange clown and anemone... two days later a lawnmower blenny and 2 turbo snails...2 days later another clown and anemone and zoa frag...2 days later 2 zoas , a yellow tang, mandarin goby, scooter blenny... 3 days ago I added a six line and a domino damsel... it's been 4 days with no additions... I've went through 4 bottles of bio spira because I kept getting the. 25 reading

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Soooooo... it took me a while to post this because of the scrutiny I thought I'd be under for the newer tank with that load, so I may have lied a little to soften the blow... since you seem generally interested and supportive I'll come clean... my tank is 3.5 weeks old...I killed $120 worth of fish using live rock and some other brand of bacteria...basically added 3 fish and 2 days later 4 more with an emerald crab and cleaner shrimp... they died that night... shrimp lasted another half a day and crab is still with us... cleaned the tank and heard about bio spira... bought since that day and added a blood orange clown and anemone... two days later a lawnmower blenny and 2 turbo snails...2 days later another clown and anemone and zoa frag...2 days later 2 zoas , a yellow tang, mandarin goby, scooter blenny... 3 days ago I added a six line and a domino damsel... it's been 4 days with no additions... I've went through 4 bottles of bio spira because I kept getting the. 25 reading

Yeah, with a tank that young your bacteria population may not be able to support the bio load if the tank which can definitely result in toxic amonia levels.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

If you still have fish in there I would use seachem prime to bind up the ammonia to hopefully keep your current fish alive.

 

[Murice]

Yeah, with a tank that young your bacteria population may not be able to support the bio load if the tank which can definitely result in toxic amonia levels.

I agree but it's consistently at .25 ...I just tested again and set 5 min timerand it was at 0

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

I agree but it's consistently at .25 ...I just tested again and set 5 min timerand it was at 0

If none of your fish or anything seem stressed then I would write it off as a 0 in ammonia and not worry too much!

 

[brandon429]

those fish would die if the current balance couldnt support bioload you dont have to dose more bac.

they're fine.

fish disease could be killing animals though, hows your quarantine approach

as soon as you use prime, not needed, it will alter all future api readings on that water sample

for sure lack of surface area and or bac will register as cloudy water overnite, those fish could not live in a dry rock dry sand instant setup past 12 hours if it wasn't cycled.

 

[brandon429]

can we get a current/updated full tank shot

 

[shoelaceike]

Of mine?

 

[brandon429]

Was curious to see M's updated tank shot, see if fish are swimming normally/distributed well throughout the tank or if they're hovering up top

opened corals if any will also confirm he's got no free ammonia too. I like using pics to validate test kits

free ammonia is so consequential, we only need to know if a given set of bioload has been alive for a day or so + pics showing normal behaviors to rule it out. that and/or seneye or minstream readings heh

 

[brandon429]

It's a bunch of fish all at once agreed, but so is all of Macna

Those are all instant start tanks, it can be done. I'd be curious to know whose skip cycle examples you have followed, where did you get your blueprint/ order of ops. Were you applying other quick starts you've seen for the particular tank-> wanting to see how you've been advised on fish preps / lose one and quick cascades can happen agreed but the overall ability of the tank is inferred by multiple uses of one day cycling products.

the pics are likely to show typical surface area
that should stabilize things here provided fish individuals are strong. a couple damsels is a typical starting load, that yours sustains a massive increase speaks well to the quality of your bac.

be changing water a little more assertive than norm for sure on quick starts

 

[Murice]

Here's some quick pics omw out the door

 

[brandon429]

those are excellent, lots of dilution nice tall tank I don't recall seeing one like that recently, well done

if any of that live rock has living attachments on it, indicating time spent underwater before you got them, that's a big deal confirming presence as well.

the tank looks nice for sure

open zoanthids beats api anyday yep

 

[brandon429]

I see a bristleworm

that's real live rock, chock full of bac, coralline indicates months or years of submersion.

you have not short changed anyones bacteria let the record reflect ha nice. might have had a curing annoyance, but it was never from lack of bac

show an example of your aquarium to anyone who sets up a reef at MACNA or any other reef convention, they'll say yep.

when kpi or tampa bay salt sends out ready live rock in the mail they don't send a bottle of dr tim's as we pay $ for that bac farmed on the rocks. water bound transport helps reduce loss of worms, but the bac show up best they'll ever be and then cure down to normal tank levels

 

[Dan_P]

I use the API test kit and with ammonia it will read .0 after the 5 min mark and if I let it sit to about the 7-10 min mark it will change to .25...does this happen with anyone else ? would you say I have 0 ammonia or .25? tank is about 2 months old, I used bio spira to cycle. I have 6 fish and 3 small zoa frags, and 2 BTA... no signs of stress and corals come out daily

Yes, if you let the API test sit longer than instructed, the test color appears to turn green. This is normal with this version of the salicylate method. stick to the 5 minute hold.