Ammonia Spike

[Jdubs]

Can a dying sps coral cause an ammonia spike? I noticed my sps was starting to bleach out last night. Went to work this morning and when I got back home it was getting worse so I checked levels. My ammonia was about 2ppm, nitrite was 0, nitrate was about .25. The tank is about 4 months old so I thought I’d try out some sps. Phosphates were about .015 a couple of days ago. I also haven’t seen my sally light foot crab in awhile. But my emerald crab is moving around. Could it be the combo of the coral dying off and the crab?

 

[HotRocks]

The ammonia spike could be killing the coral. 2ppm is extremely toxic to fish, inverts, and coral.

 

[Jdubs]

The ammonia spike could be killing the coral. 2ppm is extremely toxic to fish, inverts, and coral.

Thanks for your reply. I don’t know what could have caused the spike. 2 ppm seems like a lot for just one crab to die. But I don’t know that for sure. All my fish and cuc seem fine. I just finished a water change. Hoping that helps.

 

[jda]

At 2 ppm, the tankwater is usually cloudy and smelly. Is it either of those things? Hobby grade ammonia test kits are not all that accurate, but 2.0 is quite high.

 

[Dom]

I also haven’t seen my sally light foot crab in awhile.

I would try and find it. If it is dead among the rock work, the decomposing crab will cause an ammonia spike.

 

[Jdubs]

At 2 ppm, the tankwater is usually cloudy and smelly. Is it either of those things? Hobby grade ammonia test kits are not all that accurate, but 2.0 is quite high.

It doesn’t have a smell any more than it usually does. It’s not cloudy at all. I’m going to test again. My coral started bleaching out yesterday but I knocked it off of the rock and it dropped on the rock below it but didn’t think that would kill it. Everything else in my tank seems normal though. Even the snails.

 

[Jdubs]

I would try and find it. If it is dead among the rock work, the decomposing crab will cause an ammonia spike.

It molted about a week ago. Saw it a couple times after that but haven’t seen it in a few days.

 

[Jdubs]

It doesn’t have a smell any more than it usually does. It’s not cloudy at all. I’m going to test again. My coral started bleaching out yesterday but I knocked it off of the rock and it dropped on the rock below it but didn’t think that would kill it. Everything else in my tank seems normal though. Even the snails.

Just checked again. I did a 10% water change and now I’m getting in between .25 and .5. I don’t see a 5 gallon water change bringing it down that much. Must’ve made a mistake or just a bad test.

 

[Dom]

Which ammonia test kit did use?

 

[Jdubs]

Which ammonia test kit did use?

API. I didn’t buy another because I thought I was over with ammonia problems after my tank cycled.

 

[sfin52]

Shake the bottle really well for api before using it. Not all that reliable but gives you an idea. Are you sure a snail didnt die someplace

 

[Dom]

API. I didn’t buy another because I thought I was over with ammonia problems after my tank cycled.

The consensus among Reef Keepers is that the API test kits are generally unreliable. The API ammonia kit almost always shows ammonia. I would test ammonia with a Red Sea kit.

 

[Jdubs]

The consensus among Reef Keepers is that the API test kits are generally unreliable. The API ammonia kit almost always shows ammonia. I would test ammonia with a Red Sea kit.

I’ll haft to get another. I’ll look into Red Sea. I have Red Sea nitrate and Hanna for calcium and alkalinity. My api has seemed to work pretty well up to this point but seems pretty unreliable now. Thanks for everyone’s help.

 

[Jdubs]

Shake the bottle really well for api before using it. Not all that reliable but gives you an idea. Are you sure a snail didnt die someplace

Haven’t noticed any missing.