Ammonia staying high with fish after a crash

[koon26]

For nearly 2 months, I’ve been stuck with high ammonia in my 230-gallon reef tank after a bacterial issue killed many of my fish.. Despite big water changes, multiple bottled bacteria (Dr. Tim’s, Microbacter, PNS), and careful feeding, ammonia won’t drop — it’s hanging around 2.2 to 2.6 ppm. Nitrites have been hanging around 1 and nitrates have varied from 32ish to about 15-16ppm. Tests have been done with hanna checkers and red sea titration kits.

Current livestock is a couple conchs, a snail that survived, naso tang, orange spotted goby, diamond goby, purple dottyback, melanarus wrasse, and two clowns.

What I’ve Tried:

Over 150 gallons of water changes in the last week

UV sterilizer running

Refugium cleaned and trimmed

Added pods and phyto

Tried several top-tier bacteria products

What Might Be Causing It:

Leftover meds in the system possibly blocking new bacteria - maracyn oxy and rally reef pro. Dosed separately and according to directions.

Rotting algae/slime in the refugium

UV killing off beneficial bacteria too fast

Biofilter still too weak to catch up

I’ve got ATM Colony arriving tomorrow to try and finally kickstart the cycle. If anyone’s seen something like this before, I’d appreciate any tips!

 

[Rocks reef]

I would stop using your UV until your ammonia starts dropping. I think on the bottle of Dr. Tims it recommends to turn UV off for a day or two. This allows the bacteria to colonize the rocks, glass, etc.
Your UV won't kill off that many bacteria since the bacteria you are concerned about is not free floating in the water.

 

[koon26]

I would stop using your UV until your ammonia starts dropping. I think on the bottle of Dr. Tims it recommends to turn UV off for a day or two. This allows the bacteria to colonize the rocks, glass, etc.
Your UV won't kill off that many bacteria since the bacteria you are concerned about is not free floating in the water.

I didnt have the UV at the time. I just started the uv about a week ago. Tims dosing was 2 weeks and 4 weeks ago respectively.

 

[Rocks reef]

Interesting. The maracyn may have something to do with it.
You are sure there is nothing dead in there that is decaying?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Seems very unusual for 2 ppm ammonia to last two months in an operating tank with fish, etc.

Might be worth double checking with a different kit.

 

[koon26]

Seems very unusual for 2 ppm ammonia to last two months in an operating tank with fish, etc.

Might be worth double checking with a different kit.

Ive used the hanna nh3/nh4 checker and a red sea kit and they both register above 2 ppm. My seachems are detecting .05ppm nh3. I've put multiple seachems in there to verify one of them didnt go bad and they all read the same.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok, I don’t really know why it is lasting, but I’d add some bacteria somehow, either commercial such as Fritz turbo start, or diy such as sand or rock from an operating tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

Test ammonia is new saltwater and see if the results are accurately reading near 0. If they aren’t, it shows a faulty test.

 

[koon26]

Ok, I don’t really know why it is lasting, but I’d add some bacteria somehow, either commercial such as Fritz turbo start, or diy such as sand or rock from an operating tank.

Yeah, i added turbo last night and if that doesnt work i may replace all my rock with already seeded rock from the LFS.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah, i added turbo last night and if that doesnt work i may replace all my rock with already seeded rock from the LFS.

Sounds good. Tests done by folks here suggest turbo should work fast.

 

[koon26]

Yeah, i added turbo last night and if that doesnt work i may replace all my rock with already seeded rock from the LFS.

Sounds good. Tests done by folks here suggest turbo should work fast.

It defintely works fast. .3ppm drop from 9pm dosing last night to 5pm today. Struggling for a month+ and turbostart handles it in a day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It defintely works fast. .3ppm drop from 9pm dosing last night to 5pm today. Struggling for a month+ and turbostart handles it in a day.

Good to hear!