Cycling tank with high ammonia??

Zachthomass_ · Mar 4, 2019

So I’m on day 13 of cycling my new 30 gallon tank with live rock and sand and I did a fishless cycle with a shrimp and my ammonia has risen to 8.0+ ppm since around day 7 and my nitrite has risen some but I was wondering if I need to decrease ammonia by doing a water change? Or will that stop the cycle? I’m also using an API test kit, so not sure if it’s entirely accurate.

lapin · Mar 4, 2019

Your ammonia is a bit high. I would pull out the shrimp if there is any left. Your live rock could have had a lot of die off that caused such high ammonia levels. Did you get the live rock shipped in wet paper and bags or was it from your LFS ?
It would not hurt to change out 50% of the water. There is some evidence that ammonia levels over 5 can slow the bacterial growth.

Zachthomass_ · Mar 4, 2019

lapin said:
Your ammonia is a bit high. I would pull out the shrimp if there is any left. Your live rock could have had a lot of die off that caused such high ammonia levels. Did you get the live rock shipped in wet paper and bags or was it from your LFS ?
It would not hurt to change out 50% of the water. There is some evidence that ammonia levels over 5 can slow the bacterial growth.

I picked up the rock from my local marine store and only left the shrimp in for 4 days.

lapin · Mar 4, 2019

I would change out 50% the water if its not too much work. You could even toss in one of the bacteria in a bottle products.

Zachthomass_ · Mar 4, 2019

lapin said:
I would change out 50% the water if its not too much work. You could even toss in one of the bacteria in a bottle products.

Thanks, I’ll plan to do a water change and I did purchase the bacteria in a bottle stuff to give a try!!

saltyfilmfolks · Mar 4, 2019

The only danger of high ammoina is high nitrates once the Ammona is eaten.

You can do nothing and it’ll be fine or something and it’ll be fine.

Mastiffsrule · Mar 4, 2019

saltyfilmfolks said:
The only danger of high ammoina is high nitrates once the Ammona is eaten.

You can do nothing and it’ll be fine or something and it’ll be fine.

I would tend to agree. Sounds like anytime it may drop to zero as it progresses thru the cycle,

Also, a big hello and Welcome.