Have any problems with my ammonia?

[zachary1124]

Yesterday I tested my ammonia. It was pretty close to zero and today 24 hours by do what it looks like to me at .50 I was going to do the turbo start 900 with a fish but I don’t know what to do in this situation. I did not have any food or anything. The only thing I have is live rock and that has stuff already in it and natural sea salt water.

 

[Fish Fan]

Did you start your tank with real, wet live rock from a local fish store? How long ago was it set up, and could you maybe post a pic of the rocks?

 

[zachary1124]

Did you start your tank with real, wet live rock from a local fish store? How long ago was it set up, and could you maybe post a pic of the rocks?

I don’t have the bag of sand anymore, I had the tank set up since Saturday night

 

[Fish Fan]

OK, gotcha!

When you setup your tank, did you add anything to increase the ammonia concentration, such as bottled ammonium chloride or Fritz Fishless Fuel? And did you add any kind of bacteria in a bottle, like Dr. Tim's One and Only or the Fritz TurboStart yet?

 

[zachary1124]

OK, gotcha!

When you setup your tank, did you add anything to increase the ammonia concentration, such as bottled ammonium chloride or Fritz Fishless Fuel? And did you add any kind of bacteria in a bottle, like Dr. Tim's One and Only or the Fritz TurboStart yet?

No

 

[Fish Fan]

So typically when you cycle a new tank like this would want to add a source of bacteria - I think you said you have Fritz TurboStart, that's very good. You'd add that with a source of ammonia to give the bacteria something to process and grow. You can add something like Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride or Fritz Fishless Fuel, a piece of shrimp from the seafood market, or a few big pinches of fish food. You usually want to get the ammonia concentration up to about 2.0 ppm initially, and then watch for that to come down to nearly zero. Typically, that can take about 3 weeks, but the Fritz TurboStart seems to work much more quickly, usually in about 48 hours you'll see that reduction of ammonia.

 

[BryanM]

That rock is not "Live Rock" either.

Give this thread a read:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[zachary1124]

So typically when you cycle a new tank like this would want to add a source of bacteria - I think you said you have Fritz TurboStart, that's very good. You'd add that with a source of ammonia to give the bacteria something to process and grow. You can add something like Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride or Fritz Fishless Fuel, a piece of shrimp from the seafood market, or a few big pinches of fish food. You usually want to get the ammonia concentration up to about 2.0 ppm initially, and then watch for that to come down to nearly zero. Typically, that can take about 3 weeks, but the Fritz TurboStart seems to work much more quickly, usually in about 48 hours you'll see that reduction of ammonia.

If I use turbo start 900 with a clown fish will 2.0 kill it

 

[Fish Fan]

If I use turbo start 900 with a clown fish will 2.0 kill it

Yes! If you added a Clownfish, do not add ammonia!

I didn't realize you already added a fish

So it's been a few days with a fish and a Fritz, I'd give it another day or so and I believe the ammonia will come down to about 0.25 ppm or less.

 

[zachary1124]

Yes! If you added a Clownfish, do not add ammonia!

I didn't realize you already added a fish

So it's been a few days with a fish and a Fritz, I'd give it another day or so and I believe the ammonia will come down to about 0.25 ppm or less.

No, it has nothing in it. I was going to do the turbo start to 900 in a clown fish today until I tested it.

 

[Fish Fan]

No, it has nothing in it. I was going to do the turbo start to 900 in a clown fish today until I tested it.

Then it's either background noise form the test kit (test kit error), or there's some organics that came on the rocks or if you used sand, could even be dust from the rocks sitting before being used.

 

[zachary1124]

Then it's either background noise form the test kit (test kit error), or there's some organics that came on the rocks or if you used sand, could even be dust from the rocks sitting before being used.

If I put my arm in to move rock around that would not raise it right

 

[Fish Fan]

If I put my arm in to move rock around that would not raise it right

It shouldn't, unless there's something on your skin like moisturizers or something organic getting into the tank, but typically no, it should not.

The API test kit is known to be a bit squirrelly, it sometimes reports a low level of ammonia when there's typically none.

If you've not yet added your fish, I'd encourage you to do a fish-less cycle using your Fritz Turbo Start and a source of ammonia that's not a living fish. I don't think it would take more than a few days if you're using the TurboStart, which seems to be the fastest acting of all these products by far.

You *can* add a fish right away if you're using the TurboStart specifically (but not Dr. Tim's One and Only or MicroBacter7, etc.), but it's largely frowned on to do it that way these days. Most feel that it's best for the fish to do a fish-less cycle, and then add your livestock.

 

[zachary1124]

It shouldn't, unless there's something on your skin like moisturizers or something organic getting into the tank, but typically no, it should not.

The API test kit is known to be a bit squirrelly, it sometimes reports a low level of ammonia when there's typically none.

If you've not yet added your fish, I'd encourage you to do a fish-less cycle using your Fritz Turbo Start and a source of ammonia that's not a living fish. I don't think it would take more than a few days if you're using the TurboStart, which seems to be the fastest acting of all these products by far.

You *can* add a fish right away if you're using the TurboStart specifically (but not Dr. Tim's One and Only or MicroBacter7, etc.), but it's largely frowned on to do it that way these days. Most feel that it's best for the fish to do a fish-less cycle, and then add your livestock.

I was going off of. I already have ammonia. I didn’t know this test had issues. I already put in the turbo start 900.

 

[Fish Fan]

I was going off of. I already have ammonia. I didn’t know this test had issues. I already put in the turbo start 900.

That's good that you added the TurboStart.

Your test kit shows about 0.50 ppm ammonia, and normally it's suggested to get the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm to start a fishes cycle. I think you should add enough ammonia to raise the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm and then let it drop to about 0.25 ppm and then add the Clownfish. You *could* add the fish sooner, but most here on R2R would advise against it.

 

[zachary1124]

That's good that you added the TurboStart.

Your test kit shows about 0.50 ppm ammonia, and normally it's suggested to get the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm to start a fishes cycle. I think you should add enough ammonia to raise the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm and then let it drop to about 0.25 ppm and then add the Clownfish. You *could* add the fish sooner, but most here on R2R would advise against it.

I don’t have any on me. I did not know I was just told by the store to add it because I already have ammonia

 

[Fish Fan]

I don’t have any on me. I did not know I was just told by the store to add it because I already have ammonia

Then I would suggest adding a few large pinches of fish food, or a piece of table shrimp from the seafood market. Either will decay and produce ammonia.

Here's a video with some more info on cycling tanks that may be helpful, but post back here with any further questions!

 

[zachary1124]

That's good that you added the TurboStart.

Your test kit shows about 0.50 ppm ammonia, and normally it's suggested to get the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm to start a fishes cycle. I think you should add enough ammonia to raise the ammonia to ~2.0 ppm and then let it drop to about 0.25 ppm and then add the Clownfish. You *could* add the fish sooner, but most here on R2R would advise against it.

It’s been almost 24 hours since I added it and my ammonia did not come down at all. Is that normal?

 

[Fish Fan]

It’s been almost 24 hours since I added it and my ammonia did not come down at all. Is that normal?

Yes. It could take as long as 48 or even 72 hours sometimes for the TurboStart to work. But, it could also be the test kit, sometimes those API test kits like to show a low level of ammonia when there's likely much less. I'd give it another 24 hours or so and see what it says then

 

[zachary1124]

Yes. It could take as long as 48 or even 72 hours sometimes for the TurboStart to work. But, it could also be the test kit, sometimes those API test kits like to show a low level of ammonia when there's likely much less. I'd give it another 24 hours or so and see what it says then

OK, I did test some Ro that one came back with no ammonia, but it still could be the tester OK