High Ammonia level after 10% water change

Baigent87

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Hi Guys!!! I’m new here so take it easy on me

I’m 1 week into my cycle using 2 clownfish and a bottle of Dr Tim’s One & Only.

After testing once a day for the past week I’ve seen a large spike in ammonia (1.2) which has held strong for the past 4 days. I was advised by my local aquatics store to do a 10% water change which I’ve done, I retested after a couple of hours and the ammonia levels are still at 1.2.

The fish seem fine, darting around the tank and eating great. I’ve reduced there meals to one medium feed per day as was feeding twice a day.

Should I do another larger water change or wait for the drop in ammonia?
 

Fish Think Pink

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Hi Guys!!! I’m new here so take it easy on me

I’m 1 week into my cycle using 2 clownfish and a bottle of Dr Tim’s One & Only.

After testing once a day for the past week I’ve seen a large spike in ammonia (1.2) which has held strong for the past 4 days. I was advised by my local aquatics store to do a 10% water change which I’ve done, I retested after a couple of hours and the ammonia levels are still at 1.2.

The fish seem fine, darting around the tank and eating great. I’ve reduced there meals to one medium feed per day as was feeding twice a day.

Should I do another larger water change or wait for the drop in ammonia?
Welcome!

Glad you joined
 
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Baigent87

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Do not rise your feed to much and to fast. The nitrification bacteria growth is slow - may double itself every one or second day. You may add a clean up crew now - start your light on low intensity a day or two before the introduction of the CUC. It is also possible to add easy corals at this point. For CUC - I prefer different species of hermits and snails. You will probably end up with small patches of brown algae (probably diatoms) in sand and on rocks. It can take time before they are totally gone but snails and hermits will help you to deal with them. If you get them in the sand and you canm´t stand it - you can stir the sand every evening with a long tool. I prefer not to do that - but that´s me.

Sincerely Lasse
CUC are in! 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 hermit crabs and a turbo snail :) All seem to be settling in very nicely, but don’t seem to be interested in my dirty sand yet

I’ll start thinking about upgrading my light and adding some basic corals.
 
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Baigent87

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A2D97A4F-73A4-49F3-95E5-232EF8299C37.jpeg
 

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Baigent87

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If this work out good - just raise the amount of hermits

Sincerely Lasse
@Lasse appreciate the advice as always :) I’m slightly worried about adding too much stock to my tank as it’s only a 13.5 gallon. 2 clowns, 2 hermit crabs, 2 cleaner shrimp and a turbo snail. Room for anymore?
 
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Lasse

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I use to stock rather high with snails and hermits. They give not a high bioload and they help you a lot. They should feed mainly on secondary production in the tank. 5 - 10 hermits (depending on size) and the same amount of snails would not be any problem for me - but stock the aquarium in a slow pace

Sincerely Lasse
 
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Baigent87

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I use to stock rather high with snails and hermits. They give not a high bioload and they help you a lot. They should feed mainly on secondary production in the tank. 5 - 10 hermits (depending on size) and the same amount of snails would not be any problem for me - but stock the aquarium in a slow pace

Sincerely Lasse
I also really like the look of those small emerald crabs!!!
 
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Baigent87

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I use to stock rather high with snails and hermits. They give not a high bioload and they help you a lot. They should feed mainly on secondary production in the tank. 5 - 10 hermits (depending on size) and the same amount of snails would not be any problem for me - but stock the aquarium in a slow pace

Sincerely Lasse
:( lol Apparently this is just a phase. I really hope so hahaha
 

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Lasse

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Yes but it can take long time before it is more or less white again. For me it took around a year but if you introduce animals that turn around the sand and/or eat the algae - it will be better in shorter time. Sea cucumbers is one option. If you can´t live with it - just take a stick and mixit down every evening. I will not recommend to vacuum it because in that case you will take away the good guys too,

Sincerely Lasse
 
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Baigent87

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Yes but it can take long time before it is more or less white again. For me it took around a year but if you introduce animals that turn around the sand and/or eat the algae - it will be better in shorter time. Sea cucumbers is one option. If you can´t live with it - just take a stick and mixit down every evening. I will not recommend to vacuum it because in that case you will take away the good guys too,

Sincerely Lasse
Thanks Lasse. If I’m honest I find the CUC far more interesting to watch than the fish lol. The hermits and emerald crab seem to be doing a pretty good job. I’ll most likely as 1 more turbo snail next week as well as a couple of other snail species.
 
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The reason he doesn’t need it is because he doesn’t have an ammonia issue like your freshwater tank. His title would say my fish died and the water is all gray and smelly

be sure and click the example thread post #38

for example

do a search here on these terms:
api ammonia misread

see how all the umpires follow the post title? On those search terms, we’re in unison api can’t be used accurately by anyone other than actual chemists by trade.

but here, he’s certainly got free ammonia, for sure.

the test kit you used to discern the free ammonia on the freshwater tank, undebatable at that moment just the same.


why is it that anyone who owns a seneye never sees a stalled cycle
I suppose I should have read the post more thoroughly., and referenced my experience with my new tank ( salt ). In that case all went well. The cycle took a month and a half with the lights off. Back to my freshwater tank. Because of my problem acquiring the antibiotic required, and despite all my attempts. I lost all 19 cichlids eventually took 2 months for them all to die. This just happened to end yesterday. I stripped all the parts, and emptied the tank. Giving everything a bleach bath. When it came time to remove the gravel ( about an inch and a half ) the remaining water was almost as black as coffee. This despite me using a siphon tube with a drill powered pump weekly till the water was clear. This would explain a lot I believe. I actually used 2 separate test kits through this. At this moment I do not know what I am going to do as I have 2 salt water tanks as well. Here is the thing. In the future I am not going to use gravel for sure but wondering if there is a better solution. This tank was established for 25 years.
 
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