My ammonia levels are out of the chart?

[5star]

Hello,

I just started a 20 gal tank.

Added dry rock and I am cycling using pure ammonia..

When I test my salt water for ammonia it turns blue.. I added too much ammonia the first day , and did a WC of 40% twice. I just tested again today and it still turns blue. I took another vial, took 75% salt water and added 25% tap water and it turned a perfect green? What should I do? I'm thinking about draining all the water and getting live rock from my LFS..


1st pic is after 2 minutes
2nd pic is 5 minutes
3rd pic is 20 mins

 

[Brew12]

Relax!!!! Adding too much ammonia to an empty tank won't hurt anything.

Without adding a bacteria product or live rock it can take a month for your tank to cycle properly. Just let it do its thing. You don't even have to test it for a week.

If you decide to add live rock you will want to get your ammonia under 5ppm before you add it, but it looks like you are already there. If you get a bacteria in a bottle product you can just dump it in. Either way, you have a wait ahead of you.

Cycling a new tank is the first lesson in patience the hobby gives to people just starting out. Nothing good happens fast!

 

[5star]

Relax!!!! Adding too much ammonia to an empty tank won't hurt anything.

Without adding a bacteria product or live rock it can take a month for your tank to cycle properly. Just let it do its thing. You don't even have to test it for a week.

If you decide to add live rock you will want to get your ammonia under 5ppm before you add it, but it looks like you are already there. If you get a bacteria in a bottle product you can just dump it in. Either way, you have a wait ahead of you.

Cycling a new tank is the first lesson in patience the hobby gives to people just starting out. Nothing good happens fast!

When you say under 5ppm I am already there, the blue vial is strictly my salt water and it is blue, the green vial is 75% salt water and 25% tap water.. I must be over the charts if it is blue?

 

[Brew12]

When you say under 5ppm I am already there, the blue vial is strictly my salt water and it is blue, the green vial is 75% salt water and 25% tap water.. I must be over the charts if it is blue?

Honestly, I'm not sure. This is a salt water API ammonia test kit, right?

What ammonia did you use and how much did you add?

 

[5star]

Honestly, I'm not sure. This is a salt water API ammonia test kit, right?

What ammonia did you use and how much did you add?

Yes saltwater kit,

I added 5 drops and waited 30 mins and kept testing every time. Lost count of what I totally put in the tank..
End of the first day it was a nice green around 4 PPM. Woke up the next morning tested it and it has blue ever since. Should I leave it or drain all water and fill it back up again ?

 

[Brew12]

Yes saltwater kit,

I added 5 drops and waited 30 mins and kept testing every time. Lost count of what I totally put in the tank..
End of the first day it was a nice green around 4 PPM. Woke up the next morning tested it and it has blue ever since. Should I leave it or drain all water and fill it back up again ?

Draining the water might be a good idea. I've never seen it but apparently an API test kit can turn blue at very high levels. If you want to wait it out it will eventually come down on its own but you will have a large amount of nitrates when you are done.

 

[5star]

Draining the water might be a good idea. I've never seen it but apparently an API test kit can turn blue at very high levels. If you want to wait it out it will eventually come down on its own but you will have a large amount of nitrates when you are done.

Just drained
80-85% water, in going to try the raw shrimp method, how big of a piece of shrimp should I throw in there ?

 

[Brew12]

Just drained
80-85% water, in going to try the raw shrimp method, how big of a piece of shrimp should I throw in there ?

Don't add the shrimp. That is how I did my first tank and I regretted it. Just refill your system and see where you test out tomorrow when it reaches a new equilibrium. Pure ammonia is the way to go if done correctly.

 

[5star]

Don't add the shrimp. That is how I did my first tank and I regretted it. Just refill your system and see where you test out tomorrow when it reaches a new equilibrium. Pure ammonia is the way to go if done correctly.

Would it be smart to get a piece of live rock tommorow from my LFS?

 

[Brew12]

Would it be smart to get a piece of live rock tommorow from my LFS?

It would. That will help jump start the bacteria growth process and can greatly cut down on the cycle time.

 

[5star]

In

It would. That will help jump start the bacteria growth process and can greatly cut down on the cycle time.

appreciate all the help, I'm
Going to refill the tank take a ammonia test tommorow morning and keep you updated

Thank you

 

[5star]

In


appreciate all the help, I'm
Going to refill the tank take a ammonia test tommorow morning and keep you updated

Thank you

Just took ammonia test it is sitting around 1-2 PPM. Going to grab some live
Rock today

 

[Brew12]

Just took ammonia test it is sitting around 1-2 PPM. Going to grab some live
Rock today

Sounds like a plan!

 

[trevormass7]

Good luck, I remember how stressed I got when I first started my tank

 

[5star]

Live rock has been in for around 8 hours, is this a bristleworm ?

 

[Brew12]

Live rock has been in for around 8 hours, is this a bristleworm ?

Yup! That isn't necessarily a bad thing. Great part of a CuC

 

[HawaiianReef]

Yup it is. You'll find a lot of critters in the rock. It's all good, especially since you have no fish or corals. Just sit back, relax and research on scape ideas, fish compatibility and enjoy the whole process!