Question about ammonia being present during a tank transfer

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I am in the process of consolidating 2 tanks into 1, plus adding more live rock and live sand (TBS, good lord their service and product is incredible).

Testing with Hanna and have a Seachem badge in the tank.

Order of events:
- about 2.5 weeks ago I put 70 pounds of new gulf wet live rock and about 60 pounds of >5 year old rock from my larger system of the two tanks being consolidated into my new 400g display. I let that run for the 2.5 weeks. I fed the tank a couple times. I didn’t test but badge never changed, I know, they aren’t the greatest.
- Thursday I added 250 pounds of wet live gulf sand and another 70ish pounds of wet gulf rock. I also put the rest of the rock from my larger display, about another 30 pounds.
- Friday I put some test corals in the tank, along with about 10 large snails and a bunch of inverts. Coral wicked happy, still today, and inverts all chugging along.
- I was going to start moving my second tank, and 6 fish from that system yesterday then I noticed a couple blue dots on the sea hem badge. I tested with Hanna and it was .31 for ammonia, darn. I started a mini cycle I guess, I had been hoping to do an instatank. Then I discovered I missed 2 large sponges that were clearly dead, and when I pulled the rocks you could smell the sponge. Totally on me, I was short for time and should have done a better inspection process. Not my first rodeo with gulf rock, I know better.
- After I took the rock out, cleaned them up, returned them and waited several hours, I retested and it was down to .22. When I tested this AM it was down to .09. I have nitrates present.
- couldn’t just have taxed the system shortly? Could it now be rapidly increasing the headed nitrifying bacteria?
- is it too risky to move one of my tanks fish into this tank? I likely shouldn’t as I am out of town for 2 days and my wife wouldn’t be able to trouble shoot this and I’ve never shown her how to do a manual water change.

However, set aside my travel situation, adding fish at this point? Obviously I could dos Prime, but, I also hear there is nothing in that, but I also recall hearing that we would only be down 2 weeks instead of two years (pandemic).

Thoughts?

 

[MnFish1]

I am in the process of consolidating 2 tanks into 1, plus adding more live rock and live sand (TBS, good lord their service and product is incredible).

Testing with Hanna and have a Seachem badge in the tank.

Order of events:
- about 2.5 weeks ago I put 70 pounds of new gulf wet live rock and about 60 pounds of >5 year old rock from my larger system of the two tanks being consolidated into my new 400g display. I let that run for the 2.5 weeks. I fed the tank a couple times. I didn’t test but badge never changed, I know, they aren’t the greatest.
- Thursday I added 250 pounds of wet live gulf sand and another 70ish pounds of wet gulf rock. I also put the rest of the rock from my larger display, about another 30 pounds.
- Friday I put some test corals in the tank, along with about 10 large snails and a bunch of inverts. Coral wicked happy, still today, and inverts all chugging along.
- I was going to start moving my second tank, and 6 fish from that system yesterday then I noticed a couple blue dots on the sea hem badge. I tested with Hanna and it was .31 for ammonia, darn. I started a mini cycle I guess, I had been hoping to do an instatank. Then I discovered I missed 2 large sponges that were clearly dead, and when I pulled the rocks you could smell the sponge. Totally on me, I was short for time and should have done a better inspection process. Not my first rodeo with gulf rock, I know better.
- After I took the rock out, cleaned them up, returned them and waited several hours, I retested and it was down to .22. When I tested this AM it was down to .09. I have nitrates present.
- couldn’t just have taxed the system shortly? Could it now be rapidly increasing the headed nitrifying bacteria?
- is it too risky to move one of my tanks fish into this tank? I likely shouldn’t as I am out of town for 2 days and my wife wouldn’t be able to trouble shoot this and I’ve never shown her how to do a manual water change.

However, set aside my travel situation, adding fish at this point? Obviously I could dos Prime, but, I also hear there is nothing in that, but I also recall hearing that we would only be down 2 weeks instead of two years (pandemic).

Thoughts?

would not move fish in (if thats an option) - if the ammonia is not reading 0. Secondly, if possible I would double check the test results in case of error in the ammonia. Prime may not be helpful in this situation. Normally, tank to tank transfers - though there are some that want to make them complicated - are often seamless - just do it as quickly as possible. If you are going to be out of town - I would wait until you return - unless there are other pressing issues

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

0.31 ppm total ammonia is not a problem. It also may not be accurate.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

would not move fish in (if thats an option) - if the ammonia is not reading 0. Secondly, if possible I would double check the test results in case of error in the ammonia. Prime may not be helpful in this situation. Normally, tank to tank transfers - though there are some that want to make them complicated - are often seamless - just do it as quickly as possible. If you are going to be out of town - I would wait until you return - unless there are other pressing issues

More to do with shared equipment than anything else. I’m flying “blind” on the big tank, right down to ATO system. That and I have a 150g stock tank in my way (larger system was moved into this one until this system was set up).

 

[MnFish1]

0.31 ppm total ammonia is not a problem. It also may not be accurate.

I guess you would want to make sure it wasn't rising - which of course can happen in a tank with new live rock - secondly - pH and temp may play a role (especially pH)

 

[MnFish1]

More to do with shared equipment than anything else. I’m flying “blind” on the big tank, right down to ATO system. That and I have a 150g stock tank in my way (larger system was moved into this one until this system was set up).

Most tank transfers do really well - I'm more concerned about the new rock - And anything dead that may be causing an issue - close ammonia watching would be key. I agree with @Randy Holmes-Farley that total ammonia of 0.31 is not an emergency - but - any level of ammonia is stressful to fish - and if you can wait until its '0' IMHO, thats the best plan.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Most tank transfers do really well - I'm more concerned about the new rock - And anything dead that may be causing an issue - close ammonia watching would be key. I agree with @Randy Holmes-Farley that total ammonia of 0.31 is not an emergency - but - any level of ammonia is stressful to fish - and if you can wait until its '0' IMHO, thats the best plan.

I’m contemplating it because it’s been on the decline. Going to test now and see if trend is the same. It’s been 10 hours since last test.