Water changes help needed

[xredellahayes]

My tank so far has been in ammonia spike for about 5 days now .

Sunday I had a 75% water change - live water

Added on new bag of activated charcoal .

With ammonia 0.25ppm since the start of the ammonia spike till today .

And today I’m intending to change another 75% of water using live water as well .

Will this big changes helps to get rid of my ammonia ?

Or I’ll still have to change it over the days .

Btw I’m using api saltwater test kit

And heard a lot reviews saying it gives wrong reading for ammonia .

I’m at loss

 

 

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[stormrider]

How old is your tank?

Ammonia spike usually cause by tank still cycling or something had died and leeching more ammonia that the tank can handle. 

If the dead animal is not remove, changing water might be a temporary solution.

I am using API for ammonia test for 6 months, so far it had not fail me.

 

[Jeebusai]

Try to recall if you have any missing fishes/cuc etc. If your fishes and corals looks ok, maybe you will want to try to borrow a test kit? Try NYOS, Red Sea, Salifert?

As mentioned, big changes does help, but if you can’t narrow the source of spike, it will come back again. And yes, good to know how old is your tank. 

[xredellahayes]

My tank is pretty new and I jump start my tank with live cycle water . About 2 months in for now .
I do not have any dead corals and fish as I dig thru my sand to find for an answer . Also I did 30% change of sand change today as well . My fish and corals are pretty normal . Coral is opening as per normal . I’m still confused


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[xredellahayes]

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[danialakmal97]

tbh, water change doesnt help in removing ammonia, its only to reduce the ammonia level. in order to for ammonia to become completely 0, u have to have a healthy colony of bacteria cultivating in ur tank (either live rocks or biomedia).

may i know what kind of filtration are u using and what media do u have in there or isit purely live rocks/sand?


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[xredellahayes]

This is my ammonia at 0.25ppm , unless I’m colour blind


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[xredellahayes]

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[danialakmal97]

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are those lava rocks under ur coral chips? i’d suggest go for a higher end media like marine pure or maxspect nano sphere/block, it’ll help cultivate a good colony of bacteria to counter ur ammonia issue.

im assuming its going through a mini cycle.


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[Jeebusai]

5 hours ago, danialakmal97 said:

 

are those lava rocks under ur coral chips? i’d suggest go for a higher end media like marine pure or maxspect nano sphere/block, it’ll help cultivate a good colony of bacteria to counter ur ammonia issue.

im assuming its going through a mini cycle.


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Good suggestions!

5 hours ago, danialakmal97 said:

 

are those lava rocks under ur coral chips? i’d suggest go for a higher end media like marine pure or maxspect nano sphere/block, it’ll help cultivate a good colony of bacteria to counter ur ammonia issue.

im assuming its going through a mini cycle.


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Ur tank is pretty new. Do u dose bacteria like Microbacter7? Can consider changing the coral chips to other media like bio home, sera, marine block etc. (So many types). Check If good is stuck inside ur corals chips chamber. Pretty common. Happened to me before. If the fishes and corals looks ok. Should be fine. 

[stormrider]

Just one suggestion,

Do not remove entire filtration all at once, when changing filter like coral chips to marinepure sphere/blocks and etc.  Maybe  it is better to change them in phases.

[sherman]

Your tank is new so need to go through the cycle.

Ammonia spike during cycle is normal. It will subside soon but nitrite will spike by then.

During cycle you can dose Bacteria like bac 7 or SEACHEM Stability to help in reducing the

cycling duration.

You can also add high grade media like siporax or biohome. I do not recomended marine pure

as there are many cases of aluminium leak  reported worldwide 

 

[Jeebusai]

29 minutes ago, sherman said:

Your tank is new so need to go through the cycle.

Ammonia spike during cycle is normal. It will subside soon but nitrite will spike by then.

During cycle you can dose Bacteria like bac 7 or SEACHEM Stability to help in reducing the

cycling duration.

You can also add high grade media like siporax or biohome. I do not recomended marine pure

as there are many cases of aluminium leak  reported worldwide 

 

Crucial advice from Bro Sherman!  Later TS go change the media all at once, later tank crash! Then I become accomplice.....

[xredellahayes]

I decided to do a 100% change due to now having a bacteria blossom . Cloudy water .
Fishing out all my fish and corals and re start my whole cycle .


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[danialakmal97]

pls becareful when u wanna put ur livestocks back into ur tank, because chances of them dying off due to the “new tank syndrome” is quite high. its as if u are putting them into a new uncycled tank.

i’d suggest u passing ur livestocks to another reefer with an established tank meanwhile waiting for ur tank to fully cycle.

just my 2 cents


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