Ammonia Levels - Page 2

CrypticAnimal · 10-09-2006, 05:37 PM

It sounds like your cycle is doing well (normal)..Are you running lights?Its not a bad idea to keep them off during the cycle helps to prevent algea or run very low watt bulbs..Also you said should you Put something in to kick start the ammonia to help the cycle.You can its really up to you. You say your 4 weeks into the cycle I dont suggest this but for future info , You could drop a small piece of shrimp(non cooked from groc store) into the tank your first week to help but you should also take it out as soon as the am levels sky rocket within a few days..Have any pics of the tank

Tommy Gun · 10-09-2006, 08:06 PM

Loman,

As of yesterday, my water parameters are as follows:

Ph (high range) - 8.3
Ammonia - 0 (not even registering at all with my liquid test kit)
Nitrites - 0 (same situation as ammonia)
Nitrates - 10 mg/L
Phosphate - 0.5 mg/L
Free Iron - 0
Calcium(Ca2) - >520 (gave up with putting drops in after this level)

I think that my situation is a little different than most because at the time I put up my tank, I had the cash flow to purchase all live rock that was completely cured or very close to cured. My first shipment of 45 pounds came much has been described, in a plastic box, wrapped in wet newspaper. I had a decent amount of die off with this rock and saw a sharp ammonia spike. I then added another 45 pounds of completely cured live rock which I transported home in a plastic bin full of the water it was in at the LFS. This rock had my ammonia levels down to near 0 in 48 hours and I have been unable to get a cycle going ever since. (20 pounds of my rock was 'almost live' rock or base rock, which is essentially all buried under sand and used as a support so that my LR doesnt settle or sink in the substrate.

The bottom line is that I rushed my tank a lot, but was lucky enough to buy enough live rock, thus adding the bacteria colonies I needed, to keep my water parameters at least mostly safe for sustaining life. I also have 80 pounds of live sand, which came in a plastic bag with water in it, that my LFS kept in under a heat lamp at around 75 degrees (F). 20 pounds of this live sand also came right out of the LFS own tanks, which were ultra well established (up and running for a few years, most likely with a lot of this same sand).

So, basically I, in theory, just took a saltwater tank and put up new glass and in a new location. I tried to no avail to start a cycle with four damsels and over feeding the whole time with flake food (which the damsels wouldnt touch) and thawed out frozen brine shrimp. Since then, I have added a puffer fish which didnt create a cycle for two weeks before adding a lionfish and a snowflake moray eel.

This has all amazed me so much that I have been checking my water so often that it is almost a daily routine and my wife usually has the test tubes full of water for me when I get home from work. She has taken an interest in this tank almost as much as I have. We also have 3 turbo snails, 3 hermit crabs, and an anemonie (which I am just keeping for a friend right now) and every time I check my water parameters, I get just about the same results.

I think that the phosphate levels is what is keeping my algea growing though, but this is sort of an assumption because in the past, when I had an algea bloom in my freshwater tanks, my phosphate levels were high before and afterwards. I have also been told that one of the drawbacks of using conditioned tap water versus RO water is the higher amounts of phosphates, which cause algea problems. I got this info from a guy who was trying to sell me an RO unit though, so I wouldnt count on that info as gold.

ggmichael · 10-09-2006, 08:34 PM

Ok ya'll I decided I am crazy LOL....I was in the room where the aquarium is sitting in my trusty chair right at the glass and just staring at the new snails (the dang Sea Hares are asleep for the night), I was so intently watching and all tense LOLOLOl and all of a sudden my cat knocked something over in the other room and I about went through the glass. I told hubby I think these creatures are going to come jump out at me or something LOLOL...sorry just had to share the vision

Loman · 10-09-2006, 10:26 PM

ggMichael,
That is too funny. I must admit that i find the sea hares to be so ugly they are almost "cute". I understand from a friend that has one that they are awesome with regard to algae.

After reading Tommy's post I want to go back and look at some info on algae etc. He may be correct that phosphates can cause a bloom as well. For some reason I was thinking that nitrates were a part of the photosyntheses cycle but I need to refresh my memory on all that. Sounds like things are going very well for your tank.

CrypticAnimal · 10-10-2006, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggmichael

Ok ya'll I decided I am crazy LOL....I was in the room where the aquarium is sitting in my trusty chair right at the glass and just staring at the new snails (the dang Sea Hares are asleep for the night), I was so intently watching and all tense LOLOLOl and all of a sudden my cat knocked something over in the other room and I about went through the glass. I told hubby I think these creatures are going to come jump out at me or something LOLOL...sorry just had to share the vision

LOL,Yes your correct Tommy,There are lots of silicates and phosphates or algea food in tap water they have types of silicate removers and phosphate removers were they would keep trace elements and ph buffers at a fish store they should kinda resembale carbon instead of being black they will be white or greyish in colour just follow directions and also buy a small net pouch for placement in the tank..Dont place directly in tank use a hand over filter or something like that..Or just try beefing up on turbo snails and hermits that will help also..your chioce

happy reefing