Ammonia 4.0: URGENT!

[stupid_naso]

My tank is more than a year old and have never had any problems with ammonia before. A couple of months ago my water was perfect, even nitrate is 0. Suddenly two days ago my corals started closing up. So I checked my water and ammonia is 4.0. I cannot seem to find out what the cause is. I have transfered all my corals to my friend's tank. I was hoping that it will get better by today. I just checked my water again, and it's still the same. Ammonia is 4.0.
This is what happened last week. I purchased, a yellow toadstool, and a frogspawn. I also just got DT and added them. I added them on the first day I got it, and two days later after the water change. The only thing that I think can cause this whole thing is my "stress coat." Stress coat isn't supposed to be harmful. But I just realized that my "stress coat" isn't really one. I don't know what it is. I got a refill from my LFS. I asked them when I got it, but they said it is stress coat. Well I compared it with my friend's and the color is different and the smell is different. My stress coat can actually be either AmQuel or NovAqua. Is it possible that my stress coat messes up my bio-filter?
Help, what can I do? Because I transported my corals yesterday, I had to refill my tank with clean water from the LFS (a different one). So that's all I've been doing. Currently in my tank there are two clownfish, one sally lightfoot, 4 snails, and 1 hermit crab. The sand is still there and probably about 8 lbs of LR.
HELP !
stupid_naso

 

[hunterdaddy]

I assume you are talking a 10 gal tank.
How often do you do water changes?
Do you always change the charcoal filter pads or just rinse them?
Did you wash your bio filter with clean water? That will kill bio filter which is bad.
What is stress coat?? Ive heard of adding stuff like that to fresh water (which is unnecessary) but never to salt and wouldn't recommened it.
Are you 100% sure nothing died? Snails in such a small tank would cause a nice ammonia spike.

 

[thomas712]

I've never used the stress coat for saltwater applications, but have read where many use it just to remove chlorine, which suggests that many are using tap water. Normally posts regarding stress coat are in reference to skimmers going nutz and producing lots of foam.
So Tap water?

 

[stupid_naso]

I do 1 gal water change every weekend. The filter pad in the bio-wheel I replace every three months. I have had snails dying in the past and they don't cause any change in water chemistry. I don't use tap water, I buy RO water, and the stress coat is just there to help the fish. It says to add it when I change water and introducing fish to restore the slime coating that fish has. It's basically aloevera, harmless.
I don't know about the DT, it was refrigerated in the LFS. I've never taken it out from the fridge unless when I use it. It does have odor, but I don't know whether that's the strong odor you're talking about. It's expiration date is in August.

 

[leigh]

i've never heard of using stress coat in sw. it worked miracles for me in fw, but i'd be leary of it for salt.

 

[stupid_naso]

I've been using it ever since I started my tank. Never harm anything.

 

[timsedwards]

I have used stress-coat as a bi-product of dechlorinator when i was using tap water (back in those days ) and it was also fine. Just extracts of Aloe Vera normally, like drugs for fish
Tim.

 

[tiffster]

If it was amquel or ammonia lock rather than stress coat it will still test positive for ammonia after you use it. Supposedly it is not in a harmful state, but it is not truly gone so it tests positive still. Or at least that is the case for fresh water. If I were you though, I would not use stress coat anymore. Two of my professors at school have mentioned to me that they do not use it with their fish because there is something in there not present in other dechlorinators that causes fish to loose their appetite. One of these guys is an ichthiologist and head of the biology department, so I listened. Never noticed any problems myself, but better safe than sorry right?

 

[gene52569]

I would get some STRESS ZYME from walmart and dump some in. It has the germs that eat the ammonia. Safe for fresh and salt water. I have used it. Did you say you change out your bio-wheel? They are never spose to be replaced from what I have been told. Also I would get Aquamarine nitrate remover from your local fish store. It has the germs that eat Nitrates In it. I have used it as well, With great success
Don't know if stess coat will harm salt water but it will foam the water. I know.........................

 

[hunterdaddy]

I used to add salt to my chiclid tank. Salt in the water helps the fish keep their protective slime coat. I would think it is unnecessary if not actually harmful. Good rule is if you don't have to put it in the tank. Don't.

 

[bang guy]

I agree with Tiffster. You could be getting a false positive from an ammonia reducer.
Don't ever use stress coat in SW.
Alternately your test kit could be bad. Test some Ro/DI water and see if it reads zero.

 

[ophiura]

Originally posted by timsedwards
Just extracts of Aloe Vera normally, like drugs for fish
Tim.
And extremely minute quantities of aloe vera...personally, it is a waste of money with regards to 'helping' fish. Basic dechlorinators are loads cheaper and a healthy low stress tank is far better than (cringe!) 'snake oil' like stress coat. I don't know that I ever talked anyone into buying it for the aloe part.
But I really doubt stress coat has anything to do with what is going on here.
So:
- You don't see anything major that died that would result in a relatively long lived spike (in such a mature tank, I would expect to see improvement).
- No chance that anything could have been poured in the tank?
- How much of this mysterious substance did you put in the tank?
- How does your LFS 'refill' this stuff? I would beg them for the answer to what it really is....
- Find another LFS if possible and have your water tested using another test kit.

 

[serpentine5]

I know this is getting off topic, and I am not trying to steal your thread naso, you have a problem and you need help with it.
I am asking about stress coat. I do use tap water. I try to prepair my water atlease a week in advance to using it. How I prepair my water: Pump water from my tap to a 5 gallon bucket. While the water is filling I add the salt. After I have filled to my stop line and mixed up the salt to where I do not feel any grains on the bottom, I squirt 2 squirts of (brand name) Stress Coat into the water and stir it up. I add the stress coat as a declorinator. I pump or dump the water from my 5 gallon bucket to a 15/20 gallon tote that has a heater and PH in it. It stays in this tote for atleast a week then it is transfered to my top off tote that has a heater and a PH in it too. Is this a major problem? I know I should be using Ro, but I cannot afford to get large water bottles, and go down to the green life store every week. It is something that I will be working on doing or getting a RO set up here, but until either is possable, I will comtinue to use tap water. If you guys and gals think stress coat is crap, and we should not use it, what whould you recomend for me to get as a declorinator?
Thanks all.

 

[leigh]

declorit
used it for a while before buying ro from my lfs...works great and doesn't do all the extra stuff of stress coat--just does chlorine

 

[stupid_naso]

Thanks for the replies guys, probably you're right about the false reading. I still don't know what it is actually but I guess at this point it doesn't matter. The LFS owner is really annoying, so I chose not to deal with it. I'm actually surprised that none of you use stress coat for saltwater. If that's the case then I'm not gonna use that again then. Thanks for the help.
stupid_naso

 

[serpentine5]

THanks Leigh

 

[hunterdaddy]

serpintine
The salt in your water removes chlorine as well. I use well water so there is no chlorine in my water. I have used city water and well water because I woun't pay 2 $ a gallon for water and i have never had any problems due to water changes. Just other things like tank moves and such.

 

[coral boy]

I don't know about the DT, it was refrigerated in the LFS. I've never taken it out from the fridge unless when I use it. It does have odor, but I don't know whether that's the strong odor you're talking about. It's expiration date is in August.
DT's should have no odor if there is an odor i would say it's gone bad and that could be your problem

 

[gene52569]

For a declorinator, I use Prime.