Ammonia jump

sallen

sallen

Member
:help: My ammonia jumped to .25. One of my clowns is swimming abnormally. I feed them pellets and mysis shrimp. I have a hang on the side filter on a 50ltr tank. Other occupants are CBS and another juvy clown. Is there anything i can do to save my clown and what do i do about the ammonia level????? my last water change was a week ago.
Please help
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
ok one of your posts said you have crushed shells did you stir them up or something they could have gases trapped in them and cause you a problem. The live rock is a filter it helps to maintain your levels you should start adding some slowly to your tank. the reason saltwater is considered easier now than it was ten years ago is because of the use of live rock. ok its expensive but it is worth it in the long run
 
sallen

sallen

Member
can a get rid of the filter and use live rock and a skimmer only???? How much rock do i need, should a buy some bit by bit???? Do the clowns pull through after a ammonia jump???? I dont remember stirring up the tank thats the thing????
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
how big is your tank? figure one pound per gallon. if you add it all at once your tank will go through another cycle. you could still cycle adding a little at a time. just dont buy any new fish till its done.
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
sry didnt see where it said 50. i have four tanks each is different. i have a ten gallon without a filter. if you already have the filter why get rid of it you already spent the money. if it breaks you could always wait awhile to replace it and see what happens but i would leave it on otherwise wont get much for it used
 
sallen

sallen

Member
I have heard that you need a skimmer to help keep uneatin food from causing dramas. What do u reckon??? How can u run your tank without a filter????
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
i have a 29 gallon with a skimmer and filter mh lights it is a reef tank with corals clams two fish and three seahorses. ten gallon tank with a powerhead 15 pounds live rock and a heater two fish two peppermint shrimp. a 55 with a wetdry a powerhead 75 pounds of live rock some mushrooms and xenias and three fish. and a five gallon nano with 3 pounds of lr that is supposed to be a small hospital tank but has been housing a seahorse that lost its tail for a couple months now. tank just has the stuff it came with.
 
sallen

sallen

Member
the only thing i can think of was the filter was turned off for a few seconds or just to much food in the tank. I thought the CBS would of cleaned it up. My clown has had it it think cause it is resting on the bottom and gives a kick now and again.
 
sallen

sallen

Member
Oh what is a powerhead i am a newbie of course. Can u get away with a skimmer and live rock in say a 50 litre and a 150 litre???
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
well if you lose them i would trash the crushed shells. i have one tank with sand and the other three are bare bottem makes it easier to get rid of the bad stuff. is the cbs your only clean up crew?
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
i have never tried it in such a big tank only small tanks. it is better to spend the money and do it right. bigger tanks mean bigger water changes. in my tanks without the filters i do a 20 percent water change weekly that is a large amount in a big tank. powerhead is the thing in the water that makes the water move. sry cant think of a better way to describe it.
 
sallen

sallen

Member
yep i only got one cbs. Is it possible just to get rid of the shells and replace it with sand or something. Dont want to start another cycle
 
sweetdawn

sweetdawn

Active Member
you can always try it. i just wouldnt put any expensive fish in there till you know if its going to work. and i would go with a pound and a half per gallon of live rock so that you have extra filtration. sorry dont know how to convert it to litres. good luck with your setup i gotta go do a conference call
 
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