Ammonia Spike..help

[ntvflgirl]

Overnight, practically, my ammonia has shot up to .50. I have no idea why. All inhabitants are accounted for. I have a sailfin tang in my tank that I just put in 2 days ago, and she is staying in the back corner of the tank and won't eat. I've tried brine and flake this morning. There is plenty of algae in the tank, believe me. And she was eating it like mad. I only have the one fish, and a sally lightfoot and a fighting conch in my 55 gallone. What could be the problem, and what can I do to save the sailfin. I'm a newbie, so please be very specific.
Thanks
Rory

 

[rpam]

Rory I see you added the conch and the tang within a one day period. This may have been to much for your bio-load to handle. Now you have an ammonia spike as your bio-load trys to catch up. I would do a water change and cut back on the feeding. feed small amounts ervery other day until your bio-load stablizes. Remember nothing good happens fast in the salt water hobby!

 

[flobskey]

Hey, I have a bottle of the Evolution stuff that drops amonia levels and does a bunch of other stuff. You could go pick up a bottle of that, do the old fashioned water change. Just Cange some of your water, that should do the trick. Good Luck.

 

[frogger]

no offense flobskey, but I wouldn't use the chemicals to drop the ammonia. There is a problem and you need to figure it out for the long run. Along with whats already been said, I was kinda thinking maybe the conch stirred up a spot in the substrate to cause the spike?

 

[moraymike]

I vote for a 20% water change

 

[vickilee]

Hi all:
I just had an amonia spike the beginning of the week. Everyone
on the board really helped me through it and so far no losses.
I did a water change - no chemicals - just a good old fashion 20% water change and the amonia came down to 0.25. I might do another one in a day or so, but like what's been said too fast is not good with a tank.
I've only had my tank for eight months and this is my first problem and I don't know what I would have done without the support of the rest of the message board.
Just take a deep breath. do the water change and wait a day and see what happens. Oh - and I know feeding fish and knowing they are eating gives us comfort, but it may not been the best thing for them...... so hold back on feeding for a day or two too. This will give your tank and change to rebound.
Good luck and believe me, I know how you feel!

 

[superman]

According to your tank description its been set up about 2 months. So either A: it still hasnt cycled completely (all tanks are different and depending on you cycle it some take longer than others). Or B: Since it is new to additions at once created a spike. I agree with the water change vote. Chemicals may have a side affect.
Good luck!
-Superman

 

[seatank]

Do the water change. if your tank is only 2 months old and the tank cycled quickly you could experiance mini cycles for up to a year. if this accures again keep a bottle of amo lock beside your tank this nutrilizes the amonia and will not harm anything. Good product to have just in case of an emergancy. that high of an amonia spike can wipe out a whole tank in the matter of hours.
good luck with the problem.
SEATANK

 

[itchy]

Hey Rory,
I am having a spike in Ammonia. Not high but it is elevated a little bit. I think my problem is I added a Huma Huma and we know how messy they are. I have just been doing a 10% water change every other day and testing it religiously to make sure it doesn't spike off the charts. I would not use any chemicals as a good ol'fashion water change can do wonders.
Good Luck,
Robyn

 

[ntvflgirl]

Thanks for all the information, guys. I really would be lost with only the lfs guy to talk to. Anyway, as an update, I did a 20% water change yesterday. My ammonia is still about .25. My nitrates are about 10, and everything else looks good. No trites, and ph is 8.2 BUT, I am losing my sailfin. You know the one I asked ya'll about with the "sweet face". Well, he doesn't look good, and I don't have a quarantine tank. The soonest I can get one set up is tomorrow, and I think it may be too late. I even asked the lfs if I could keep him there until my water stabilizes...they said NO! I couldn't believe it. I've only spend about a thousand dollars there recently. Geesh!! Anyway, tonight, he is hanging around the bottom of the tank. He doesn't look like he is breathing hard, but he is almost resting on the bottom. Upright, but barely. Not sure if he is really sick, or just sleepy. Anyway, guess I'll know in the morning. I am really upset about it, because I really liked him. He ate ravenously the first day I had him, then nothing. Didn't feed him today, but dh said he ate a little algae off some rock. I hope he's alive tomorrow...but I think I see the beginning of ich. What should I do?