Ammonia spike!

[fosser]

Need some info!! I just did a weekly water test because I noticed my CC going light brown. Test revealed I have .50ppm ammonia. Tank has been up for 6 months, never had this before. I just did a water change yesterday, no difference than any other one. I use RO water and rinse my media with aquarium water. I use cycle on a weekly basis and have not lost any fish. Trying to figure where the spike came from.

 

[geridoc]

First off, validate your test kit. Take a sample to your lfs and have them test it. Why do you use cycle weekly? Once your tank is cycled, the system will have enough bacteria for the current load, assuming no deaths or new additions. Anyway, let's be sure your reading is correct before we go nuts.

 

[fosser]

I will take a sample up today. I was told by my lfs that using cycle for regular maintenance would be good, as well as when I do media changes.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fosser http:///t/394873/ammonia-spike#post_3514866
I will take a sample up today. I was told by my lfs that using cycle for regular maintenance would be good, as well as when I do media changes.
Hi,
You mentioned media changes. Cycle is just good bacteria, it has nothing to do with ammonia.
The good bacteria, feeds on ammonia and nitrites, producing nitrates....They build colonies on the sand, rock, decor and filter media, that's what makes it turn brown. The bacteria colonies are balanced with the amount of ammonia produced. In order for the good bacteria to live, it feeds on the ammonia and nitrites. There is an equal balance produced.
If one is changed it makes things unbalanced. This is why we add fish very slow over time. The new fish produces more ammonia than what is normally in the tank, and the good bacteria needs time to build up to match it so there is no ammonia spike. If you remove all the media at one time, and replace it when you clean, then you removed the colony of good bacteria, making less bacteria colonies to feed on the ammonia normally produced, and you get an ammonia spike.

 

[beaslbob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fosser http:///t/394873/ammonia-spike#post_3514841
Need some info!! I just did a weekly water test because I noticed my CC going light brown. Test revealed I have .50ppm ammonia. Tank has been up for 6 months, never had this before. I just did a water change yesterday, no difference than any other one. I use RO water and rinse my media with aquarium water. I use cycle on a weekly basis and have not lost any fish. Trying to figure where the spike came from.
ammonia locks can lock up the ammonia but it still tests as ammonia with normal test kits. Because the test kit measures both locked and the free ammonia.
So there is a possibility you ammonia is actually safe(r).
The danger is you treat, still test ammonia, the treat some more. All the while the first dose was all that was needed. Meanwhile, the treatment is locking up oxygen as well as ammonia so there is a danger of the fish eventually suffocating.
I would do nothing with the exception of adding marro algaes which consume the ammonia directly along with carbon dioxide while returning oxygen.
But that's just my .02

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by beaslbob http:///t/394873/ammonia-spike#post_3514873
ammonia locks can lock up the ammonia but it still tests as ammonia with normal test kits. Because the test kit measures both locked and the free ammonia.
So there is a possibility you ammonia is actually safe(r).
The danger is you treat, still test ammonia, the treat some more. All the while the first dose was all that was needed. Meanwhile, the treatment is locking up oxygen as well as ammonia so there is a danger of the fish eventually suffocating.
I would do nothing with the exception of adding marro algaes which consume the ammonia directly along with carbon dioxide while returning oxygen.
But that's just my .02
I don't see where the poster used any ammonia locks such as amquel. The ammonia reading isn't safe(r) at all. Cycle is not an ammonia lock, it's just good bacteria (supposedly) in a bottle. LOL...If you read the instructions for a new tank...it says to add a little, wait a few days and add some more, wait another few days and add some more. The truth is that it isn't any faster to cycle the tank then not using it.
Fosser: The fish store that keeps selling you Cycle is either ripping you off, or are not very knowledgeable, and actually believe the ads on the product.. Once good bacteria is growing, it is a waste of money to keep adding it. No doubt the reason they told you to add it after a media change is an effort to rebuild your good bacteria colony that is removed...the truth is, the bacteria in Cycle needs time to grow, it isn't an instant fix it. The bacteria already in the tank will grow as well at the same pace.
The cure to prevent future ammmonia spikes, is to not replace all the media at the same time. A good water change will keep everything safe until the good bacteria colony can rebuild.

 

[fosser]

Ok thanks, I actually didn't change any media this time. I just did a water change and checked the impeller on my filter to see what it was for replacement.
This might be a silly question, when you attend to a canister filter and change what ever you changing, do you discard the existing water? Or leave the old water in there?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fosser http:///t/394873/ammonia-spike#post_3514892
Ok thanks, I actually didn't change any media this time. I just did a water change and checked the impeller on my filter to see what it was for replacement.
This might be a silly question, when you attend to a canister filter and change what ever you changing, do you discard the existing water? Or leave the old water in there?
I always used 2 canisters on my 90g. One I cleaned, and the other I didn't touch. Every two weeks I clean the one and left the other. I dumped the water and all out, because I did a water change at the same time. It makes no sense to keep the same nasty water from the filter.... I never considered doing so.