ammonia spike
- Thread starter lm
- Start date
cboyfan2020
Active Member
anythiing above zero means it has started. Whatever the number is, when nitrites go up...ammonia will go down, and then trates will go up and trites will go down. usually gets to between 1.0-3.0.
nm reef
Active Member
Exact levels will vary depending on numerous factors. Bottom line is that you will see a rise in ammonia...followed by increases in nitrite. As the ammonia and nitrite levels return to zero you will see levels of nitrate increase....in time all levels should level off with ammonia & nitrite stable at zero and nitrate as close to zero as possible.There are numerous resources available on-line that can fully explain the "cycle" process...all that technical stuff by folks way more knowledgeable than me.
T
thomas712
Guest
Ammonia is introduced by fish, dead raw shrimp( like your using now), liverock, livesand or even adding a few drops of ammoina from a bottle, or even what they call cylcle in a bottle. With the ammonia present the first stage bacteria start to form, this bacteria will start to break down the ammonia into nitrites, this takes about a week or so. Ammonia is the most lethal. At about 0.5ppm any corals will close up and eventually die, at 0.5 to 1.0 the fish will exibit irritation and the ammonia will impair the fishes bloods ability to carry oxygen.
As the nitrites build up the second stage bacteria will start to form in order to breakdown the nitrites into nitrates. This stage takes about three weeks or so. The ammonia drops to 0 as the nitrites are in full swing. Nitrites are the 2nd most lethal.
As the nitrites breakdown into nitrates depending on your system and set up you will be left with the nitrates and must find a way to lower them.
A lot of corals can actually use nitrates and can thrive on say 0.5 ppm or less. Nitrates at 30 ppm will cause fish to slow thier growth proccess, impair the immune system, and have reduced energy.
By now the nitrates are growing and the ammonia should be at 0, and the nitrites will eventually be 0.
To lower the nitrates, most aquariums will use a DSB= Deep Sand Bed to proccess the nitrates into a harmless gas that will rise up and escape the water colum. Water changes will also lower nitrates. There are also nitrate sponges, but with the price of the nitrate sponges the benifits of a water change are a much better way to go in my opinion. Nitrates are the least toxic in the cycle.
By the end of the cycle the ammonia=0, nitrites=0, nitrates=low as in less than say 10 ppm. When you believe the cycle has ended it is time in my opinion to do a 30-40 percent water change.
More than you asked for but hey, why not?
Thomas
As the nitrites build up the second stage bacteria will start to form in order to breakdown the nitrites into nitrates. This stage takes about three weeks or so. The ammonia drops to 0 as the nitrites are in full swing. Nitrites are the 2nd most lethal.
As the nitrites breakdown into nitrates depending on your system and set up you will be left with the nitrates and must find a way to lower them.
A lot of corals can actually use nitrates and can thrive on say 0.5 ppm or less. Nitrates at 30 ppm will cause fish to slow thier growth proccess, impair the immune system, and have reduced energy.
By now the nitrates are growing and the ammonia should be at 0, and the nitrites will eventually be 0.
To lower the nitrates, most aquariums will use a DSB= Deep Sand Bed to proccess the nitrates into a harmless gas that will rise up and escape the water colum. Water changes will also lower nitrates. There are also nitrate sponges, but with the price of the nitrate sponges the benifits of a water change are a much better way to go in my opinion. Nitrates are the least toxic in the cycle.
By the end of the cycle the ammonia=0, nitrites=0, nitrates=low as in less than say 10 ppm. When you believe the cycle has ended it is time in my opinion to do a 30-40 percent water change.
More than you asked for but hey, why not?
Thomas
cboyfan2020
Active Member
Originally posted by bergshawn
Great explanation. Moderator should sticky this for others to read and understand a little better.
yep, they didnt make him a shark for nothing