Help! Added new fish now I have an ammonia spike...

[tirtza]

I have a new tank (2 months old). The initial cycle ended a long time ago and my water parameters have been the same up until yesterday. I added 2 clown fish earlier this week and have been feeding them 1/2 cube of Formula 1 in the evening and 3-4 flakes in the morning.
Yesterday I noticed an ammonia spike (.25) so I did a 20% water change.
Today the ammonia level is at (.5)
I know I should do another water change tonight. How much would you suggest?
Am I feeding to much?
I also have 3 Scarlett hermit crabs, a Mexican Turbo Snail, and a Lawn Mower Blenny (he's been in there for 3.5 weeks).
My water parameters are:
ph = 8.2
Ammonia = .5 (Ammonia had been 0 up until yesterday)
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 0
Salinity = 1.025
Temperature = 79.8
I've been purchasing RO water from my LFS (which is closed for the night). I only have about 2.5 gallons right now so I'll have to buy some at the grocery store (which I've never done). What kind of water am I looking for when I go to the grocery store? Is it just the water that comes in a jug and says 'purified'??
Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated!!

 

[tirtza]

I just did a 23% water change (7 gallons) in my 29 gallon tank. I found jugs of water at the grocery store that indicated they had been "Processed by Reverse Osmosis and Ozonation". From now on I'm going to make sure always keep several 5 gallon containers of RO water just in case I need to do an emergency water change. I have excellent water circulation in my tank, so I plan on testing the ammonia once again later on tonight. I just don't understand why my ammonia level increased from .25 to .5 even after I did a water change yesterday. Any ideas why this might have happend? I suspect that I must not be feeding the right way. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[meowzer]

did yu stir anything up?

 

[kiefers]

*Waving and saying HI!!* Are you still removing things from your filtration? By doing so and adding 2 new additions I believe that you are pushing the bioload to quickly "personally".
Don't remove anything else until it balances out (Zero) and waite awhile.

 

[tirtza]

Hi Meowzer - I did stir up the tank a little bit. I siphoned out most of the water and took out the rock. Moved the aquarium to a new more sturdy base, and then replaced the rock and the same tank water. Could this also be a cause? *I also rinsed the sponge in the 3 chamber that hadn't been rinsed since I first set up the tank 2 months ago. It was FULL of sand (probably from when I first filled my aquarium with sand and water and created a huge clowdy sandstorm on that first day.
Hi Kiefers!!

Yep, I took out 10 more bioballs yesterday when I did my waterchange. So I'm sure you are right, while taking those bioballs out in combonation with the 2 new additions I over did it. I certainly won't take out any more bioballs (at least for another month or so). Eventually I'd still like to get rid of them all, and let the Chemi-Pure Elite and Purigen take over in that chamber.
1. Should I do another water change tomorrow (Sunday)?
2. Will a water day each day help?
3. Will feeding the clowns just once a day (flake food) for a little while help?
2. Is there anything at all that I can do to help the problem?
3. How at risk is the health of my fish (the Clowns and LMB) while my ammonia is this high (.5)?
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

 

[kiefers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388075/help-added-new-fish-now-i-have-an-ammonia-spike#post_3419946
Hi Meowzer - I did stir up the tank a little bit. I siphoned out most of the water and took out the rock. Moved the aquarium to a new more sturdy base, and then replaced the rock and the same tank water. Could this also be a cause? *I also rinsed the sponge in the 3 chamber that hadn't been rinsed since I first set up the tank 2 months ago. It was FULL of sand (probably from when I first filled my aquarium with sand and water and created a huge clowdy sandstorm on that first day.
Hi Kiefers!!

Yep, I took out 10 more bio balls yesterday when I did my water change. So I'm sure you are right, while taking those bio balls out in combonation with the 2 new additions I over did it. I certainly won't take out any more bioballs (at least for another month or so). Eventually I'd still like to get rid of them all, and let the Chemi-Pure Elite and Purigen take over in that chamber.
1. Should I do another water change tomorrow (Sunday)?
2. Will a water day each day help?
3. Will feeding the clowns just once a day (flake food) for a little while help?
2. Is there anything at all that I can do to help the problem?
3. How at risk is the health of my fish (the Clowns and LMB) while my ammonia is this high (.5)?
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Meowzers thought could be the problem too. By stirring stuff up releases of waist into the water column, but your system is still rather new so.... i dunno. However, I personally wouldn't feed flake to often, theory has it that it causes more waist and pollution in the water more so than frozen. I feed frozen mysis, rotifers, cyclops, and for treats, fish roe. Very seldom do I give flakes. where are you rinsing your sponges and other filtration stuff? The ammonia is harmful to the fishies, it burns them. then with the stress they are more susceptible to disease and or death, Nitrites are harmful too.
going to bed now..... goo-night
Oh..... dang, sorry the other questions...... test the ammonia again before you settle in for the football game if it is still .5, well yes one wouldn't hurt. You said you had PRIME right? Go ahead and add a quarter cupful in with the new water while mixing in the salt. Just for the skinny of it, test for your nitrites too and see where they stand I'm curious about something... okay
ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ gooooood night and sleep tight and don't let the fish bugs bite...Lol

 

[tirtza]

Thanks Kiefers! Good News...the ammonia level was down to 0 this morning!! (huge sigh of relief)
I added the Prime last night, right after the water change. Did you mean add 1/2 a cap or 1/2 a cup?? You said add 1/2 a cup but I'm assuming you meant 1/2 a cap. lol
When I checked the ammonia, I checked the nitrites as well (half expecting them to go up if the ammonia went down)...but no, Nitrites were at 0 as well (another huge sigh of relief!)
I'm definitely going to keep lots of extra RO water on hand, just in case I need to do another emergency water change. It's so much cheaper (and convenient when I get it from my LFS). Will the last two water changes (the 20% on Thursday and the 23% Saturday night) have any adverse affects on my aquarium because they were done so close apart?

 

[kiefers]

hahahahaha that was bad!!!! Lol.... it was real late and I am sorry. Your assumption was correct as far as the "CAP" Lol..... (darn spell check) but no...... 1/4 capful. If you read the instructions one capful is good for like 50 gallons.
I'm glad all is good. Cut you feeding down to once a day with the recommendations above.

 

[tirtza]

What are Rotifers and Cyclops? How do you feed them? I'm getting frozen mysis today and I was wondering if I should stop using not just the flake food, but the Formula 1 as well. What do you think?
By the way, how should I feed the frozen mysis? My clowns certainly won't eat anything that drifts to the bottom so I've been 'hand feeding them' with aquarium tongs.....which then lead me to wonder if my hermit crabs were getting enough to eat...so I've been placing little chunks of formula 1 near each individual crab (which they very greedily and quickly snatch up). Am I spoiling them? I feel like they should actually be searching for their food...I mean their job is to be part of a 'clean up crew' right!?

 

[kiefers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388075/help-added-new-fish-now-i-have-an-ammonia-spike#post_3420054
What are Rotifers and Cyclops? How do you feed them? I'm getting frozen mysis today and I was wondering if I should stop using not just the flake food, but the Formula 1 as well. What do you think?
By the way, how should I feed the frozen mysis? My clowns certainly won't eat anything that drifts to the bottom so I've been 'hand feeding them' with aquarium tongs.....which then lead me to wonder if my hermit crabs were getting enough to eat...so I've been placing little chunks of formula 1 near each individual crab (which they very greedily and quickly snatch up). Am I spoiling them? I feel like they should actually be searching for their food...I mean their job is to be part of a 'clean up crew' right!?
Yes, the hermits are the CUC. I chop my mysis and let it thaw in a fine strainer. I then add the rotifers and cyclops for my pipe fish and mix in a bowl with a clove of garlic that has bee cut in half. I use a fork when feeding (I feed just enough for my critters to eat. Maybe just the tip of the fork twice during feeding. The powerhead then carries it throughout the tank. Some times I will mix in a few drops of SELCON to give the tank some vitamins and minerals, ONLY SOMETIMES....... due to the fact they should be getting enough from there meaty diets.

 

[travelerjp98]

Hey titza... do you remember me??? Anyways, I'm glad this problem is resolved!

 

[tirtza]

Hi Travelerjp98! Of course I didn't forget you!

The problem is not actually solved....I began celebrating to early. I didn't wait the full 5 minutes after adding the drops to the water sample and prematurely thought the ammonia level was back to 0. It was actually still .5 arrrrghh!

I took a water sample to my LFS just to confirm my results and yep...they were the same! Since I just did a water change on Thursday night and again on Saturday night, I thought I would 'fast' my fish for 2-3 days and see if the ammonia level drops. Of course if it increase, then I will definitely do a 3rd water change immediately. Do you think this solution might help?? The fish might be grumpy for a while, but it's better then being burned by the ammonia!
I was definitely spoiling those darn crabs....they should have had to work for their food!

 

[tirtza]

I forgot to add....while I was at the LFS I purchased lots of RO water! I never want to be in a situation where I run out of it again and have to purchase it at the grocery store. My LFS sells it for only 50 cents for a 5 Gal. plastic jug (you have to bring your own jugs though). I now have 20 gallons of RO water (sitting in my closet), ready and waiting for any emergency water change that may come along!
I know some people actually make their own RO water (I have absolutely no idea how to do this). I also don't have the space in my apartment that I think it might require.

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388075/help-added-new-fish-now-i-have-an-ammonia-spike#post_3420224
I forgot to add....while I was at the LFS I purchased lots of RO water! I never want to be in a situation where I run out of it again and have to purchase it at the grocery store. My LFS sells it for only 50 cents for a 5 Gal. plastic jug (you have to bring your own jugs though). I now have 20 gallons of RO water (sitting in my closet), ready and waiting for any emergency water change that may come along!
I know some people actually make their own RO water (I have absolutely no idea how to do this). I also don't have the space in my apartment that I think it might require.
The people that make their own RO water have a unit that filters out water... it costs around $100+.

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388075/help-added-new-fish-now-i-have-an-ammonia-spike#post_3420221
Hi Travelerjp98! Of course I didn't forget you!

The problem is not actually solved....I began celebrating to early. I didn't wait the full 5 minutes after adding the drops to the water sample and prematurely thought the ammonia level was back to 0. It was actually still .5 arrrrghh!

I took a water sample to my LFS just to confirm my results and yep...they were the same! Since I just did a water change on Thursday night and again on Saturday night, I thought I would 'fast' my fish for 2-3 days and see if the ammonia level drops. Of course if it increase, then I will definitely do a 3rd water change immediately. Do you think this solution might help?? The fish might be grumpy for a while, but it's better then being burned by the ammonia!
I was definitely spoiling those darn crabs....they should have had to work for their food!
I wouldn't feed your fish for 3 days... and do a water change while you're putting the clowns on a diet, lol. And, feed your crabs less... as you said, they should work for their food!

 

[tirtza]

Thanks travelerjp98! The clowns haven't eaten at all today and each time I come walk by the aquarium they rush up to the glass expecting FOOD! They remind me of those parents that say "now you know this is for your own good, it hurts me more than it hurts you..." lol My chunky LMB is still happily munching away on the algae though.

 

[meowzer]

I wouldn't NOT feed your fish......I would buy better foods...like frozen mysis, marine cuisine..etc.....rinse the foods while thawing...and only feed a small amount
for 2 clowns 1/3 of a cube should be plenty....just throw it in the tank after rinsing....the clowns will find it and eat it....they don't have to be hand fed LOL

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tirtza http:///t/388075/help-added-new-fish-now-i-have-an-ammonia-spike#post_3420322
Thanks travelerjp98! The clowns haven't eaten at all today and each time I come walk by the aquarium they rush up to the glass expecting FOOD! They remind me of those parents that say "now you know this is for your own good, it hurts me more than it hurts you..." lol My chunky LMB is still happily munching away on the algae though.
I think that this should help.... and don't take it hard on yourself... I only feed my fish one every three days. So don't feel bad!

 

[tirtza]

Thanks for the support

It's hard not to feel guilty when I imagine that I'm 'starving' them (even though I know I'm not). I really adore them and am dedicated to this hobby, I'll do what ever it takes to make it work! If that means that they don't eat for 2-3 days then so be it! I need this ammonia to go down, and it's my own fault for a combination of things that I did (I created the perfect storm!)
I'm in the process of slowly removing the bioballs 10 at a time during weekly water changes. I have also added a bag of Purigen and a bag of Chemi-pure Elite on top of the remaining bioballs that are still there.
Here's where I went wrong:
1st - Last week I added two clown fish to the aquarium (this normally wouldn't have been a bad thing if I hadn't been in the process of making some modifications to my filter system).
2nd - I was feeding feeding flake food in the morning and 1/2 a cube of Formula 1 in the evening
3rd - During my weekly water change I took out the usual 10 bioballs (this normally wouldn't be bad, but I shouldn't have done it the same week I added the clowns)
These 3 things combined lead to an ammonia spike....

 

[kiefers]

Okay....... *pulling on the reins a bit* don't just not feed your fish like Meowzer says..... merely cut back to once a day. Is there anything we could cut you off on and you not go through withdrawl? lol... slow down the feeding don't stop it for 2-3 days, just once a day.... feed tonight and again tomorrow night ect....