Huge Tank Crash, Help!

adroitmind

adroitmind

Member
Someone i know was doing a weekly check of levels and said his ammonia was off the charts, like 6!!! Brought it down to 2 with a 20% water change. Next day the water was cloudy and the ammonia was up to 6 again! Added an emp 400 bio wheel, changed 20% again yesterday, and the ammonia is still 6! He's loosing fish please help. Didn't check other levels. Seems like his whole cycle stopped. The tank has been up for 4 months. Cycled fine at the beginning. Never lost a fish up until now.
 
mr. green

mr. green

Member
Did something die in the tank that is feeding the Ammonia. Also would check all the parameters, everthing you can possible.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
What else has happened in the tank? Did something die that is still in there? Did this person add some uncured rock or move his rocks around? What sized tank is this and what is in it? Any new additions?
 
adroitmind

adroitmind

Member
Nothing died before the ammonia shot up. It's a 125 with a coral beauty, yellow tang, some other kind of tang, 2 blue damsels, and he added a flame hawkfish last week. He did not move any rocks or substrate around. Really the only thing he has done in the last three weeks was add the flame hawk. He does have very large sized substrate that was never vacuumed. I think that could be part of the problem.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by AdroitMind
Nothing died before the ammonia shot up. It's a 125 with a coral beauty, yellow tang, some other kind of tang, 2 blue damsels, and he added a flame hawkfish last week. He did not move any rocks or substrate around. Really the only thing he has done in the last three weeks was add the flame hawk. He does have very large sized substrate that was never vacuumed. I think that could be part of the problem.
If he has crushed coral that can lead to nitrate problems if it is not cared for properly, but not ammonia problems. Something is rotting in that tank if the ammonia keeps climbing. There is a source in the tank. Is he using a different water source?
 
adroitmind

adroitmind

Member
It's not crushed coral, it's like a bunch of small shells. Do you think it would be worth tearing apart his tank to look for a dead crab or something? It's not a dead fish they are all accounted for. Our LFS store is really close so hopefully they will babysit his fish for a bit until things get better.
 
weber518

weber518

Member
Sepulation,
what is the proper care you spoke of for crushed coral, i have crushed coral and my nitrate has shot up to 10 within the last week from 0, did a 10% water change, checked it later and it was still at 10. all other levels are right on the money. also is a shrimp helpful to lower the nitrate levels in a tank ?
 
cam78

cam78

Active Member
I don't think a dead crab could ever create an ammonia spike like that in that size of a tank.
 
adroitmind

adroitmind

Member
Originally Posted by joojoo
Did he recently clean all the filters/bio-media? How much LR is in the tank?
He cleaned his filter media after the ammonia spike. I think this was a very bad decision. I'm going to bring him a pad of bio floss from my canister filter tomorrow to try to jumpstart his bio filtration again. Our LFS also donated a bunch of bio balls from one of their filters last night. Oh and not near enough live rock. Only like 20 lbs of live and like 50 lbs of base. He knows he needs more.
So far he has lost a butterfly (not sure what kind), a coral banded shrimp, and a CC star. Just in case anyone was wondering. This is the thrid day of 5-6 ammonia readings. All other fish are looking very bad.
Oh, should he continue to do 20% water changes every day? That's what he has done the last two days. And my friend Tim says thanks for the help he's going crazy.
 
baloo6969

baloo6969

Member
it's been up for 4 months...but did he just add all the fish in the last month? if he added 6+ fish in 2 months...it may have something to do with it...even though it's 125gal, low amounts of LR and a quick addition of fish without enough bacteria to break down the ammon and over feeding could all play a part in it...
 
dmjordan

dmjordan

Active Member
he needs to see if there is something dead in his tank. he might also want to consider using some prime or amquel+ to detoxify the ammonia. another option would be to se if the lfs will keep his fish there until he gets his ammonia problem figured out and fixed. no point in letting the fish suffer and/or die.
 
joojoo

joojoo

Member
Originally Posted by dmjordan
he needs to see if there is something dead in his tank. he might also want to consider using some prime or amquel+ to detoxify the ammonia. another option would be to se if the lfs will keep his fish there until he gets his ammonia problem figured out and fixed. no point in letting the fish suffer and/or die.
I agree with this. Removing the fish will take out a major part of the ammonia.
 
txmedic1

txmedic1

Member
i'm a noob, but this is just a thought. would the 50% water change with some established water from the LFS help? when i first set up my tank, live sand, and live rock, i made 4 trips and bought 125 gallons of water from the store, at $1.25 a gallon. it was alot of work, but i believe it helped cycle my tank faster and better, then again, i'm new....
 
joojoo

joojoo

Member
Originally Posted by txmedic1
i'm a noob, but this is just a thought. would the 50% water change with some established water from the LFS help? when i first set up my tank, live sand, and live rock, i made 4 trips and bought 125 gallons of water from the store, at $1.25 a gallon. it was alot of work, but i believe it helped cycle my tank faster and better, then again, i'm new....

Not to come off rude, but they pretty much robbed you... Dentrifying bacteria is found on substrate/rocks/filter media. It does not free-float through the water. For 50 bucks, you can buy a bucket of salt to make 150 gallons.
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
Originally Posted by joojoo
Not to come off rude, but they pretty much robbed you... Dentrifying bacteria is found on substrate/rocks/filter media. It does not free-float through the water. For 50 bucks, you can buy a bucket of salt to make 150 gallons.

I agree they took advantage of you, you basicly payed for polluted water. god I hate LFS's sometimes.
 
adroitmind

adroitmind

Member
Thanks for all the suggestions. I will talk to my friend tomorrow morning and let everyone know what he did and how the tank is doing.
 
nigerbang

nigerbang

Active Member
Originally Posted by txmedic1
thats just what i did initally, since then i have cycled my tank x 5 with RO/DI and a bucket of salt.....
Are you saying you cycled your tank 5 times?....Im lost..
 
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