Is This Right???

herefshyfishy

herefshyfishy

Member
I think I might have a problem. Im not sure if this is cause my tank is cycleing but these are my readings.
Yesterday I put in my LR.
After i put in my rock i tested parameters:
Amm - 2
Trites - .1
Trates - 0
PH - 8.2
Temp - 80.5
SG - 1.024
today there is a BIG difference in my AMM
Amm - 8
Trites - 0
Trates - 0
pH - 8
Temp - 80.8
SG 1.023
Is the amm supposed to go that high??? that quickly?
:help:
 
bruder

bruder

Member
I am not sure about the speed of your ammonia readings, but depending on whether your LR was cured or not (or if it was cured, how long it was out of water) you probably had a lot of die off (hence the ammonia jump). How early are you into your cycle? I wouldn't say it is anything to worry about. Give your cycle its proper time to complete and it will all work out
 
puffer32

puffer32

Active Member
You are probably getting alot of die off from your LR, was it shipped? That will cause the ammonia to spike cause you get some die off in shipping.
 
herefshyfishy

herefshyfishy

Member
Yes it was shipped.. I scrubbed it and rinsed it and put it in.
The amm went from 2 - 8 in one day... Some of my CA is turning white.
The rock has only been in there from 1 day.
Do i need to do a water change cause the amm is soo high?
 
drew2005

drew2005

Active Member
Originally Posted by Herefshyfishy
Yes it was shipped.. I scrubbed it and rinsed it and put it in.
The amm went from 2 - 8 in one day... Some of my CA is turning white.
The rock has only been in there from 1 day.
Do i need to do a water change cause the amm is soo high?
If your cycling your tank with the LR theres no need to do a water change. My levels did the same thing when i cycled and everything worked out ok. You will have some coralline turn white as it dies off. Dont worry it will come back. Good luck.
 
triga22

triga22

Active Member
If ammonia goes over 1 your supposed to do a water change as it will kill nitrates and nitrites so you can fully finish the cycle. What I heard.
 
drew2005

drew2005

Active Member
You need time for your tank to cycle. I only did a water change after my ammonia and nitrite were at 0 and i saw a spike in my nitrate. I did 20% water changes to lower my nitrates to 0. Thats what i was told and thats what worked for me. I was told doing water changes during your cycle will just prolong your cycle.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
what test kits are you useing some have a different scale and 1 can mean something completely different than another 1's test shows.
Mike
 
herefshyfishy

herefshyfishy

Member
ohhhh.. I am using Saltwater Master kit API.
people are telling me to do water changes because it will kill good bacteria on my LR.
And people are telling me not to do anything until the cycle finishes because it willmess up the cycle.
I dont know what I should do???
Thanks for all the input.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
sorry I was trying to file my taxes

yuck
I dont have my API test cards available.
is there any other numbers by the eight that you are reading I cant remember if there is or not. if I remember right there should be a point number or something similiar either in the booklet or on the color card. also check and make sure you are useing the ammonia card they are very simliar in color sometimes. I have used the wrong card myself a few times when I first got the kit.
if your ammonia is that high I would do a water change asap that high of a level is found to kill the bacteria we need to grow during the cycle process.
Mike
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Do a water change. I have an API kit. 8 is the highest on the chart. Goodness knows how high above that it actualy is.
 
herefshyfishy

herefshyfishy

Member
ok.. i will do a water change.. ill get the water when i get home today and prepare it and change it tomorrow.
Is that why my CA is turning whitE?
 
mandarin w

mandarin w

Member
I have a question, You said when your rock came in, you scrubed it, and put it in your tank.
How did you scrub it? Did you use tap water to scrub, or did you use RO saltwater? Was it hot, or cold? I am asking these questions, because if you scrubed the rock in just plain tap water. That could have killed alot of your good bacteria. If you let the rock sit in the tap water for five minutes or so, that could kill alot of your good bacteria, If the water was too hot or too cold, that would kill alot of your good bacteria. So maybe your live rock wasn't as cured as it was suppose to be by the time it got into your tank. Then as you stated in your other post, you dumped your salt and sand in the tank and mixed it in there. If your salt laid on the rock for a while, they the salt level on your rock was way off the chart for a while. Maybe long enough to kill your good bacteria as well as the other things.
I am bringing this up, only to give you an idea as to why your amonia spiked so high so quickly. You may have had a LOT of die off on your rock.
I would do as suggested and do a water change.
 
herefshyfishy

herefshyfishy

Member
I syphoned the water from my tank into a bucket and clean the rock in there and then put it in the tank. it is R/O water.
The water in the tank has been in there for about 1 week, running with pH's.
So the water was fully mixed and the SG was 1.024, so it was good.
Also i didnt mixed the salt with the rock.. the salt was mixed 1 week prior to the LR.
 
cdangel0

cdangel0

Member
Have you re-tested your water? Every now and again we put an extra drop in that screws up our readings.
If it is truely at 8 I would do a small water change - you don't want to take out all of the ammonia or you will be re-starting your cycle from scratch. There is bacteria in there that needs ammonia to survive, this is the same bacteria that converts ammonia to Nitrite.
What are your other readings? Any Nitrite yet?
 
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