Need advice: Ammonia is at 5.0 ppm

bonebrake

bonebrake

Active Member
I am cycling my 24 gal. Nano Cube with 40 lbs. of Fiji live rock. It was in shipping a little longer than expected (7 days) and it had considerable die off. It has been in the tank for four days and has maintained a consistent level of 5.0 ppm of ammonia. Here is the read out:
Size: 24 Gallons (distilled H20; Red Sea Salt)
Salinity: 1.026 via refractometer
Temperature: 80 degrees F
NH3/NH4+: 5.0 ppm
NO2-: 0.0 ppm
NO3-: 0.0 ppm
pH: 7.8
Alk: 3.0 milliequivalents/Liter
Ca2+: 450 ppm
Should I attempt to lower the ammonia by doing a huge water change? I had intended to maintain an ammonia level below 1.0 ppm to preserve as much life as possible, however, I think that at 5.0 ppm and considering how long it was in shipping it may be a futile effort to get it below 5.0 ppm. What do you guys think would be my best option? A boat load of water changes or just wait out the cycle?
 
fishmamma

fishmamma

Active Member
I vote for water changes to keep the ammonia in check. Constantly high levels will defeat the purpose and hopefully all is not lost yet. :thinking:
 
bonebrake

bonebrake

Active Member
What do you mean all is not lost? If I leave it as is, it will eventually cycle correct? Or is the ammonia so high it will kill all of the nitrifying bacteria and it will never cycle?
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
yes. You should do a water change asap! I'm glad you want to keep down your ammonia. It will help a lot, but you should do a water change right now!!! you may be able to save some hitchikers.
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
i think she meant that not everything is dead yet...
having ammonia that high will actually inhibit the growth of the dentrifying bacteria that converts nitrites to nitrates... which won't stop your cycle, it will just prolong it significantly.
 
bonebrake

bonebrake

Active Member
Ok thanks! I hope it goes down and stays down!

Do you think I will still have copepods and bristleworms and stuff or do you think that they have already died?
:notsure:
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
how long has your ammonia been that high?
When their lives are threatened like that, they'll move to the center of the LR, where the ammonia probably isn't that high, so it's very possible that you have survivors, but that depends on how long your ammonia has been that high...
 
bonebrake

bonebrake

Active Member
The live rock got held up in shipping and was in the box for 7 days, and it has been in my tank for 4 days at 5.0 ppm ammonia.
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
well, even if nothing survived, your cycle will go quicker if you keep your ammonia at or below 1.0...
 
stang66200

stang66200

Member
Was the rock still moist when you got it?
My opinion is that if it started to dry out and the temps were too warm/too cold most of the critters are probably DOA.
 
bonebrake

bonebrake

Active Member
I did a five gallon water change, waiting for it to become a homogeneous solution before I do any more tests. I hope the ammonia went down some. I broke off and sucked out as much debris as I possibly could.
Stang: It was still moist, not soaking wet, but moist. When it arrived it honestly did not even smell bad. It stinks pretty good though now that it is in my tank.
 
bonebrake

bonebrake

Active Member
Crap.
I did a 5 gal. water change and all parameters are still the same. Nothing changed. I waited about 30 minutes to give the new water time to mix with the remainder in the tank. I guess I will ride out the cycle, hope some bristleworms and copepods make it. Regardless of the outcome, I will probably buy a detrivore kit. Thanks for the help any way guys. I will keep you posted if anything survived.
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
well, if your ammonia is up at 5.0, that means you should do an 80% water change to get it down at 1.0... I'd say do a 25% water change three days in a row... even if no hitchikers survive, having your ammonia that high will cause your cycle to be delayed significantly! Could take your tank 2+ months to cycle, and i know NO ONE wants that!!!
good luck!!!
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
oh, wait, i don't want to get booted for going off topic, see the aquarium!!!
 
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