What to do now? Still ammonia reading in sw tank.

prince26

prince26

Member
Hello again, I have been having problems with my tank getting started up. I had no choose at the time to use tap water and yes I know it's was not a good idea, but my tap water has a reading of ammonia 0.25. So I went out and got a RO Filter, I haven't gotten it set up yet had no power, so I have did two water changes,25%& 50% with RO water I bought and ready to go saltwater.I still am getting a reading of 0.25. I have no fish in yet, only live rock and sand. 
~ Should I just keep doing daily water changes with RO water to get the ammonia level down? 
~should I use ammo lock also in my tank? 
~should I ghost feed again or just keep doing water change till ammonia is gone? 
Ps-- got skimmer,cascade filter running, lights I turn on once in a while, and power head going.  
Thanks again.
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Two questions:
1. How, and when did you cycle the tank?
2. How have you validated your test kit? Try analyzing your RO water - that should read zero.
 
prince26

prince26

Member
Two questions:
1. How, and when did you cycle the tank?
2. How have you validated your test kit? Try analyzing your RO water - that should read zero..
Started cycle on Aug 20th. Ghost feed, everything went up and went back down to 0 expect the ammonia stays at 0.25. And PH steady at 8.0.
I tested RO water before I put in and everything was 0.
 
gradymo

gradymo

Member
I would take a sample of your tank water to your local LFS, let them test it and see if they get the same readings you are.
 
prince26

prince26

Member
I would take a sample of your tank water to your local LFS, let them test it and see if they get the same readings you are.
.
I have got same readings as I did, buy they use strips and I heard there not always accurate also.
 
gradymo

gradymo

Member
I would throw a piece of raw shrimp in there and let that sit a couple of days, then retest. You should see a small ammonia spike and then drop to zero, then nitrites, then nitrates. If after that, you're still reading ammonia, try another test kit. But I think you'll be good to go to add your first fish. Post a picture of your tank if you can.
 
prince26

prince26

Member
I would throw a piece of raw shrimp in there and let that sit a couple of days, then retest. You should see a small ammonia spike and then drop to zero, then nitrites, then nitrates. If after that, you're still reading ammonia, try another test kit. But I think you'll be good to go to add your first fish. Post a picture of your tank if you can.
.
I just went out and got another test kit and ammonia reading was just fine, so I'm gonna do another water change and start to add. I'll post a pic and my tank sadly got hair algae and alil red algae growing.
 
gradymo

gradymo

Member
The algae is normal, just make sure you have enough water flow for your tank and that problem will slowly go away. I wouldn't worry about doing another water change at this point. You should get yourself a good CUC and add your first fish about a week later. Keep us posted!!
 
prince26

prince26

Member
The algae is normal, just make sure you have enough water flow for your tank and that problem will slowly go away. I wouldn't worry about doing another water change at this point. You should get yourself a good CUC and add your first fish about a week later. Keep us posted!!
Sorry what's CUC?
 
gradymo

gradymo

Member
I have a 90g, my CUC consists of about 50 various snails, a cleaner shrimp, a peppermint shrimp, 5 emerald crabs, a brittle starfish, a sand sifting starfish, a couple cleaner clams, and maybe a half dozen blue-legged hermits.
 
prince26

prince26

Member
I have a 90g, my CUC consists of about 50 various snails, a cleaner shrimp, a peppermint shrimp, 5 emerald crabs, a brittle starfish, a sand sifting starfish, a couple cleaner clams, and maybe a half dozen blue-legged hermits.
.
Ahhhh ok well from what I research crabs I can't have, I plan on having coral,and such in the future. Putting a shrimp in this early will be ok??
 
prince26

prince26

Member
I don't see any problem with adding a shrimp now. Just be sure you acclimate properly.
.
How many snails and hermits should I put in? Shrimp no more then 2? Thanks
 
gradymo

gradymo

Member
The rule of thumb is 1 snail for every 2 gallons, so I would go the 25-30 snails (a mixture of Turbos and Nassarius). A couple of peppermint and a cleaner shrimp would be fine. They're having a sale right now on this site for 50 assorted cleaner snails fro $24.99 (which would be fine in your tank, many of these snails are rather small) and Peppermint shrimp for $1.99 each. Just make sure you have enough rock work, the shrimp like to hide.
 
prince26

prince26

Member
The rule of thumb is 1 snail for every 2 gallons, so I would go the 25-30 snails (a mixture of Turbos and Nassarius). A couple of peppermint and a cleaner shrimp would be fine. They're having a sale right now on this site for 50 assorted cleaner snails fro $24.99 (which would be fine in your tank, many of these snails are rather small) and Peppermint shrimp for $1.99 each. Just make sure you have enough rock work, the shrimp like to hide.
.
Ok thank a lot for the advice highly appreciate it. Thanks.
 
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