Help With High Ammonia Level

[Kevinmc]

I am looking for information on correcting (HIGH AMMONIA LEVEL). Unknown problem, macro-alge in sump has depleated over the past several weeks, with ammonia level between 1.0-2.5 as a high , and an low of 0.25-0.5.

 

In great need of macro-alge and advice on what members are using as carbon filtration, currently I have about 2 cups of carbon in my return pump filter cap ends.

 

Fish death has been a problem, all have been counter and removed, and gravel vac has been done to tank and with25% water change.

 

Any good ideas ?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Kevin

[Michael7979]

WC's are only a temporary fix. They will help but the reason needs to be found. Stay ontop of the WC's until you find out what is causing it.

 

Did the fish decompose?

[dsoz]

What kind of macro was it? If it was chaeto, IDK the problem. If it was calurpa, then it may have gone sexual. Remove as much of it as possible, and keep changing the water.

 

I don't know what is in your tank, but it may be safe to change up to 50% of the water at a time (reduce ammonia in the water to 1/2 the level that it was). Changing 50% of the water is more effective at reducing nitrates than two 25% changes (the second one will remove some of the "new water" as well as the "old water"). Only do this if you have relatively hardy corals. Make darned sure that it is the same salinity, temperature, and as close to the same pH as possible. This is a short termed solution. Find the decaying matter (dead fish?) and remove it. If your tank was stable before, it should be able to bounce back from an ammonia spike fairly quickly.

 

dsoz

[Kevinmc]

I did have some calurpa (grape), but pulled it out when I initially lost a tang a few weeks ago. I have since replaced it with some more chaeto. I have been able to remove all of the fish that I have lost but haven't been able to find a small yellow-tailed damsel that has gone missing. I have used a gravel vac and moved the rocks around but was trying to not disturb the anemones. All the inverts and my limited soft corals appear to be doing ok. I guess that I could have missed the decomposition of a fish, but I truly was trying to keep tabs on everyone. I added an activated carbon filter to my sump today. I guess that I will keep looking and testing and doing WC in hopes of keeping the remaining tank inhabitants happy. Thanks for the ideas

[defigart]

Did you have any Anemone's that you think are hiding? They might be hiding in the great fish tank in the sky.

 

I will say what everyone else said, "Water changes...........water changes..............water changes."

[Kevinmc]

Water Change, Water Change, Water Change

 

GOT IT ! ! ! ! Well, I have done a water change 48 HRS ago, and and mixed another 40 GAL of salt water with RO/DI water, as I just bought my RO/DI just before mixing this fresh batch of water. (clap)

 

I would like to do another water change ASAP, but I am affraid of it being too soon. How long should I wait between water changes? (scratch)

 

Also, I am setting up (2) 20 GAL QT tanks and (2) 10 GAL QT tanks. I am looking for information on how to clean these tanks as they are used, and I want to make sure that I have nothing lingering in the tanks from before, so I have a totally fresh and clean start. How do I clean these used tanks? (scratch)

 

I still have all of my inverts, and (4) aninomes, and (1) yellow tail blus damsel. My plan was to gravel vac my tank again under my rocks to remove my water, then, add my RO/DI water with salt mix back into my tank. My water test good PH 8.4 and Spc. Grav. 1.025. (scratch)

 

How often can a water change be done safely? I want to correct the high ammonia , but I am affraid to stress my tank with big swings in water quality. (flame) (scary)

 

Can water changes be done every 48-72 HRS. ? (flame)

 

HELP ! ! !

 

Thanks in advance for all of your help and attention in this.

 

Kevin

[Kevinmc]

Help With High Ammonia Level

 

I am currently online, and will remain online until midnite or later, and I will be looking for new posts to this thread.

 

If you have experience in this and have corrected it in the past or know someone that has I am open to a cell phone call, just PM me for my cell #

 

Thanks

 

Kevin (scratch)

[Kevinmc]

I forgot to mention, that I also installed a UV unit two days ago, and I was not sure if this would help, over time, but I guess that most anything that I do will help in some area or another.

[Barelycuda]

I had an anenome die in my tank a while back. I did daily water changes of 30-40% until the water was back in shape. As long as the salinity & temp are the same & you are using the same salt daily water changes should be fine.

 

Dave

[pledosophy]

So I hope this is corrected by now (or most likely everything is dead).

 

In the future with ammonia levels that high, a 100% water change would be less stressful then the corals and fish living in those toxic conditions.

 

Products like Amquel will neutralize the ammonia.

 

With readings that high, and live stock still living I would check a test kit and see if perhaps there are chloramines, or chloramine neutralizers in the water as they can register as ammonia on test kits.

 

When fish are exposed to such high levels of ammonia a meth blue bath will help to ease the burning of there gills.

 

The macro going sexual has never caused an ammonia spike IME, however if you need some more macro and are close to Beaverton, come on over, a have a bit . . . More like an ungodly amount, but I'll hook you up. I threw away a quart sized bag stuffed yesterday, but still have more.

 

IME a single fish death would not cause a blip on the ammonia in my systems, or other well established tanks. Don't know the history or size of your tank in particular.

 

HTH

 

Sorry I didn't see this sooner.

[Kevinmc]

Thanks Pledosophy, sending you a PM.