Ammonia in QT

[Rlumenator]

The only thing that I did diff. from yours was I put in the few pieces of rock, and filled it a couple of weeks ahead.The rock wasn't the problem, as ammonia was zero the first 3 days with the tang. But-as you can see I had the ammonia prob. that wouldn't go down. I'm afraid I'll clean the tank, etc., get the new fish, and up goes the ammonia. By the way, Knucklehead, how high did your ammonia go, and for how long? How often have you done this?

 

[Anonymous]

Probably 5 times, maybe 6.


The ammonia went down after less than 2 days, and it only went up to like .30 or something like that. Not very high.

The last time I had 3 chalk bass in there, but they were small fish.

 

[brandon4291]

If you test today and still see ammonia, we can discern potential antibacterial qualities of the system with a current nitrite test reading as well. These nitrifying populations should coexist, if you are missing both of them after this long we have narrowed your problem down to medication that has killed your bacteria (if you get a reading of some nitrite today, that means there was a major calamity in your bacterial populations). What you said you registered on nitrite on day 3 or 5 if I recall correctly sounds about right, but by now it should be zero most certainly (along with the NH4 we'd think...) Now that I think about it, if you get a zero reading on nitrite today, this almost invariably means something was wrong with your ammonia tester even though you isolated it for general accuracy earlier. I can't think of any situations where you can have bacteria oxidizing NH4 into nitrite and not completing the cycle up to the NO3 mark with their germy cousins in close proximity...if you get a zero reading for nitrite today, then I'd have to assume ammonia is nonexistant as well even though for the life of me I can't see why your test would say zero on the good tank and some on this rascal tank...

 

[Rlumenator]

No meds used- I haven't tested today. Yesterday the ammonia read ~.25, and the nitrite ~.3. I then did a 60% water change. Will test soon. This morning, after 2 days in reef- the Hippo has ick.

 

[brandon4291]

Guy I liked what you said on page one about the large water change if she's still reading ammonia, no need to leave poisons in the system. I'd be interested in seeing the rebound trends after you've removed the active waste from suspension...I need to go back and re-read the posts to see if that's in there somewhere. Knuckle/Manny, I thought that was sound advice you gave about washing the filter correctly in order to prevent shooting ourselves in the foot and re-nitrifying the sponge after each water change. All I can do is scratch my head and have a beer while you guys chew on this, but don't give up@! I can't figure out why she's still registering ammonia. We'll get it handled somehow Dawn... I thought we had it under control when you found out your brine shrimp water was ammonia-laden... if you did the large water change Guy mentioned to remove that addition source, and it still came back, I'm boggled!

 

[ChrisRD]

Dawn, one option would be to cycle the QT prior to adding fish by putting a table shrimp, piece of fish, etc. in the system and letting it decompose. This should ensure that the filter is ready to handle a substantial bioload from day 1.

 

[Anonymous]

It sounds to me like the 'filtration' couldn't keep up with the food or the waste from the fish.

 

[Rlumenator]

That's all I can think- but the size Aquaclear filter was supposed to be for twice my tank size. Do I need to keep a fish in it at all times to verify- this is really scary, to think a tank is cycled, and it's not. Next perhaps, put macro algae in, which has been suggested?? Also more live rock- now I'm getting away from a QT.

 

[Anonymous]

What you have to realize is that a cycle is no big thing, it happens whenever the waste introduced to the tank is more than the system can handle.


Adding a large amount of fish to an established tank will sometimes cause a cycle to happen.

Really, its nothing to worry about because it will "Cycle" and eventually turn into nitrates.

 

[Omni2226]

I dont know...knuckleheads right on setting up a qt.

All this "thinking" has my head hurting. You did what I would do in a way.

Move the fish to the main display, empty the qt tank and let it air dry.

With excellent water quality and good food the tang should fight off the ick. With cleaner shrimps and no/low stress enviroment...meh I would quit stressing about the amonia, grab a cold beer and enjoy watching my animals.

 

[Anonymous]

That's all I can think- but the size Aquaclear filter was supposed to be for twice my tank size. Do I need to keep a fish in it at all times to verify- this is really scary, to think a tank is cycled, and it's not. Next perhaps, put macro algae in, which has been suggested?? Also more live rock- now I'm getting away from a QT.

Sounds like maybe the filter sponge wasn't populated with bacteria in the way we would have liked. Hard to tell - which is the biggest bummer in this hobby!

 

[FragMaster]

A tank with no living sand, fish, rock, snails or crabs will remain (for the larger part) uncycled and bacteria free (even with a sponge filter).
Once the specimen returns tothe tank, the bacteria levels will drop as there is no more waste for them to consume.
Either keep some critters(IE macro,sand or a small fish) in there to keep it cycled, or go through this everytime.
:wink:

 

[pcardone]

I have a reef thats 5 years old. I had originally set it up with a Monaco system "deep sand bed with a plenum underneath". It was fine for a couple years, then I started struggling with nitrate issues. I started doing water changes but to no prevail. It seemed like after 3 days I would be back to square one. I had figured there was a bad Guy living in a pocket somewhere. I hade to simplify my reef . I removed the plenum and all the sand except a small amount on the bottom. In the process of removing the live rock I noticed some of the older rock was deteriating. So as I put the reef back together I made sure the rock was positioned to maximize water flow around the rock. Now a year later, my nitrates are at 0 and all that weekly work is over. Unless I want to. The key I think is to simplify. think Berlin.

 

[Anonymous]

This thread is about a Q tank, not a full blown reef.

BTW pcardone,
:welcome:

 

[Anonymous]

A tank with no living sand, fish, rock, snails or crabs will remain (for the larger part) uncycled and bacteria free (even with a sponge filter).
Once the specimen returns tothe tank, the bacteria levels will drop as there is no more waste for them to consume.
Either keep some critters(IE macro,sand or a small fish) in there to keep it cycled, or go through this everytime.
:wink:

I don't agree. It is possible to keep a 'sponge' in the sump and move it to the q tank without the problems that Dawn has gone through.

 

[Rlumenator]

Okay- After no tang in the quarantine tank for 2 days, the ammonia is now below .25, nitites still at .3. I did not do a water change yesterday- the only other time I didn't do one, with the tang in, at Knucklehead's suggestion, the ammonia went up considerably. So I guess the pieces of live rock, although they omit no odor, are not causing the problem. The snail is still alive, as is the hermit crab.

 

[pcardone]

sorry , I guess I'm still stuck an Dawns algea wars.

 

[FragMaster]

Then the tank is too small or poor filtration?

 

[Rlumenator]

The hippo is inly about 3" long- I have done 2 1/2 times that size with no ammonia- I think it's the sponges? I guess I will put a chromis in, and keep it there?

 

[Anonymous]

The hippo is inly about 3" long- I have done 2 1/2 times that size with no ammonia- I think it's the sponges? I guess I will put a chromis in, and keep it there?

umm, Beaslbob actually mentioned something I do. I keep a pair of Mollies in my Q-Tank to keep the tank healthy. They're undemanding. When I use the Q-Tank I plop the Mollies in the display tank.

I'm wondering if the sponge you are using was used before? If so and it ever dried out or was allowed to sit without any water circulating through it then it's possible it has the remnants of it's former occupants.