Ammonia issue

[Corwyn]

So im cycling a new tank nad have been testing for ammonia on a daily basis. Test result has been consistant for the past week at 0.5 which odd that it owuld be just falt with no spike.


So I decided to test my rodi water to make sure that the test kit was good. Surprise it came back .25 which really surprised me since I am usinga 3 stage aquatic RO with dual DI cartridges - water going to 1 tester is 76 second if 8 and 3rd is zero.

then I watched this vid.
whcih really surprised me!

So 2 part question!!

for now what can I use to remove ammonia
and what does this do to my cycle if I keep adding water that has ammonia ( iam curently losing about 48 onces per day as I am running the tank at about 81 to help with bacteria growth)

 

[Chris A.]

I’d first get someone or a lfs to test that for you. I wouldn’t assume it’s that high and even if it was , your tank should start consuming ammonia faster than it’s introduced at some point.

 

[highfive52]

Let the tank go extra week without water change. Test tank, test ro, test a batch of salt. We have super sh!*** water. Had high ammonia. Also along with high everything. 3 stage wouldnt do the job. 7 stage did the job. By waiting on water change, you'll see if tank consumes it. If it is, up to game and dont do a water change till you get better ro. It wont hurt tank.

 

[Corwyn]

Let the tank go extra week without water change. Test tank, test ro, test a batch of salt. We have super sh!tty water. Had high ammonia. Also along with high everything. 3 stage wouldnt do the job. 7 stage did the job. By waiting on water change, you'll see if tank consumes it. If it is, up to game and dont do a water change till you get better ro. It wont hurt tank.

I havent actually done a water change. Just toping off water that is evaporating.

I tested the water straight out of the tap, after it comes out of the rodi and also in both my existing tank and the new tank.

if you watched the vid I think I pretty much have what they described very high PH - tap is 10-11 and ammonia is .25

ammonia is not dropping after the RODI.

In the old existing tank it's zero because I assume it is being consumed and converted, all the fish look good and all the corals are good.


MY CONCERN is with the new tank. I have to top off with frsh water because of the evap and if I keep adding ammonia will the bacterial eventually catch up or do I end up in an endless cycle?
The eisting tank I used live rock- the new tank I am using LIFE rock so I am wonding hwo that also would play into it?

 

[highfive52]

Is buy distilled at walmart till you can get to root of bv issue. DISTILLED ONLY

 

[highfive52]

Were r you. I can fill jugs. That way you dont waste money. Over in hooksett nh

 

[Corwyn]

Were r you. I can fill jugs. That way you dont waste money. Over in hooksett nh

thanks for the offer, but I am in Raynham near the cape.
If you watched the video I posted above, I think I have the exact situation described,
Very high PH on tap water etc. so for now what I opted for is to use Prime - adding 1ml to the 5g ATO every time plus to any water changes I make. I tested this and after circulation the water enough to desolve the salt and bring to room temp it zeroed out the ammonia

then I will add an additioanal canister from aquatic life
https://aquaticlife.com/products/ro...mixed-bed-resin-deionization-filter-cartridge where I can use my own resin and replace using the cation resin that will remove the ammonia.


My only other thought - I switched salts - I was using tropic marin pro-reef but they were out last time. so I went with red sea coral pro salt - which seems to corelate with when all my issues started.
I know coralation does not = causation, but I wonder? Any thoughts - anyone - os switching salt or experience with the red sea?

 

[Chris A.]

The difference in those salts is alk.
Tmp is around 7.5-8
Rs pro is around 11-12

 

[ChrisV]

A few thoughts:

1) Have you measured your TDS on your RO water? Depending on which ammonia test kit you are using, it can be difficult to resolve the results at low ammonia concentrations.

2) Both of those salts (all I believe) have some ammonia in them from the chemical synthesis used to make synthetic sea salt. Salt companies count on people either having un-cycled tanks in which an ammonia spike is expected, or people having a cycled tank that is capable of processing the ammonia added during a 10-20% water change.