really high ammo while cycling ...

[twoodrough]

I am cycling a 10 gallon FO using one cooked cocktail shrimp. It has been one week since adding the shrimp and ammo is off the chart over 8. Should I just let it go and work itself out or should I do a PWC to get it down some? My plan is just to let it go but thought I would check here. (I do have about 2 lbs Gulf rock that I picked up on the beach a month ago, not sure if that really affects anything.)

I have fishless cycled tanks with liquid ammonia where I am able to control the amount going in and the resulting levels, but this is my first time with shrimp where it just does its own thing and I am along for the ride.

 

[Gti_Leo]

thats whats supposed to happen, the shrimp is supposed to decompose into ammonia, then barteria begins to build that will break the ammonia down into nitrite and then finally the less harmful nitrate

 

[Fishbone13]

I recommend 1.5 to 2lbs of live rock per gallon and I think you should be patient and just wait it out, you're tank is go'n through it's cycle. Good luck

 

[twoodrough]

I understand that is what it is supposed to do...I just thought 8 on the API test was really high. I don't want to kill off the bacteria I am trying to grow! I will wait it out and test again next week. Hopefully by then I will be seeing some nitrites.

 

[thominil]

Levels over 8ppm of ammonia will kill off your bacteria, if you have any remaining as of now. Do a water change and try to get it down to 4ppm. Adding rock that you find on/near the beach is a bad idea since you don't know what pollutants and/or hitchhikers are in/on it.

 

[Gti_Leo]

i would understand if there was any bacteria to kill off but in the ammonia stages what bacteria is there to kill? i've always read leave it the more you chaneg the water the slower the whole process will be.

 

[Sarcothelia]

If you have too much ammonia for the cycle to begin it will never happen...the ammonia won't go away w/o a water change or ammo neutralizer. Until then, the bacteria will never grow.

 

[twoodrough]

Did a PWC last night and ammo is around 3 today. Much happier with that. Will not wait a week to test this time so I can keep the params in line and not kill my bacteria. Also gives me more practice mixing water, and a basic chemistry lesson for my 6 year old who had a ball helping me test and mix. The kids can't wait for "Nemo" (okay, me too) so it is a good lesson in patience for all of us

 

[kurtyboh]

If what the bacteria lives on is ammonia higj levels wont kill it... Doesnt make any sense. Its like saying dogs eat dog food but they cant live with too much in their bowl. The bacteria will live theough 8ppm ammonia without a prob it is just a strong cycle many have had their levels higher than that and had no issue. In fact mine went above 20ppm and i cycled in less than three weeks.

 

[thominil]

At one point or another, the high ammonia levels will become toxic to the bacteria themselves. This is why there are recommended limits to the amount of pure ammonia/shrimp or whatever is used to cycle that are added. You can't go dumping a gallon of ammonia into a tank and wait for it to cycle, it just won't happen.... As simple as I can make it. Maybe one of the experts will chime in?

 

[kurtyboh]

http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...20119e3ae62dab1fab8ad99b98d25f91&searchtype=a

Hope thats expert enough for yoy, its not the ammonia as a limiting factor.

 

[twoodrough]

Since I wasn't sure I erred on the side of caution and did the PWC. But, I would be interested in a final answer on this matter. How high is too high when cycling?

 

[kurtyboh]

From what ive read sewage treatment plants require the same bacteria as aquariums to make the water safe to drink and operate on 40+ppm ammonia, the factor that kills bacteria is ph as the high ammonia somehow raises the ph or tje ph is raised to accept more ammonia and the higher ph is what affects our precious bacteria. Basically as long as ph stays constant your bacteria should be ok