Nitrate and ammo spike?

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Kshupe

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Messages
28
I have had my tank running with fish and live rock for about a year. I tested my water about 3 days ago and suddenly my nitrates and ammonia have spiked pretty high for no apparent reason. Fish seem normal. Any reason for this? Water changes don't seem to be helping much, by morning there is still ammonia and nitrates.
 
Have someone else check your water your test reagents may have gone funky
 
If you have ammonia and nitrates, then you probably have nitrites as well. The first two are very toxic! Have you had anything die recently? I wouldn't perform water changes for elevated ammonia or Nitrite levels...let nature take its course. Water changes will be good for any other issue, such as elevated nitrates, phosphates, dissolved organics, terpenes, pH, alkalinity, salinity issues etc.
 
Also make sure you are not over feeding since excessive left over food and waste causes ammonia and nitrate spike.

Check the condition of your tap water. The lowest level of nitrates is the level of your tap. You can add plants that will naturally consume ammonia and nitrates. Having some mts will also help.
 
If you have ammonia and nitrates, then you probably have nitrites as well. The first two are very toxic! Have you had anything die recently? I wouldn't perform water changes for elevated ammonia or Nitrite levels...let nature take its course. Water changes will be good for any other issue, such as elevated nitrates, phosphates, dissolved organics, terpenes, pH, alkalinity, salinity issues etc.


Why not do water changes for high amm??
 
The test kits are less than 2 months old, and I just tested yesterday. Seems to be going down but not much. I also noticed the junk my protein skimmer is picking up is a lot nastier and darker than normal. Makes me wonder whats going on.... Nothing has died as far as I can tell, however, I just bought 2 new pieces of live rock and the two aiptasia on them died. Doesn't seem like a good sign to me when the impossible to kill pests are dying from obvious water quality issues :( fish and inverts are still normal though
 
Why not do water changes for high amm??


Because if you have ammonia, that means that something has died. When doing a water change you are not really doing anything to help the situation, UNLESS the dead, decaying organism is removed. Water changes will just cause spikes in the ammonia level, ultimately not doing anything valuable, that is why when you cycle a tank you are NEVER suppose to perform a water change! Let nature take its place!
 
ammonia is poisoning the fish. removing it can save them from torture and possible death. this tank is already cycled. a water change will not cause an ammonia spike. eventually, whatever the cause of the ammonia will dissolve, and then the source will be gone. in the meantime, if you can't pinpoint it, it's your only band aid, besides some ammonia lock perhaps.
 
Quite contrary, ammonia spike will be evident when altering natures time period for nitrosomanas bacteria to break down ammonia to a less toxic form called nitrite. Then nitro bacter further breaks this still toxic form of nitrogen. To nitrates.
 
Most of your posts don't even pertain to the subject, including this one. The Op's tank is cycled. he does not need to build a bacteria colony, nor is it smart to wait it out and let his expensive fish suffer through it. Feel free to leave your hundred dollar fish in toxic conditions, waiting for mother nature to take her time, but it's BAD ADVICE.
 
+ 1 for Doug,as he has said your just torturing the fish.We would do water changes to help the fish survive the toxic levels of amm and trites.
 
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