AMMONIA?

[first-timer89]

Does Ammonia hurt inverts? (Snails, Shrimp, Crabs?)

[MACATUA]

Absoloutly.....

[first-timer89]

all of them?

[MACATUA]

ammonia is never good for any system, no matter what is in the tank.

[first-timer89]

THANKS!

[MACATUA]

no prob

[first-timer89]

OK I called my lfs and they recomened stuff called PRIME to help with the ammonia. Has anyone used it or have any comments on it? TIA

[MACATUA]

First, where do you stand on the tank? Have you cycled yet? If you just threw some rock and fish in there, we need to get him outta there, so tell us a bit more about what you did to start the tank.

If you have any questions about anything, there is a lot of help on here and you can even im me on any messenger, macatua. Be glad to help out.

Prime is not gonna help if the tank is not cycled. It is kinda snake il if you ask me. Even if it is cycled, don't think it will do much long term kinda quick fixes. IMHO

[wlam18]

Does Ammonia go away by itself with time but without any water change? I don't have skimmer. Tank is three weeks old with 20 lb new LR, 20lb old LR, 100lb old live sand plus a few hermit crabs. The old sand smells kind of bad when I pour them in. Ammonia has reading of 3 since last week.

[MACATUA]

Your tank is cycling. Here is a link to understand the nitrogen cycle better.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showqu...q=2&fldAuto=15

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showqu...q=2&fldAuto=16

[wlam18]

Thanks, so my tank is normal at this stage. I just have to wait and wait ....... At least one of the LR has quite a bit of macro algae growing. It makes the tank little interesting.

[wlam18]

OK, Ammonia is almost 0 but nitrite is high (1+) and cyno algea all over the LRs and DSB. Even covers some of the macro algea..... Well, the waiting game is continued....

[MACATUA]

if nitrite is high then that is the next step of the cycle, remember ammonia to nitrite, nitrite to nitrate. You are almost there!

[seaham358]

While the tank is cycling I would keep the lights off to kill the algae and cyno.

[wlam18]

I have one LR with lots of macro algae and like to keep them growing I have 2x96W actinic and 2x150W MH. Sould I keep the actibic ON 10 hr per day and off the MH?

[nyoneway]

Inverts like crabs and snails have higher tolerance of ammonia than most fish.

wlam18, a reading of 3 PPM is like a sewage plant! Do water change ASAP since you have hermit crabs! When I got my TBS LR, my ammonia spiked to .5 PPM and I did a water change to get it down to .25.

Anything over 1 PPM will hurt your fish. 3 is just crazy.

[wlam18]

Ammonia is 0, little trace of Nitrite, all LRs and most DSB are covered by cyno. some macro algae are covered as well. Only the 2x96W are on for 6 hrs per day. Should I remove the cyno-covered macro algae? How to trim that without putting a metal cutter inside the tank? I am going to get some turbo snails today and see if that helps. How many do I need for 75G? If that does not work, I will go for the skimmer option after thanksgiving. Thanks everybody's advice.

[Nate C]

Hold off a few more days on the snails if you can - adding them early can actually make the algae/cyano *worse* - (How? - if they die, then they will add to the ammonia levels and start everything all over again).

It sounds like you are *almost* there... Maybe just another day or two and your no2 count will be zero..

The cyano and algae need 2 things to grow - Light, and Nutrients (ammonia, waste materials, phos, etc...).

Set your lights on a timer (reduce maybe to just a few hours a day) and just nature take its course ----- the cyano/algae will consume your excess nutrients, then when the tank is cycled (as long as you don't introduce new nutrients) they won't have anything to live on and they will die back.

hth

[supafreak]

the amonia will change into nitrites, then into nirtates, but waterchanges are ALWAYSE necessary. I think that all those chemicals, and stuff you buy in a bottle to speed up the cycle, or rid your tank of amonia are a waste of money, and only for the lazy and caresless. Now that being said, this is not you (lazy or careless) because your still cycling! after your tank cycles, if you take care of it, you will not need things to lower your amonia and such. Just wait it out, and don't add anything until you are sure your cycle is complete. I'm about 3 weeks into my cycle, and i'v been really lucky and i think (hope) it's almost complete, and my nubmers are looking really good. I read somewhere that for a tank as large as mine (120g) i need only to do a 6g water change a week.....thats so easy! so what i'm saying just keep up with your water changes. good luck. let me know how it goes and we can compare notes since we are about the same length into our tanks