Tank is 2 months in.

[james00]

Hi,
I am wondering if the tank will have a ammonia spike after my live rocks have been in there for 2 months? to give some perspective, I have 2 clown fishes and 2 damsel fishes in there and I have diatom all over my glass. It seems like some of the green algea is growing on my glass too. My two hermit crabs are the only inverts I have in there and they are doing great. That means I dont have any snails. I want to know if there is a glitch with my ammonia test kit or is it possible to get an ammonia reading of 0.25 despite the time cycle. I am using the saltwater phar test kit. Could it be the diatom that is contributing to this? Lastly, I have a 40ish gallon tank.
Thanks

 

[klam]

I've heard that test kits can expire and give false readings.
Maybe something died and is causing the ammonia.

How many pounds of live rock do you have?

 

[james00]

I have around 20 pds of live rock from the lfs and 20 pounds of tuff rock (base) and I bought the test kit when I bought my live rocks but I am not sure how long they have been at the lfs. I dont think anything died because all my fishes are still there and so are my hermits. I do have like a "carpet" thick of diatom lol

 

[quarryshark]

I would guess its the test kit. Take a sample to your LFS for them to test it.

 

[JamesR]

i was told that a .25 reading is sometimes innacurate. When mine cycled it kept showing a 0 - .25 ish ammonia reading. The color was right in between. I believe it was just the test kit's margin of error, as my fish are doing great!

 

[klam]

I dont think anything died because all my fishes are still there and so are my hermits.

There are other things that you don't see that can die. like worms, sponges, etc.