I have recently used ultra life red slime remover. Then I cleaned the substrate which is crushed coral. I have a 90 gallon tank. I also did a partial water change. I noticed that my anenome was shrinking into a little ball so I checked the chemicals in the water. Now I have 1 to 2 ppm in amonia and my Nitrite levels are really high. the fish look fine. What can I do. I am doing water changes and added some stress zyme to try to get ride of the amonia in the tank. Is there something I am missing I am new to this hobby. my tank is about 4 months old.
Ultra life red slime remover problems
- Thread starter wxl14
- Start date
yep I made the mistake of purchasing crushed coral when first starting this hobby also. My current nano tank which I just setup I went and got estes ultra reef sand which is very fine and right around $5 for a 5lb bag at petland. Go purchase a few bags and seed it from an established tank.
- Location
- Ossining, NY
WX,
What Drunk said is true - but more explained is that the crushed coral (without a Plenum) becomes a trap for unwanted debris, detrius and the like where the bacteria cultures can't get to because the Crushed Coral isn't allowing the cultures to mature, stay alive (I think it's called aerobic) etc. So what happens is that the spaces become amonia and nitrate factories given the cycle and detrimental to the the tank in a very short period of time.
Lose the CC and go bare bottom or use a deep sand bed.
Not good news I know, but best for the health of your reef.
House
What Drunk said is true - but more explained is that the crushed coral (without a Plenum) becomes a trap for unwanted debris, detrius and the like where the bacteria cultures can't get to because the Crushed Coral isn't allowing the cultures to mature, stay alive (I think it's called aerobic) etc. So what happens is that the spaces become amonia and nitrate factories given the cycle and detrimental to the the tank in a very short period of time.
Lose the CC and go bare bottom or use a deep sand bed.
Not good news I know, but best for the health of your reef.
House
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
1ppm to 2ppm of ammonia is high and most fish cannot live very long in this environment.
If you have power filter or canister filter, use both active carbon and zeolit to clean the water until your natural bio filter is functional again. During this time, you still need the stress thing to detoxify the ammonia. Graudually lower the dosage and check if the biofilter has restarted or not. Check you Ph and don't let it jump too high. High ph will multiply the ammonia's toxicity.
If you have power filter or canister filter, use both active carbon and zeolit to clean the water until your natural bio filter is functional again. During this time, you still need the stress thing to detoxify the ammonia. Graudually lower the dosage and check if the biofilter has restarted or not. Check you Ph and don't let it jump too high. High ph will multiply the ammonia's toxicity.
Its a fish only tank. And thanks for the help. If there is any other suggestions please let me know. I currently have no slime what so ever in my tank. I was wondering could the amonia be from all the dead slime that I did have. It carpted the whole bottom of the tank. Now its all dead and I syphoned it all out. I also put in about 25 red tip hermit grabs or whatever they are called in the tank. they seem to be roaming and cleaning up any debris on the bottom. Is it possible the ammonia is build up from the dead algae that I killed with the Algae remover. The day before the chemicals where all good ammonia was at 0 nitrites at 0 or close to and ph was 8.0 and nitrates was 0.
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