After 3 months still some ammonia. What gives ?

So, should we do a 25% change or 50% or wait it out ?

We don't have the light on in the day, because we were getting lots of brown algae which have since disappeared.

 

Brown algea is diatoms which is normal for the cycle. Do a 50% water change since you don't have anything but lr.

 

Seeing those diatoms are a good sign. I got those at the very end of my cycle. I would wait just a little longer and see if the ammonia disappears.

 

I thought brown algae was part of the cycling process.

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how much longer ?

oh and the LFS has tested our water and had similar amounts of ammonia.

 

It's really hard to say. All tanks cycle at a different rate. Some really fast, and some seem to take forever - like yours!

Maybe wait a couple more weeks and see what happens. Diatoms are definitely part of the cycling process and tend to show up towards the end. So that's a good sign that your cycle is moving along - just slowly.

 

Where do you get your water from when you do water changes?
You should prob get your LFS to test your water just in case there is a problem your kit is not telling you. I would think its odd to have so many nitrates with no nitrites and have ammonia...

I agree that theres probably a lot of die off occurring, What condition was your LR in when u purchase it?

 

I'm going to have to agree with Bkackraven1425. I'd wait another 10-14 days and retest. With your ammonia level so close to zero, it seems like you are heading down the homestretch.

 

We are getting our water from either a reverse osmosis machine here at the house (tested the water, it's good) or distilled from the store (also tested and it is good)

Our live rock came from LFS, and had small amounts of Coraline algae on it. It came from a live rock tank in the back, that was supposedly 'cycled' already.

 

When the snails died did you remove them ?