Ammonia Rising?!

My ammonia level seems to be rising, tested Sunday and it was about .1ppm, tonight it was a little higher maybe .15ppm. I suspect its from the chromis that died about 2 weeks ago, or over feeding. Either of those sound like a likely cause? Nitrates and trites are both 0s or VERY close to it. I plan on doing a 20% water change Friday or Saturday, thats the earliest I can do it with my crazy work schedule this week. Would anyone recommend using some of that ammonia remover in a media bag as a temporary help until water change? I already run carbon and phosphate reactors. Skimmer has pumped out a lot this week too, very dark skim. All fish are acting fine and still eating.

 

i think you should be fine. just make sure you do that water change, but maybe by then your parameters will go back to normal.
If you have Prime you can use that.
why did your chromis died? do you know?

 

From what I can tell, he was picked on to death. He was the runt of the 5 I got, and the biggest one wouldn't leave him alone. First day he seemed ok. Second day he just stayed in the bottom corner. Third day I never saw him again.

 

With Nitrate and Nitrite reading 0, I suspect the accuracy of the Ammonia test.

 

Now mom says that the fish seem to be acting quirky. I have her already filling up my garbage can for a water change. Is Prime or AmGuard reef safe? I'm about to go run a get a bottle to patch the situation until I have water ready for a change tomorrow.

 

What do you have for live rock and substrate to support nitrifying bacteria? The rock should be able to support enough bacteria to convert the ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrates.
What do you have in it as far as bio load? How much and how often do you feed? Have you done anything to disrupt the bacteria like medications, stirring the sand or removing the rocks? Do you ahve any mechanical filtration that has had the media changed or rinsed with tap water? What water do you use for top offs and water changes? If its tap or RO only do you know if your water utility uses chloramines for a residual disinfectant? Ammonia could be in your water and it takes good RO/DI to remove it.

 

There is about 150lbs of live rock in the tank, with a 2-3" sandbed in the DT. The refugium has several more pounds of live rock and a 7" DSB.

Bioload is 8 small fish and 3 shrimp. 2 Clowns, 4 Chromis, and 2 Cardinals.

Fed every other day primarily, but occasionally daily.

No disruptions, but I did put a new filter sock in recently without washing it before first use. That may have contributed. My normal washing procedure for dirty filter socks is soak in bleach overnight, then rinse twice in washing machine, then final rinse in RO/DI water. All water changes and top off is RO/DI water. They do not use chloramines just chlorine.

I have about 35 gallons of RO/DI ready for a water change tomorrow. After mom called me saying the fish looked bad, I ran home and they looked fine. I think she was just nervous and the lights were still off and they were just being lazy before lights came on.

Bought some Ammonia neutralizer, but I'm going to wait on that and let it try to normalize on its own. Tested the water and Nitrates and Nitrites are 0, but still an ammonia reading. Looks to be around .15ppm.

 

Check to see if your water utility uses chloramines then test the RO/DI for ammonia too. Do you have a TDS meter and if so what are the TDS readings of tap, RO only and RO/DI.

 

doesnt it ammonia comes first then nitrates and thats why he hasnt seen them.. yet?

 

They do not use chloramines just chlorine. It is a brand new RO/DI system from The Filter Guys. Have not tested RO/DI for ammonia yet, I'll do that when I get home. TDS reading on tap is about 160. TDS reading on RO/DI is 1. I imagine its not 0 because we wave 80psi water and its forcing the water through the membrane faster than it can handle.