Lesson learned - high ammonia levels

[Harry]

Well, I thought I was getting away with regular feedings. I have three containers: 1/4 gallon, 1/2 gallon and 1 gallon. I had been adding spirulina powder every third day or so. It was just such a tiny bit of "dust" and they ate it quickly. So I figured all was well. But yesterday, I saw five dead shrimp in one of my tanks. All three tanks showed low activity with the shrimp out of sight, likely under the rocks. I tested the water in all three tanks and the ammonia was very high. I had been checking periodically and the ammonia level was always at zero (meaning the API kit showed pure yellow). Yesterday, the kit showed a deep green.

Because the containers are aquascaped with rocks, artificial plants and macroalge, I could not do 100% water changes. So I did three water changes of about 95% in each tank. Shrimp activity picked up immediately and this morning there were no detectable levels of ammonia. I think I will now be content to feed VERY sparingly every two or three weeks. Once bitten, twice shy! Some of us just have to learn the hard way.

[KenCotigirl]

Harry sorry to here you lost some of your shrimp. I am glad the water changes have helped out. I would not have thought ammonia would increase so much over night. It is a warning for us all.
Ken

[Harry]

One tank had been cycling for a month, with everything just fine. I was testing for ammonia about once a week. And then the ammonia spike came from nowhere. So one may think all is well, but we can't really see what is going on on a micro level.

[Mustafa]

Sorry to hear/read about this, Harry. I can see how ammonia levels could rise this suddenly in a new setup. It takes a very long time (months) for nitrifying bacteria to establish themselves on all surfaces of the aquarium. Before that happens *any* dying or decaying matter (even plants decaying) can cause ammonia accumulation. As you noticed, though, overfeeding is the main culprit. The macroalgae help suck up ammonia, but they can't work wonders and are limited by their growth rate...they can't suck up measurable amounts of ammonia (they are supposed to be a type of "buffer" in an already establshed system.) Anyway, you did the right thing, and all you can do now is wait.

[Harry]

Well, I've been away on business for two days. There's been no feeding since my major water changes. But upon my return ammonia levels remain. They are in the .25 to .50 ppm. That's not super high and I don't see any more dead shrimp. The shrimp are active and swimming around. But this tells me that without feeding, the shrimp are finding enough food in algae and micro-organisms to create ammonia and the tanks have not cycled sufficiently to provide enough bacteria to handle that ammonia.

My plan is to not feed and to do 30% water changes. I fear that larger water changes will deplete the necessary bacteria. I am also adding a few drops of Nutrafin cycle with each water change to make sure that bacteria is present. Suggestions are appreciated.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Harry,

As a last resort sort of thing... Seachem makes a product called "Prime". It detoxifies ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Should help with your problem... and it won't disturb/delay the formation of your bacterial bed.

[jpccusa]

I have not tested my water, but my shrimp were hiding all the time. I read that they do that when water quality needs improvement. Today I used AmQuel+ (removes nitrate, ammonia, chlorine, etc.) and within a couple of hours I started to see shrimp moving around. That's another option for you.

[KenCotigirl]

I vote for Prime. One key is to remove Chloramine not just chlorine especially if you have city water. Also I would not suggest switching products as you do not know if there is negative product interaction.

[Harry]

Speaking with some people locally, I have determined the cause of my high ammonia levels. I recently acquired some Opae that shipped with volcanic lava rock. That rock was supposed to provide "starter food" for the shrimp in terms of micro-organisms and algae. This is not live marine rock, but simply lava rock that has been "cured". However, the rock shipped in a box, somewhat wet, but not submersed. We believe that micro-organisms have died in transit and are causing the ammonia spike. There was no ammonia prior to placing the rocks. I am debating the removal of the rock and placing it in a bucket to cure. But I hate to destroy the aquascapes I have created. So I will give it a few more days of water changes. I am also adding a bit of Seachem Prime to boost the bacteria level. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Hi Harry,

I received some of my shrimp the same way. Damp lava rock, the whole nine yards. Twice. From the same source, I bet.

I never had ammonia problems. Even with the cured "live rock" that I bought at the local fish store.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Prime won't "boost the bacterial levels". It "detoxifies" the ammonia/nitrite/nitrates. Doesn't remove it from the water, though. That's where a product like Nutrifin Cycle comes in. It's bacteria. The friendly guys. They do the removing part.

Sorry, I haven't checked... Do you have a substrate in the tank? (Sand or gravel?) Some of those release ammonia to aid with cycling.

[Rob in Puyallup]

Prime, by the way, only works (simple language, I know!) for +/- 24 hours. You may have to add a drop or two every day until the problem is resolved.

[Harry]

Sorry, I mis-posted. I put in some Instant Ocean Bio-Start, which is the same as Nutrafin Cycle, but for salt water. It has four different strains of bacteria and I am told it is highly effective. It is also much more expensive than cycle. I have some Prime, just in case but have not added any yet. I'm convinced it was the rock, since the tanks were established and the problem started when I added the rock. I do have a very fine gravel substrate, bit that has been okay all along.

Right now, the shrimp are active and swimming. No more deaths after my major water changes. I plan on continuing the water changes. If things don't straighten out in a few days, I may remove the rock to a bucket to see if that helps.

[jpccusa]

Just be careful to not stress the shrimp out with all the addition of chemicals, water changes, (re)moving rocks, etc.

[Harry]

As of this morning, the ammonia levels remain at zero. Let's see what the rest of the day brings. The shrimp are active, grazing and swimming. No new deaths are noticed.