How can I best reduce my ammonia?

[mclevenger10]

My ammonia level is up in my 55 gallong reef tank. I recently acquired this tank and have been told it might be going through a mini cycle. My ammonia level is between a .25-.5 on my saltwater master testing kit. I did a 20% earlier and rechecked it 7 hours later and it seems to be the same. Any advice?

[reefergeorge]

Add prime or some other ammonia locking product and wait. The tests will be off IME after adding it, but if everything looks good I wouldn't worry.
Small water changes will be ineffective. 20% of .5 will lower it .1 A hobby test kit will not detect that.

[Palting]

You are indeed cycling. So long as there is no livestock, give it time. Make sure your rocks are adequate, and that your flow is adequate, and let the cycle finish.

If you have livestock, then you have to get aggressive or else you will lose them. Get some amquel, and do frequent almost daily large water changes.

[Agu]

It's a normal part of the cycle. If the tank isn't stocked just ignore it and wait. If there is any livestock in the tank do another water change and run some carbon.

[Vince272992]

Do water changes and before u do swish ur water with ur an or a turkey baster on the rock so that the Debre in e rock comes into the water and u can take that out, Also adding prime will get rid of tat as well

[mclevenger10]

Ok thanks for the help. I do have livestock in the tank. I recently was given this 55 gallon reef tank that has been established for 4 years. It did however make a 2 hour truck drive to my house. I think i will get aggressive with it and continue the daily water changes. Amquel is what i need though?

[jamesbaur13]

I wouldn't use amquel/prime/ammo lock, just do water changes.

IME all the "ammonia locking" products will drop your PH instantly, this makes ammonia less toxic to fish, but in turn you just gave them a considerable PH swing to contend with.

I use Amquel solely as an emergency solution to high ammonia in QT tanks.

[mclevenger10]

So I have read that carbon is very useful in reducing ammonia. I have a 55 gallon reef tank with a 25 gallon sump. Where and how should I use carbon?

[bnumair]

if there is no livestock in the tank i wouldnt use chemicals. let it run its course as u want ammonia to be present for good bacteria to reproduce and make bigger colonies. if u use chemicals its like putting a bandaid.
if there is livestock then use chemicals.

[Palting]

So I have read that carbon is very useful in reducing ammonia. I have a 55 gallon reef tank with a 25 gallon sump. Where and how should I use carbon?

Carbon does remove toxic substances, usually toxins and secretions from coral, not sure about ammonia though. Still, good idea to use it now in your case.

Just get a mesh bag of GAC and place it in a high flow area in the sump. You can put in in between the baffles, or close to the intake of the return pump.Ivf your sump has a tray of some kind where all the water must pass though, like mine, you can put a layer of carbon across the whole tray in between two sponge pads or in a large mesh bag. Later on, if you want to get fancy about it, get a reactor.

[mclevenger10]

Thanks Palting. I went and bought some carbon and a sock and placed it between a sponge and where the water comes back down from my tank into my sump. Thanks for the help all! I am in it for the long run, so I might as well start doing things right!