Anyone NOT have a large ammonia spike?

[dwculp]

I am wondering if anyone here has not had a large ammonia spike when cycling the first part of their package. I am on day 4 and my ammonia keeps hovering around 0.12 - 0.25.

[Dave Pacek]

I'm at the six month point with my 110gal, and the only time I've ever had any measurable ammonia was during the first 48 hours or so. It never got above .2, dropped quickly to zero, and has stayed that way ever since.

However...... my nitrites have consistently measured .1 ever since then, which isn't exactly 'normal'. I've long since stopped obsessing about that. The tank looks great, the corals and fish are doing fine, and 20% water changes every two weeks are keeping nitrates in check.

Dave P

[dwculp]

Here are my water parameteres as of day 4:

pH - 8.2
Ammonia - 0.12 - 0.25
Nitrite - 0.1
Nitrate - 5.0
Phosphate - 0.1

I find it a bit odd to have a nitrate reading of 5.0. Will retest later today with a different kit.

[Dave Pacek]

If you're using a Salifert nitrate test, any presence of nitritites will cause an artifically high nitrate reading.

Dave P

[dwculp]

Actually, on most test kits, any presence of nitrites will cause an artifically high nitrate reading. However, 5.0 is still a bit high.

[Dazz]

I didnt have any traceable ammonia during any part of the cycle.

[Fountainhead]

No spikes here either. I cycled both shipments over a 6 week period without a single water change. The ammonia never went over 0.25 on the Salifert test kit.

[z28cam]

My tank never spiked either.

[Rockker]

I am still on the first half. My ammonia spiked well above 2.0.

I did massive water changes to get it to drop.

On day 9 or 10 it started to drop to around .50.

Day 13 was ammonia 0 and has stayed there.

Rockker

[CincyGida]

I had no ammonia for a week or so then it hugely spiked but that was because things died (or were in the process of dying.) I scraped off some stuff and 3-4 days later Ammonia has been 0 since... I tend to wonder if I would have had any ammonia readings at all if everything lived.

[dochoot]

My first half, no spike. I got one on day 3 of second shipment b/c of a dead sponge. Take your time and check each rock for this. It looks and smells bad. Can't miss it if there.

[thealy]

My tank has always been undetectable, eventhrough cycling.

[Cholesterol]

HUGE spike when I tried a 10 gallon TBS package in a nano cube. So bad, that by the time it was over I'd lost all my clean up crew and most of the life on the rock that makes TBS rock so special.

I called and they were extremely sympathetic and more than fair with me. I've since set up 2 125 gallon tanks with TBS rock, and both had very gentle cycles, with only one water change required on each tank.

I'm a very satisfied customer and would definitely recommend TBS most highly. I don't want people to get the wrong idea after what happened with my 10. I think nanos are just to small to follow conventional wisdom when it comes to cycling.

[dwculp]

Originally posted by Cholesterol
HUGE spike when I tried a 10 gallon TBS package in a nano cube. So bad, that by the time it was over I'd lost all my clean up crew and most of the life on the rock that makes TBS rock so special.

I don't want people to get the wrong idea after what happened with my 10. I think nanos are just to small to follow conventional wisdom when it comes to cycling.

Hmmmm, I will remember that. I plan on getting my girlfriend a 12 gallon nano cube deluxe for Christmas and was planning on setting it up a 15 gallon package from TBS.

[Cholesterol]

Based on what I got from TBS, there would be no possible way to fit a 15 gallon TBS package in a nano cube. I ordered the 10 and the aquascaping was difficult; I ended up taking a few pieces of rock out of the cube and into another tank because it was so full.

I think I killed my first attempt at a TBS nano because I tried to use every bit of rock & sand they sent, and I didn't leave enough water. A 12 gallon nano cube only holds about 8 1/2 gallons when completely empty. Add 20lbs of rock and 10lbs of sand, and I bet you've got less than 5 gallons of water in your '12' gallon tank. In my experience, that wasn't enough water volume to properly cycle, and maintain, that much of a bioload.

I love my nano cube, and I think it's doing pretty well, but I've only got about 5 lbs of sand and 10-12 lbs of rock in there.

[nyoneway]

I got a 15 gallon package in a 50 tank.. and yes, I agree... it comes with A LOT of rock!

[Lord Nemo]

add me on this list lol took me 2 weeks to batle that ammonia

[nyoneway]

I think my ammonia only maxed out .5 or so during the first 2 days. After 2 water changes it hovered around .25 for the rest of the week. So far so good.

[dochoot]

I think it is a good idea not to start with a virgin tank. I cycled mine first with some GARF grunge. I had just a small amount of amonia when a sponge died in the second shipment.