scumonkey
09/08/2006, 12:09 PM
I started curing 30 lbs of uncured Marshal Island live rock in a 35 gal rubbermaid container 2 days ago. I cleaned off all sponges, soft spots, anything black, and the dying macroalgea.
I have 4500 gph flow in the can, a heater keeping the H2O at 78 degrees, and I'm running an Eheim 2217 canister filled with GAC and poly filter pads. I have had to do 2 - 100% water changes in two days
AND i still have ammonia levels reading around 3.0mg/l within 20 minutes of a water change. The rock has no bad smells coming from it and the water looks clear, and smells fine.....but the Ammonia!?!?
I've cycled fish only Salt tanks for over 30 years...and I've never seen such persistant High levels of ammonia?!?! This can't be good for the rock? I've gone through over 100 gallons of RO/DI water and now it looks like I won't be able to make it fast enough to keep up with this NOXIOUS BREW!
What kind of damage will I do If I have to start using Tap water for
my water changes (my TDS only reads 37ppm from the tap). Also, since
I've never cured rock before...is this normal? Is there anything else I can
do to control this ammonia? I can't run my skimmer in the can (it's running in my sump)! :eek2:
I have 4500 gph flow in the can, a heater keeping the H2O at 78 degrees, and I'm running an Eheim 2217 canister filled with GAC and poly filter pads. I have had to do 2 - 100% water changes in two days
AND i still have ammonia levels reading around 3.0mg/l within 20 minutes of a water change. The rock has no bad smells coming from it and the water looks clear, and smells fine.....but the Ammonia!?!?
I've cycled fish only Salt tanks for over 30 years...and I've never seen such persistant High levels of ammonia?!?! This can't be good for the rock? I've gone through over 100 gallons of RO/DI water and now it looks like I won't be able to make it fast enough to keep up with this NOXIOUS BREW!
What kind of damage will I do If I have to start using Tap water for
my water changes (my TDS only reads 37ppm from the tap). Also, since
I've never cured rock before...is this normal? Is there anything else I can
do to control this ammonia? I can't run my skimmer in the can (it's running in my sump)! :eek2: