LookingForNemo
New Member
HI everyone I need some help :help1:
Started cycling my 29/30g tank last week with 20kg uncured live rock. Now here's the problem: I failed to preclean the rock!!! There has been a lot of die off, causing the tank to becomes cloudy since day 2. Ammonia has been off the roof 8+ppm (8 was the highest my test kit can detect), no nitrite or nitrate readings. The water stinks like hell because of the excessive die offs, so I have done a few water changes lately, it reduces the smell but not the ammonia. I also have been using "bacteria in a bottle" - Seachem Stability after every water change to help with the cycling process. I'm using a cannister filter with a wave-maker to circulate the water. I also left the actinic light on 6hrs a day to keep the hitchhiker hard corals alive.
My question is why my ammonia so high? Is that normal? Can I take out the LR and give it a scrub or clean now? And how long do I have to wait till nitrite kicks in? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.
Started cycling my 29/30g tank last week with 20kg uncured live rock. Now here's the problem: I failed to preclean the rock!!! There has been a lot of die off, causing the tank to becomes cloudy since day 2. Ammonia has been off the roof 8+ppm (8 was the highest my test kit can detect), no nitrite or nitrate readings. The water stinks like hell because of the excessive die offs, so I have done a few water changes lately, it reduces the smell but not the ammonia. I also have been using "bacteria in a bottle" - Seachem Stability after every water change to help with the cycling process. I'm using a cannister filter with a wave-maker to circulate the water. I also left the actinic light on 6hrs a day to keep the hitchhiker hard corals alive.
My question is why my ammonia so high? Is that normal? Can I take out the LR and give it a scrub or clean now? And how long do I have to wait till nitrite kicks in? Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.