Do you think I'm ready to add a clown?

[SnakesAndTanks]

I've been cycling with cured live rock from a very reliable LFS since Black Friday and I was wondering if you guys thing I'm good to add a clown or should I add CUC first? I added a pinch of dry food upon setup and my ammonia went up sometime about 10 days ago but I believe it's down now 

[SnakesAndTanks]

I just can't the difference in the colors for ammonia well at all lol different pictures make it look different to me. The last two are with flash 

[BustytheSnowMaam]

It looks to me like you still might have some cycling going on.  I'd wait another week or so and retest.  When there's too much ammonia, it destroys the protective mucus that lines the fish's fins and gills, and without that mucus the fish is exposed to infection.  

 

You could add some hermits if you want to see some movement in your tank, I'd wait on snails as they're a bit more sensitive.  

 

In this hobby, waiting is cheaper and less frustrating in the long run than doing too much too soon.

[bbetta]

If you only uploaded the first pic I'd say go for it but now I'll have to agree, wait one more week and test again. 

Patience is the biggest virtue in our hobby...

[Gourami Swami]

The API test kits are notorious for showing .25 ammonia even when there is none. Though 0 nitrate is slightly fishy, as in a cycled system the ammonia would end up as nitrate. I would say your best bet is to buy a little bottle of ammonium chloride, dose 1 or 2 ppm ammonia (make sure to test it) , and see if it is gone (or at least "cant tell if its 0 or .25) in 24 hours

[SnakesAndTanks]

Thanks for the input everyone. Yes that was my problem too. Looked okay in the first picture. The others not so much. It looks more like the first picture in person. I think the flash makes it look off 

[SnakesAndTanks]

3 minutes ago, Gourami Swami said:

The API test kits are notorious for showing .25 ammonia even when there is none. Though 0 nitrate is slightly fishy, as in a cycled system the ammonia would end up as nitrate. I would say your best bet is to buy a little bottle of ammonium chloride, dose 1 or 2 ppm ammonia (make sure to test it) , and see if it is gone (or at least "cant tell if its 0 or .25) in 24 hours

Where can I pick up some ammonium chloride local?

[Gourami Swami]

2 minutes ago, SnakesAndTanks said:

Where can I pick up some ammonium chloride local?

I would try any LFS with a decent saltwater section, or one that is focused on SW. Dosing ammonia to cycle is common.

Or you can buy it on amazon here for 6 bucks with free shipping https://www.amazon.com/DrTims-Aquatics-Ammonium-chloride-bottle/dp/B006MP4QG6

[Menidia]

I had the same problem with the API ammonia test. Always read .25. 

 

Tested a four year old established tank and it still read at 0.25 always. 

[Slim64684]

1 hour ago, SnakesAndTanks said:

Where can I pick up some ammonium chloride local?

You can get ammonia from Ace Hardware also. And pure ammonia will work. Just make sure its not scented and doesn't have any surfactants in it.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

This is what I would do- go to your LFS and pick out your clown(s).  Don't pick clowns from a tank where there's a bunch of  newly acquired babies all in a school together- pick them from a tank where there are one or two healthy adults swimming with other fish.  Pay for them or put a deposit on them.  Go back in a few days when you're sure your ammonia is good (or have the LFS test your water), check to see if the fish you picked are still healthy and eating (have the fish store feed them to prove that they're eating- this is a good sign of health), and if all is well, take them home.  

[ched03]

So, I have a question.  I have heard that the line on the API test tubes is short of 5ml which is the amount of water you are supposed to be testing.  If that is the case, and you are filling it up to the line and no further then could that explain why that test is notoriously reading slightly higher than it really is? I am curious if anyone has tested the same tank with 5ml of water measured from a syringe, not the line on the tube.

[DeltaZ]

So I am on my third week and this is what I am getting for ammo for little over a week.  but take a look at my nitrates 40ppm, it was 80ppm, but I did a 20% water change yesterday.   so maybe that's why it seemed weird why I was getting these reading, must be the API tests.   I did the whole dead shrimp piece for a week or so, saw ammo spike and nitrites, and then added Instant Ocean BIO-Spira Live Nitrifying Bacteria, and I got the below with the exception of the nitrates which was 80ppm prior to water change.

 

Current water readings: Salinity:   1.024        API test:   PH: 8.0    Ammo: 0.25    Nitrites: 0    Nitrates:  40ppm 

[Slim64684]

What did your ammonia spike to? I prefer using pure ammonia so I can redose to a known value. And make sure I can process it.

[DeltaZ]

well I hate those colors on the API, but it looked like between 4.0 and 8.0 closer to 8.0.  it was pretty dark green

[Jesterrace]

On 12/9/2018 at 8:12 AM, Gourami Swami said:

The API test kits are notorious for showing .25 ammonia even when there is none. Though 0 nitrate is slightly fishy, as in a cycled system the ammonia would end up as nitrate. I would say your best bet is to buy a little bottle of ammonium chloride, dose 1 or 2 ppm ammonia (make sure to test it) , and see if it is gone (or at least "cant tell if its 0 or .25) in 24 hours

Yup, hence why I don't ever recommend them for saltwater.  That and the nitrate test is a joke.  @ the OP, I strongly recommend switching from API to Salifert or Red Sea.  Much easier to tell the colors apart.  

[Oldsalt01]

On 12/29/2018 at 2:29 PM, ched03 said:

So, I have a question.  I have heard that the line on the API test tubes is short of 5ml which is the amount of water you are supposed to be testing.  If that is the case, and you are filling it up to the line and no further then could that explain why that test is notoriously reading slightly higher than it really is? I am curious if anyone has tested the same tank with 5ml of water measured from a syringe, not the line on the tube.

I’ve measured 5ml of water with a medical syringe and filled an API test vial to “the line” and they always come out equally. You just have to be sure to purge the air from the syringe to ensure exact measurements.

[Clown79]

If you used cured live rock there would be no cycle. Its established rock.

 

It would cause a cycle if it has some die off on it from per say a coral on it decaying, not actually being fully cured, or being transported in a way it was allowed to dry.

 

 

Using pure ammonia with liverock is not necessary and actually kills beneficial life. It's to be used with dry rock only.