Overfeeding=Ammonia

[jjohnson3]

I have been feeding emerand entree, formula 1 flake, and photoplan to my pair of false percs and my firefish. My tank is 38 gallons. Running for 2.5 months. Photoplan is for the featherduster. No corals yet. I found out that this is overfeeding. I tested my water and here are the params...

 

Salinity---1.024

Ph-------8.1

Ammonia-.25

Nirtate---0

Nitrite----0

 

I added kent marine PH buffer to the tank to raise PH. I also did a waterchange and added PRIME condioner to the saltwater to detoxify ammonia. My tank was really cloudy yesterday morning but now seems to be clearing up. These tests were as of last night. I will test tonight when I get off work. Any other suggestions on how to get ammonia lower? Can my fish go 3-4 days without food? I havent fed them for 1.5 days and my tank looks much better. Thanks in advance for any responces!

[Marteen]

How often are you feeding? And yes decaying food can cause Ammonia levels to rise. Do a water change. You should only be feeding those fish 2 - 3 times a week.

[jjohnson3]

How often are you feeding? And yes decaying food can cause Ammonia levels to rise. Do a water change. You should only be feeding those fish 2 - 3 times a week.

I was feeding every day because thats what the LFS said. Ill feed them Thursday. Thanks for the reply!

[MR.FEESH]

Never listen to the LFS.

[IMaNoob]

yes i feed mine a good amount no more than 3 times a week

[jjohnson3]

Never listen to the LFS.

Ok. I wont listen to them. They probably work on commission anyway. Thanks for the tip! BTW, it is PETCO where I get my livestock.

 

yes i feed mine a good amount no more than 3 times a week

Ok. So you are saying to feed less frequently. I can do that. Maybe ill stick to the flake food only. Thanks for the reply!

 

Marteen: How much water would you change? Would 25% be efficient?

[MR.FEESH]

Petco = time for a new LFS

Do search for your area, or ask around here and find a good place that knows what's what about SW.

[jjohnson3]

Petco = time for a new LFS

Do search for your area, or ask around here and find a good place that knows what's what about SW.

Unfortunately I have done this. The closest saltwater shops I have are in huntsville and decatur. A good hour to hour and half from me. Im living with my parents so I cant really go anywhere! My petco does carry some descent livestock. Nothing to be thrilled over. Just descent. Decatur is a petco and Huntsville has a store called the aquarium shoppe. I want to go there badly! There is also Nashville, Tn about 2 hours away. There is a store there called the aquatic critter. AMAZING! They have the best saltwater livestock I have ever seen. All fish, coral, inverts, etc... are healthy. Never seen a sick fish there. Also, their livestock list does not end. They have like every kind of fish and coral you could dream of. I can drive to huntsville, just not Nashville. I went with my parents to Nashville once.

[UncleLuke]

Unfortunately I have done this. The closest saltwater shops I have are in huntsville and decatur. A good hour to hour and half from me. Im living with my parents so I cant really go anywhere! My petco does carry some descent livestock. Nothing to be thrilled over. Just descent. Decatur is a petco and Huntsville has a store called the aquarium shoppe. I want to go there badly! There is also Nashville, Tn about 2 hours away. There is a store there called the aquatic critter. AMAZING! They have the best saltwater livestock I have ever seen. All fish, coral, inverts, etc... are healthy. Never seen a sick fish there. Also, their livestock list does not end. They have like every kind of fish and coral you could dream of. I can drive to huntsville, just not Nashville. I went with my parents to Nashville once.

 

At least you don't live in the middle of North Dakota!

 

And you don't need to go to the LFS every day, plan what you want to do (YES THAT MEANS READ UP MORE!) make the trip once on the weekend or what not. Call ahead to make sure you are not wasting your time looking for something they don't have.

 

As hard as it may seem, let you tank be, it seems like every day you have your hand in the tank and a new problem to post about. let it mature a little. Feed every 3 days, yes I said 3!

 

Sorry for being blunt but I don't think you realize how you sound to the NR community.

[smedge]

Glad to see that you have probably found what was clouding your water. It definately smelled like a water quality issue from the start.

[MR.FEESH]

You can order the most amazing quality stuff online too. (The Drs)

Petco is fine for the occasional dry good(s), because they will have test kits and what no for very good prices- livestock wise, not so much. I second what UncleLuke said- plan and call ahead.

[jjohnson3]

Glad to see that you have probably found what was clouding your water. It definately smelled like a water quality issue from the start.

I never got one question answered though. Would a 25% waterchange be efficient or should I do more?

 

UncleLuke:I don't know how I sound to the community to be honest. All I have is questions. Im trying to get stuff fixed so I wont have to ask so much. Then I can add things and aybe ask questions every now and then. Im not gonna lie. I learn every day. So do you. So does everybody. We live. We learn. Thats my slogan. And its ok for you being blunt.

 

My LFS has got me screwed up more than once. They told me first, Its ok to put a tang in that tank! Then I was told that no fish can be in a 38! Then They said to feed emeral entree 3 times a day! My fish werent eating all of it so I decreased it to once a day. Now ill decrease it to 3 times a week. Its a wonder my tank is even running right now... I wont be asking for advice from that LFS anymore. Ive called the one in Nashville a few times and they pretty much tell me the same thing I hear on here. I do trust that LFS.

 

You can order the most amazing quality stuff online too. (The Drs)

Petco is fine for the occasional dry good(s), because they will have test kits and what no for very good prices- livestock wise, not so much. I second what UncleLuke said- plan and call ahead.

Would you order from PETCO.com? Just wondering. Their shipping is only 30.00.

[lkc]

Get a clean-up crew. That will take care of all the uneaten food. You can order on-line. You don't really need to feed the featherduster. It gets food from all the fish poop and excess food floating around the tank.

 

Oh, and do a water change, test for ammonia. If there is still ammonia, do another water change - repeat untill water parameters are good. You may want to do these WC's 24 hours apart. I don't know. But if it was me? I'd do a 90% change since its' only fish and a featherduster.

 

The Petco's around here in Orlando don't even feed their fish. No wonder they don't know anything.

[jjohnson3]

Get a clean-up crew. That will take care of all the uneaten food. You can order on-line. You don't really need to feed the featherduster. It gets food from all the fish poop and excess food floating around the tank.

 

Oh, and do a water change, test for ammonia. If there is still ammonia, do another water change - repeat untill water parameters are good. You may want to do these WC's 24 hours apart. I don't know. But if it was me? I'd do a 90% change since its' only fish and a featherduster.

 

The Petco's around here in Orlando don't even feed their fish. No wonder they don't know anything.

I do have a CUC. I have 6-8 various snails and 6 hermits. Should I get a peppermint shrimp? Ive heard they eat food that falls also. Any other CUC members that I could add?

[burtbollinger]

it seems like every day you have your hand in the tank and a new problem to post about...

 

Sorry for being blunt but I don't think you realize how you sound to the NR community.

[UncleLuke]

I do have a CUC. I have 6-8 various snails and 6 hermits. Should I get a peppermint shrimp? Ive heard they eat food that falls also. Any other CUC members that I could add?

 

No, don't add anything to the tank for a while. Don't feed them this week at all, do a water change on the weekend. Test for ammo/trites, if present after the WC don't feed for another 2-3 days. Do another WC a week later, test.

 

I know it is hard and all but STOP FEEDING!

[bdare]

I vote to have this moved to the beginners forum NOT the chem forum.

[kermitthedaniel]

whats wrong with feeding your fish once a day, its how much you feed them , holy cow guys 3 times a week and thats it , you guys try and eat 3 times a week, feed your fish more often just feed them less, i feed my twice a day, and i have 2 clowns, 1 carpenter flasher wrasse, a 4 striped damsel, and red scooter blenny. how cow STOP FEEDING, wow dont eat for a week, do a water change but keep feeding your fish. and spot feed your feather duster with the pumps off. what kind of advice are you giving this guy, it could be anything that is raising the ammonia. can you post a pic of your tank so everyone can see what it looks like so we can help.

[jjohnson3]

Good news guys! Checked PH and it is 8.2! This is a good sign. It needs to be 8.3 and then it is perfect. I added buffer again tonight. Ammonia is between the .25 and 0 point. This is also good! My problems are coming to an end! YAY!!! Thanks for all the help guys!

[StevieT]

Did you pick up a liquid test kit for the ammonia?

 

PH flucuates during the day and the light cycle, so expect it to change from test to test. Aim for 8.4 but 8.2 is pretty good.

[reefdan]

Good news guys! Checked PH and it is 8.2! This is a good sign. It needs to be 8.3 and then it is perfect. I added buffer again tonight. Ammonia is between the .25 and 0 point. This is also good! My problems are coming to an end! YAY!!! Thanks for all the help guys!

 

8.2 is fine but you shouldn't expect it to stay there -especially with a newer tank. expect fluctuation. i would worry about the other parameters before you really put much thought into pH.

 

on that note, don't waste your money dosing to keep pH up. it'll likely just cause other issues. just keep up with your water changes and don't overfeed. feeding daily or every other day is not the end of the world but don't feed more than your livestock will immediately consume. right now your tank bacteria is trying to stabilize itself. for every extra bit of waste that does in there, it throws the whole balance out of wack. same goes for adding any livestock.

[jjohnson3]

Did you pick up a liquid test kit for the ammonia?

 

PH flucuates during the day and the light cycle, so expect it to change from test to test. Aim for 8.4 but 8.2 is pretty good.

I actually had one. It read between .25 and zero. This is better than last nights test wich read .25 to .5. Water doesn't look near as cloudy tonight either. Still not feeding fish yet. I want to wait a few more days until ammonia is close to 0. Then I will feed them as much as they will eat in 3 minutes. That way the food doesn't settle at the bottom of the tank. When the fish poop it gets there anyway though! At least it wont be near as much. Therefore less ammonia. Correct?

 

8.2 is fine but you shouldn't expect it to stay there -especially with a newer tank. expect fluctuation. i would worry about the other parameters before you really put much thought into pH.

 

on that note, don't waste your money dosing to keep pH up. it'll likely just cause other issues. just keep up with your water changes and don't overfeed. feeding daily or every other day is not the end of the world but don't feed more than your livestock will immediately consume. right now your tank bacteria is trying to stabilize itself. for every extra bit of waste that does in there, it throws the whole balance out of wack. same goes for adding any livestock.

I dont expect it to stay there. I read someones forum on here and they wrote that in the morning their PH is 7.8 and at night it is 8.2. Thanks for the tip anyway! Ill start doing 10 gallon waterchanges weekly. Thats a little bit more than 25%. I was doing 5 gallon waterchanges. This should keep my chemistry in check.

[StevieT]

water changes are geared towards nitrates and replacing spent trace elements, it also buffers PH. Let your live rock work for you in converting ammonia. Yes, a water change will help you in this situation, but it is not normal to have any ammonia if you have proper bacterial levels in your rock.

 

Do a water change ASAP right now since you do have ammonia, not feeding will not directly make it just go away.

[Ocho Cinco]

Petco=NOT A LFS!

[OB1]

whats wrong with feeding your fish once a day, its how much you feed them , holy cow guys 3 times a week and thats it , you guys try and eat 3 times a week, feed your fish more often just feed them less, i feed my twice a day, and i have 2 clowns, 1 carpenter flasher wrasse, a 4 striped damsel, and red scooter blenny. how cow STOP FEEDING, wow dont eat for a week, do a water change but keep feeding your fish. and spot feed your feather duster with the pumps off. what kind of advice are you giving this guy, it could be anything that is raising the ammonia. can you post a pic of your tank so everyone can see what it looks like so we can help.

The number one mistake that newbees in this hobby (fresh or saltwater) is to over feed. Everyone has their own idea of what works. This is a nano forum and small miscalculations are compounded by the small amount of water. A pinch of food to you may be 1/10th the amount of someone elses pinch. You are right that it is not about how often but more about how much you feed. Feeding twice a day may work for you but not for me. Myself and many others here feed 2-3 times per week or every other day. Less amounts of high quality food is also better.