Tank is crashing

S

Sherita

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My 72g is in the process of crashing. Short story, I got a new bucket of salt, did water change 2 days ago, matching salinity, temp, ph, alk. Right after the change, everything got really mad. Checked all of my tank parameters, and picked up a high ammonia level (something this tank has NEVER had). Nothing had died, and nothing was missing, so I was clueless. I don't have a large bioload on this tank....on small purple tang, one small kole tang, one scooter blenny. Well, I decided that a large water change was in order, but this time, before using the water, I tested it for ammonia. Test kit showed 4.0 on the new saltwater (had been mixed for 24 hours). I verified with another, new, test kit.

I put that bucket of salt aside and have started mixing another batch of saltwater from a different bucket (not same brand). I am running carbon in two reactors, have dosed prime, and have polyfilter in the sump to catch what it can.

I have already lost my huge pink pearl bubble coral, rose hammer, green wall hammer, frogspawn, two gorgonians and my beautiful pink fromia star. I can't find my urchin now, and I am afraid he has died (saw him earlier, maybe he is just in the rocks) Am in the process of losing my hot pink chalice (huge) and my duncans. Managed to relocate the showpiece fox coral to another tank, he's looking better.

Can anyone think of anything else that I could be doing right now? I am just sick about this. Who would have ever thought I would shed tears over one of my tanks?
 
You can add a product to lock up the ammonia, like AmQuel Plus or Seachem's Prime.

It is possible for ammonia to pass right through a RO system if the city works have run ammonia through the pipes to get a new subdivision ready for public use. This happened to Cathy's tank, TWICE. It's good to test for Ammonia from time to time, especially if you see any water works trucks in your area.
 
Hold on! Are we just supposed to ingest large amounts of ammonia whenever they decide to clean the pipes? That is so wrong!

So, I guess that when I add Prime to all of my top up water, and all of my saltwater I am doing a good thing? (I've actually switched to Amquel Plus.)

David
 
lol you are ingesting way more terrible stuff than just ammonia in your tap water. Do some research on it, its pretty scary.
 
You shouldn't have to add anything to your top off water if you filter it in an RO/DI system, but periodically it is good to double check the water for various trace stuff to make sure it remains pure.
 
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