Amonia levels are starting to rise...

[Skuzzlebutt]

Hey folks.

I moved my new 125g tank that I bought second hand last weekend and some of you have already been giving me help. Before the move, amonia and nitrite were at zero but nitrate was through the roof. I did a 75% water change with scripps water and the nitrates went down to 40ppm and the amonia and nitrite stayed at zero. This move was on Saturday, and those readings were confirmed on Tuesday. Yesterday, I tested the amonia again and it was at 0.2 reading on the seaFast test. So it seems that the amonia levels are rising.

During the move I completely removed the crushed coral bed that was in the tank (most everyone I talked to thought that was a good move) but kept it in the old saltwater in buckets. This morning I set up an aqua-clear 300 with a bunch of the old CC in the filter area of the aqua-clear, inhopes of the bacteria on the CC to eat some amonia. The only other filtration on the tank is two 1cubic foot bio-ball compartments and a good protein skimmer (still don't know the name) with a 3100 rio return pump.

Is there anything else I can/should do? As some of you remember, the puffer is still sick as he was at the old tank location. He still won't eat and sometimes looks very lathargic (which might just be normal for puffers). I lost a Harlequin tusk on Tuesday, but I believe he was a casualty of the old water and the high nitrate. All other fish (2 clowns, 2 tangs and an angel)are very active and always wanting food which I always interpret as positive.

I am going to stop feeding for a few days to try and help the amonia levels. Any other ideas? Is a whole bunch of established live rock a good/bad idea? Will changing water conditions on cured live rock make a whole bunch of it die off and start my tank cycling (which is probably what it is doing now)?

Thanks for any insight you guys might have.

[treylane]

You upset any balance that the tank may have had by removing the crushed coral and moving it, so it's going through another cycle. *Normally* you wouldn't have to worry about fish during a cycle because you wouldn't HAVE any. Since you do, you can do your best to keep up on wc's, use carbon, or whatever other means you have to keep the ammonia levels down. It's a good sign that most of the fish are relatively healthy even with high ammonia levels. They'll need food/energy to deal with poor water quality. I don't know much about puffers, but drum up some info from the puffer fans on RC and try to help him out before he's too far gone.

OR you can try setting up a QT tank for them while the main tank cycles. Have to keep a close eye on water quality in QT as well.

[Dannyboy]

Another thing you can do as a temp fix is dose a little Prime to help lower the ammonia. That is just a temp fix so dont keep using it but I have had it work pretty good to lower ammonia fast when you really need it. I would definatly quarentine the puffer if its not eating. That way there is no competition for food and you can give it special attention.

[Skuzzlebutt]

Prime? Don't know what that is.

Also, the puffer is very large, and I don't have a QT tank. There is plenty of room in the tank and I have been able to offer him food right in front of his nose a few times and he just isn't interested.

I have seen him poop 3 times in the past 9 days, last time being wednesday morning, so there is something in his system.

I added a couple of snails to the tank, basically so he could eat if he wants. I'm considering adding some Chromis as well so if wants to eat them, he can anytime he wants.

I will add carbon today as well...

[MonsterC]

Ditto on the recycling. The tank had enough good bacteria to convert the amonia and you took some of the filtration away.So it will balance itself out again same as starting a new tank except you already have a jumpstart on the process.I wouldnt expect it to get to high.If you add live rock id make sure it directly from an established tank otherwise your gonna have more die off and raise levels even higher.Be patient and keep the water changes going and youll be fine.And I would definately QT the puffer.If he still has the lump it might be that he swelled up and took in air.And sometimes they can never get the air out.Try getting him to eat when hes on his own.If not its probably to late.

[Dannyboy]

Prime is a water conditioner. Like amquel or something like that. You might want to try live ghost shrimp for the puffer or if he's big enough mabey even a live crayfish. Usually when they wont eat live food will spark their appetite. I dont know where else ghost shrimp and crayfish are sold but we have them at Pet Kingdom if you want to try it.