Ammonia still high after a month

[kmart189]

I moved my tank and I expected to see ammonia spike, but after several water changes and over a month of being setup it is still staying very high at about .5 pp/l. The biggest problem that I think is causing this to linger is about a week before I moved I added a sea hare to help take care of a hair algae problem that is still being fought :frustrat:. Anyway it dissapeared to never be found again even when I moved no carcass was found. I did replace most of the water when I moved and have done at least one 30 gallon water change every week, but I did one 60 gallon and one 40 gallon the last two weeks respectively. There are no fish currently in the tank and the skimmer hasn't really slowed down on the skimmate. All other levels are in check except ammonia checked calcium 420 nitrate, nitrite, where at 0 and ph was at 8.2 Let me know of any suggestions you have the only thing in the tank now are some hermits and some snails probably about 10 hermits and 15 snails different kinds mostly astrea. Forgot to say I added a phosban reactor about two months ago or a month before I moved and phosphates still are testing at .25 and I still have HA. I also have had this tank setup about two years and have never had this many problems and it has been moved once before after being setup for about a year.

 

[kmart189]

just noticed I should probably update the 6 month signature line lol ill do it later

 

[Smitty]

Are you using tap water or ro water? Also, the sea hare could've contributed to the levels going back up.

 

[kmart189]

RO water and I know the sea hare is probably the reason why I just want to fix it any advice besides more water changes for the ammonia and advice on getting rid of the HA I still have?

 

[sen5241b]

Tanks cycle becuase of dead stuff in the rock. There muist have been something in the rock that was rotting away.

 

[kmart189]

How much longer should I expect this to last before ammonia goes down so I can add some fish?

 

[mng777777]

You are probably many weeks if not months from fish. Adding anything new will only confuse things worse. You need to starve the system of phosphates and nitrates before you introduce anything into it that will add more of either to the system if you have any hope of beating the HA. The water changes are likely to be prolonging the cycle. It's your choice whether to stop them or continue but ultimately the cycle needs to finish all on it's own. if it were me I would stop the water changes, keep the skimmer running, and monitor your water. once your cycle has completed, then you can jump back on a rigorous water change schedule to overcome the hair algae. After your levels come back into line, keep your lights on a very short schedule, keep up with your water changes, and add a CUC. You should beat that HA fairly quickly. If you get the levels in check, and the HA removed before you add fish, your experience will be more simple and pleasant in the long run.