cycling new tank

[newreefer55]

Have a question regarding the cycle. Our ammonia levels spiked yesterday and the water is cloudy. My concern is the Kenya trees and hammer coral that came with the live rock we bought from a guy on Craigslist. They have been thriving and have even multipled since we got them but last night all the trees were laying on their sides. Will this spike in ammonia and nitrites kill them? I took the hose out that had the shrimp as it was dissolved. Just waiting for levels to go to zero

 

[Neno reefs]

Most likely it will kill the coral,(the kenya tree might survive), sorry

 

[salt_for_brains]

I am kind of confused if they have been multiplying since you got them why is there an ammonia spike now? Ammonia is pretty tough on corals so they could be lost.

 

[newreefer55]

At this point I think the ammonia spike killed them all. Will take a miracle to bring them out of it.

 

[cvcdrk]

I don't think they were "multiplying". You may have seen additional polyps extending but corals grow slowly and if your tank is just beginning the cycle it likely hasn't had time to grow anything.

That being said, the cycle will likely kill the coral. I would leave it in the tank. You never know if it could come back. Give it a chance....but don't count on it. Ammonia is effectively poison to coral.

 

[newreefer55]

ammonia levels are still spiked, nitrates are up too so I hope it starts to drop soon. Seems ammonia is way up. Is it normal for it to spike this high. Do I need to do anything or let it continue until the levels drop?

 

[Marinne13]

my Ammonia was off the charts for 5 days and then all of a sudden...0, just give it some time

 

[RollTide15]

Think of the Nitrogen cycle like a Human Centipede. Bacteria A eats Ammonia then poops out Nitrite directly into the mouth of Bacteria B who eats it and then poops out Nitrate, which is less toxic to living organisms.

->8->8->8-

Certain plants, algae, and other organisms will eat the Nitrate but not at the complete levels like Ammonia and Nitrite. That is where your skimmer, and other filtration comes in. The skimmer, mechanical, and biological filter will help keep your Nitrates down. Until you get all three of those filters up you can do water changes every week to keep the Nitrate down. In my experience most inverts, and hardy corals can easily handle up to 10ppm of Nitrate, fish can handle much higher. Some of the more finicky corals need levels below 5ppm.

 

[westcott]

You can do a water change to reduce the ammonia levels during a cycle. This may help save the live rock and the life within it.