pH and Ammonia

i raised the ph of my year old 125g reef tank a week ago with water changes, guess it was too fast and now i have an ammonia problem. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME! I read it could be caused by bacterial colonies dying off due to the use of medications or sudden change in water conditions. so i think it is that, nothing died and rotted away in there or anything. I have been using Amquel Plus but i heard that it doesnt remove ammonia just makes it less toxic.so far i have only lost my NICE emcrusting horn coral, my pulsing zenias and an anthais. Please help me before my tank is destroyed. anyone a pro in the ammonia/pH department.

What should i do now?? A little advice is needed.

my ph is at 8.2 and ammonia is .25 -.50 all other levels are right on.

Should i lower the pH so the ammonia isnt as toxic?? will lowering the pH back down again put the fish into pH shock?

Is there anything that removes ammonia (not just makes it less toxic) I want it out of my tank for good.

I have a protien skimmer and a refugium in the sump. Mangroves and macro algae to remove ammonia and nitrates and nitrites, i thought. last night i hooked up a canister filter with carbon and pads in it, to help get some ammonia... I also did another water change and got all the **** outta the nooks and crannys of the live rock.
I checked the pH just before today and the ammonia levels havent moved. I dont know what to do....

Please help

Has anyone ever had this problem and solved it??
any advice is apprciated...

You didn't say much about your bio load though. Very large water change should lower your ammonia, your ph will sort itself out don't mess with it. Stay away from unecassary chemicals...Refuge is also a good idea with 24hour lighting..And stay on top of your water quality, you have to do it no one else will...

Dre said:

Very large water change should lower your ammonia,

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i agree, do a series of water changes. i would suggest a 50%. and follow up with additional ones this week. Amquel is fine.

How much did you raise the PH. If it was alot at once that could be why things are dying, which would then be the rise in ammonia.

I had Same problem last month, I had my ro water tested and found out my local water had high ammonia n ph check origin, buy prime or distilled water

I tested my rodi water and it has 0.0 ammonia. Went from 7.8 to a little less then 8.2 with a 15% water change. Is that considered a lot?

I'm an idiot.
Everything was going so well. I'm praying my tank doesn't crash.

Since I was doing water changes for the last week with no positive results I thinking I'm just gonna leave it alone for a while n see if it evens itself out...

Comments or suggests appreciated.

Thank you dre.

[PDF OVERLAY said:

[/PDF OVERLAY]Went from 7.8 to a little less then 8.2 with a 15% water change. [PDF OVERLAY][/PDF OVERLAY]

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What's this?

That's what created my problem. Someone asked how much I raised the pH.

Uprising Rage said:

That's what created my problem. Someone asked how much I raised the pH.

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Humm, maybe there was nothing wrong with your tank in the first place.
If you have a 24/7 lighting on refuge, your ph should fall to around 7.8 at night when the dpt lights are off and rise during the day when the lights are on to around 8.2-8.4. That's where my 90 hover around under normal circumstances. I do 15 gal. water change biweekly add calcium and alk buffer when necessary thats it. I don't have Sps though but lots of Lps. Anyway good luck and let us know how things work out..

BEFORE:


AFTER: (both of these are seen in 1st pic)

That sux dude. A ph of 7.8 isnt a horrible thing and you should of just left it alone. If everything was doin good, why touch it? I would leave it alone and let it run its course.
One question I didn't see asked is How old is your ammonia test kit?

ok maybe it's just me... but how exactly are you jumping ph... that high with only "just" water changes? What other chemicals are you adding to your WC to get up to 8.2 so quickly... cause I'm really not understanding your English translation.

skene said:

ok maybe it's just me... but how exactly are you jumping ph... that high with only "just" water changes? What other chemicals are you adding to your WC to get up to 8.2 so quickly... cause I'm really not understanding your English translation.

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I'm not answering his question but in my experience with my tanks, ph will stay in range and be more stable if tank water is clean, nitrates are low, alk and such are in range. I think that's why more advanced reefers promote the use of magnesium which i don't use but i stay on top off my water changes. My lights are off except for the refuge light and my ph is at 8.11

I dosed with a quell n left the regime lit all night., to hopefully get rid of some ammonia. Now I just tested. Ammonia didn't move. But my ph dropped. It has been at 8.2today it is back to 7.8. I'm just gnna leave it alone.

My test kit is fine. And all I add to water change water is salt and ph buffer. To answer your questions.

Hopefully the ammonia drops off soon.

N I know now I should of just left it alone. But I had this stupid idea of I'm gonna get all my levels exactly where they should be... Smh

I haven't had a problem for a year... I guess I was thinking if I got all the levels perfect my corals would grow a little bit quicker.

ok now a couple of things... why are you using amquel unless you are using tap water instead of an RODI system... and why oh god why are you using a PH buffer!!!!!!

I am using amquel now because I have an ammonia problem. I never put it in my water change water for no reason!! N ph buffer cause I thought u were suppose to get ur ph and salt the same as the tank and where the levels should be. Before doing water changes. Is this not right?? Cuz my ro/di waters ph is on the low side...so if I don't use ph buffer I will be lowering my tanks ph whenever I do water changes.

The salt you use should bring your water change water to the correct ph, you shouldn't have to add buffer. I think you should just ride it out. I think you are still getting ammonia readings because of the amquel. It binds the ammonia ions and creates a different ion that isnt has harmful to fish but will give you false ammonia readings. HTH

Natural fresh water is about 6-7, RO/RODI is even lower 5-6, when you add salt the ph goes up to 8-8.4. As stated earlier ph goes up and down which is normal. I have to admit, i use to do the same thing when i was new. Fish can be forgiving but some corals aren't. Your corals will bounce back don't worry too much you have learnt something...

Thank you all so much. Guess I will stop the amquel and let the tank bounce back. You all helped so much.

Just added the salt to the ro/di water, Gonna let it sit for an hour or so and see what the pH of the new saltwater is.

What does everyone think I should do with the snails and xenias??
Wait to see if they come back or take me out??