# Soil releasing ammonia help



## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

You don't need lights to cycle. So yeah...you can remove plants and cycle in the dark.


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

is that a better option since plants melting because of ammonia


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## mgeorges (Feb 1, 2017)

What is your ammonia ppm?


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

I have to do 2 50% wc per week it goes from 0.5-2ppm


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## FreshPuff (Oct 31, 2011)

sugirthan, sounds like you are having a pretty frustrating time. The first stages of a planted tank are always the hardest I find. There's tons of growing pains in the beginning till things stabilize. I also just started a new tank with Tropica Plant soil about 3 weeks ago. That soil is pretty good stuff so far! I noticed I had a lot of plants die off also. It wasnt the ammonia leaching from the soil though. Very often the plants we buy are grown immersed, meaning grown in partial water only. Once we plant them and fill the tank with water that growth usually tends to die off (melt) and eventually the plant begins to grow submerged growth. Also, some plants naturally die back when we transplant them (think of Cryptocoryne). I think this might be the case? I am unaware of Tropica plant soil leaching large amounts of ammonia like the ADA Amazonia counterpart.

As far as the algae goes, I'd definitely not uproot your plants. You want to be as heavily planted as possible from the get go. When you say you are heavily planted, how heavily planted are we talking about? Also, what is your setup as far as lights and co2? Are you dosing fertilizers?

First thing I always do when I get algae is dim the lights. This way you can sort of slow down the algae. Trust me this helps a lot!!

Tell me about your setup and your dosing regimen! Maybe we can figure out what is causing this annoying algae.

You're doing a good job doing the water changed right nowroud: Dim the lights and keep up the water changed till the rest is figured out.


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

I don’t think I’m that heavily planted I didn’t know it releases ammonia and yes it does I use fluorite sand before and it was good but I know long term this is better I have co2 pressurized and it’s yellow indicator. Aquaclear 30 with 2 sponges and ceramic rings.

Chihiros a401 led light here’s a pic ,

What difference will it make it I cycle no light


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## FreshPuff (Oct 31, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> I don’t think I’m that heavily planted I didn’t know it releases ammonia and yes it does I use fluorite sand before and it was good but I know long term this is better I have co2 pressurized and it’s yellow indicator. Aquaclear 30 with 2 sponges and ceramic rings.
> 
> Chihiros a401 led light here’s a pic ,
> 
> What difference will it make it I cycle no light


It wont be much of a difference but the plants are coated with beneficial bacteria. They are helping seed the tank with good bacteria that help cycle an aquarium. And since they are planted already, might as well just leave them alone right?

Seems like you are okay with the co2 levels if the drop checker is yellow.

Are you fertilizing?
How long is the chihiro light on for during the day?
What plants do you have in the tank?


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

I have Monte Carlo, blyxa and this other plant that’s easy

But I figured out the ammonia issue!!

Tropica specialisms fertilizer (for heavily planted tanks) I’ve been dosing it but the plants are not consuming it creating ammonia, I’ve tested this by simply taking tank water out and dosing the same % in there next day ammonia skyrocketed, I should stop adding liquid fertilizer for now since there is a tiny bit in the tank already after water change and when I add it goes to like 1-2ppm


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## Yomicchin (Jun 9, 2016)

Something that might help with your cycling and excess ammonia is grabbing some fast growing plants. You can remove them from the tank once it's more established, but for now it should help soak up ammonia and nutrients.


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

I’m fed up , I added elodea plant which is super easy 2 days ago and it looks like it’s melting , my ammonia keeps going up and I keep having to do a water change. All my tanks before I only used flourite black sand and no ammonia releasing I only had dwarf baby tears it grew from day one no melting I added liquid fertilizer.

Can Dr Chihiros Algae Inhibitor kill bacteria and not cause cycle to take forever? I do have nitrates. I have no green algae like it’s suppose to kill but I have staghorn and some black spot algae , I find dr Chihiros useless because ya it prevents green algae but that will just prevent some other algae that’s not green correct?

Should I restart with flourite black sand? Or turn off Dr Chihiros


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## FreshPuff (Oct 31, 2011)

Ammonia is going up because your tank is cycling. The process is not instant. Let it run its course. Did you reduce your light period to help slow the algae?

I wouldnt use chemicals to get rid of algae right now... Not during the cycling. In this hobby slow and steady wins the race.

I guarantee the problem is not with the substrate. You are using some of the best stuff money can buy.


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

Thanks I can understand how it can work better long run, but how is it that my flourite sand from day 1 just with baby tears was thriving? With this the easiest plants are melting? And do I turn off dr Chihiros ? Does it kill bacteria prolonging cycle?


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## FreshPuff (Oct 31, 2011)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks I can understand how it can work better long run, but how is it that my flourite sand from day 1 just with baby tears was thriving? With this the easiest plants are melting? And do I turn off dr Chihiros ? Does it kill bacteria prolonging cycle?



Ive never used anything like the Chihiros Doctor. So i cant comment on it. I don't think you need it on at the moment tbh. Just let the tank cycle.

You got to be patient in this stage of the setup. Tank needs to cycle. don't be moving stuff around and string the substrate. 

In my last post I asked you a question about your lighting but you must have skimmed over it so I will ask it again... Have you reduced your lighting period? How long do you run it for? When does your co2 turn on and turn off?

I'd double check the co2 timer and make sure it turns on/off when it's suppose to.


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

I reduced the lighting to its minimum and co2 was on 24 7! Like always on my previous tanks I noticed my baby tears did better then have it on and off but this time I think I had too much co2 my ph was always around 5-6 which I read is not good because bacteria can’t multiply that low so I turned off co2 last 2 days and my ph is stable now at 7


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## [email protected] (Dec 2, 2015)

Can PRIME stall cycle?? Used prime from the start and for top off water


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## houstonreef (Aug 24, 2018)

I used Tropica too to set up 2 tanks. i download the Tropica app and followed its guide. I remembered that they advise there is no need to fert for the first 3 weeks since the soil contains so much nutrition. i recommend that do a big water change, reduce light period hours, and follow the app for guidance.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Ammonia or ammonium? There's a huge difference. The later is very safe even at relatively high concentrations.


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## shaonrahman (Jan 10, 2019)

I am learning from you guys here about this. So here is my question to all you guys - If sugirthan added a cycled sponge filter, would that help?


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