# Black Diamond Blasting Abrasive & High ammonia



## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

I would dose with Seachem prime. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Prime.html


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

I use prime in both tanks.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I have no idea where the ammonia came from, but you could test the black sand. Do you have any left over? Put it in a glass of water and let it sit out a day or two. Otherwise grab a cup or so from the tank and test that. 

No need for Prime. Just let the bacteria keep on growing with it. 

If you find it came in with the sand do a few really good vacuums, as if you are rinsing the sand in the tank. Stir it up, really try to make a mess. You can stick the siphon down deep into a corner by pulling the substrate away from that corner. Do this to get as close to 100% water change as possible. 

If this still does not remove the ammonia, then you could do either of 2 things:
Wait it out, keep on doing water changes, but it is OK to arrange the hardscape and plant the tank. 
Give up, get some other substrate. Eco Complete has that black-sandy look, though it is not quite so uniform.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

Black Diamond is an awfully popular sand for something that produces massive amounts of ammonia. Unless there was something unusual mixed in there, I have a hard time to believe it's the Black Diamond that's the cause.

Did you rinse it before flooding the tank?


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Yes I did clean it before I put it in, good enough? I don't know, I did it 3 times, and it seemed to be mostly clear when I was on the 3rd time.

I read so many good reviews about it that what I wanted to give it a try. I am using the same water out of my tap for 180 and that fine.

The 20s were cycled before I added it. I drained them, kept filters and rocks running on my 180 while I was adding the black diamond. 

The only other thing I was wondering could it have something to do with the osmocote plus caps? Thought I have those in the 180 as well. I am thinking at this point I should pull out the black diamond and wash it more. I really like this stuff, other than problem I am having.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

Osmocote caps could very easily be the culprit. Far more likely than simple sand. How many did you put in? Any leeching is going to impact a 20 gal a LOT more than a 180.

Easy enough to test the sand, assuming you have any sand left. Put some in a cup with some treated water, and test it after a day or two. (edit: LOL I now see Diana said the exact same thing)


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

kman said:


> Osmocote caps could very easily be the culprit. Far more likely than simple sand. How many did you put in? Any leeching is going to impact a 20 gal a LOT more than a 180.
> 
> Easy enough to test the sand, assuming you have any sand left. Put some in a cup with some treated water, and test it after a day or two. (edit: LOL I now see Diana said the exact same thing)


I don't have any sand left, I could take it out and test it with new water after a few days?

I put one cap in one of the tanks, and four in the other. Both read around the same amount.


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## Kntry (Dec 26, 2013)

I seriously doubt it's the Black Diamond Sand. It's not sand but Coal Slag. From what I've read on other fish boards, it's loaded with nutrients for the plants. 

I have about 75lbs. of it in my 75 gallon over MTS and I have never had a problem. I also have some in my 5 gallon over Eco Complete, which I hate.


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## cgorges (Sep 9, 2014)

100lbs in my 75 gal. Ive never had any ammonia issues. Black diamond SHOULD be more or less inert.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

I have BDbs in three different tanks, all with a fairly heavy application of osmocote+. Ive never experienced any ammonia.


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## Dead2fall (Jun 4, 2014)

My vote is the O+. I've noticed when I've put them in for carpeting plants my nitrates skyrocket. The tanks that only get one here or there for a sword or what not are normal. Do you see any small yellow balls on the surface that kind of look like an egg sack or something? Look close around plants you put them under. If you find them take them out. It's O+ that's made its way to the surface.

How much ammonia(ppm) were you using during cycling of the bare tanks? How long ago did they finish cycling? When was the last time you actually added ammonia?


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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

Stop dosing Prime. 

Prime locks up Ammonia for about 24 hours, and then turns it loose. The directions caution against using prime in this fashion for anything other than an emergency. And when you do, it should be followed by a large water change.

The Prime is most likely depriving bacteria of ammonia to keep the tanks nitrogen cycle in balance, especially given they were BB and not very mature to start with.

Take a poke through the Seachem website. The forum and FAQ there tells the whole story.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Bushkill said:


> Stop dosing Prime.
> 
> Prime locks up Ammonia for about 24 hours, and then turns it loose. The directions caution against using prime in this fashion for anything other than an emergency. And when you do, it should be followed by a large water change.
> 
> ...


I did not dose prime on Saturday or Sunday when I did 90% water change each day, and it was back to 3-4 ppm, without me adding any ammonia.


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## FewestKitten896 (Dec 13, 2013)

I am going to agree with the people above that it has something to do with the O+ capsules. However, I haven't noticed any issues with ammonia but more on the nitrate side. How many caps did you use?


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Dead2fall said:


> My vote is the O+. I've noticed when I've put them in for carpeting plants my nitrates skyrocket. The tanks that only get one here or there for a sword or what not are normal. Do you see any small yellow balls on the surface that kind of look like an egg sack or something? Look close around plants you put them under. If you find them take them out. It's O+ that's made its way to the surface.
> 
> How much ammonia(ppm) were you using during cycling of the bare tanks? How long ago did they finish cycling? When was the last time you actually added ammonia?


Tanks were fully cycled for about 2 months, it took them about 4 weeks to get to this point. Each day after they were cycled I added enough ammonia to keep them around 3ppm, and that was gone in 24 hours. I did that up until the day I added the black diamond. I added it, added water back to the tank turned filters back on, planted added O+ did not check the water for 24 hours, then that when I noticed the ammonia was high. It lower after water changes, but still very high. I don't see any of the O+ sitting around.

Bump:


FewestKitten896 said:


> I am going to agree with the people above that it has something to do with the O+ capsules. However, I haven't noticed any issues with ammonia but more on the nitrate side. How many caps did you use?


I put one cap in one of the tanks, and four in the other. Both read around the same amount.

Bump: So something is causing it, what I don't know. Do you guys think I should take all the black diamond out of one of the tanks re-wash it a few times and see what happens? I think this would cost me the least amount of $$ at this point.


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## Verivus (Jan 6, 2015)

It definitely was not the sand. I use the same sand and have zero issues with ammonia. It's probably the O+.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Verivus said:


> It definitely was not the sand. I use the same sand and have zero issues with ammonia. It's probably the O+.



I tend to agree, the only thing though is that my 180 has a lot more O+ in it that either of these tanks, as the 180 loaded with plants, but does not have the black diamond. I guess maybe because that tank has so many more plants. I really don't know. Just trying to figure out what best solution at this point. I really like the black diamond, just need to figure out what going on.


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## Veritas (Aug 9, 2013)

did you take a scoop of it out into a cup, let it sit for a day, then test it?

I use BD in my 29g....and haven't had this issue either


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Veritas said:


> did you take a scoop of it out into a cup, let it sit for a day, then test it?
> 
> I use BD in my 29g....and haven't had this issue either


I did not have any extra, so I could only take it from one of the current tanks. Yes it in a cup with fresh water and I was going to test it tonight.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Did you buy the O+ from a store and make them yourself? Reason I ask is because if you got them pre-made from ebay or similar, it could be something else and not really osmocote.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

burr740 said:


> Did you buy the O+ from a store and make them yourself? Reason I ask is because if you got them pre-made from ebay or similar, it could be something else and not really osmocote.


Someone I have been buying them from on this site for years. Plus they are in my 180 gallon tank without any problems.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

There's really two options here. Bad sand, or bad O+ capsules.

Given the extremely simply list of contents in the sand itself, not to mention the many, many reports here on TPT recommending as an excellent substrate, I'm inclined to think the sand is fine, and perhaps you got something funky in one of your O+ capsules.

I'd pull the O+, rinse the sand again, and try it again from the start. Take a sample to test in a glass, a small amount won't affect your scape, and put the O+ in the tank but not the test glass. Then see how it plays out.


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