ammonia from snails?

**fishn00b** · 01-30-2013, 08:09 PM

As you can see in my other thread it looks like the tank is just about done cycling, but I can't get a clear as day zero reading on the ammonia test like I want. I am wondering if the pest snails could be creating enough ammonia to register? Although if it's cycled the BB should be getting me down to zero anyway I guess. They keep multiplying, haven't gotten an assassin yet. There might be 40+ of them in there, it's gross but I don't want to pluck them out and kill them myself.

**Cliff** · 01-30-2013, 08:35 PM

Your snails should not result in a bioload high enough to register on a test kit.

Are you sure the kit is registering ammonia? On the API test kit for example, I have a very hard time telling the difference between 0.25ppm and 0 ppm. I always have to get someone else to read the result for me

**fishn00b** · 01-30-2013, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Cliff

On the API test kit for example, I have a very hard time telling the difference between 0.25ppm and 0 ppm. I always have to get someone else to read the result for me

You're right, I'm not 100% positive, and haven't seen nitrites since the initial spike. Nitrates around 5 ppm. I think my plants are eating the trates. Would you think I am cycled at this point?

**Cliff** · 01-30-2013, 08:41 PM

If you are doing a fishless cycle, then you can test it to see. Just bring your ammonia up to 1ppm and if you have 0 ppm of ammonia and nitrites about 12 hours later, and a little more nitrates than before I would say you are cycled. You would have to remove the snails tho so they don't get harmed by the ammonia.

**fishn00b** · 01-30-2013, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Cliff

If you are doing a fishless cycle, then you can test it to see. Just bring your ammonia up to 1ppm and if you have 0 ppm of ammonia and nitrites about 12 hours later, and a little more nitrates than before I would say you are cycled. You would have to remove the snails tho so they don't get harmed by the ammonia.

The little pests survived the initial stages of the cycle when I dosed it up to around 3ppm, was kind of hoping it would kill them off. They keep multiplying. I'll dose to 1ppm now and see what happens like you said.

**lettuceman44** · 01-31-2013, 12:12 AM

That's funny, because during my cycle I just noticed all the snails in my tank :P

**fishn00b** · 01-31-2013, 11:10 PM

After last nights dose of 1ppm ammonia. I now have somewhere between 0-0.25ppm and roughly 20-40ppm nitrates, 0 nitrites. Think I am ready for fish? I may have dosed higher than 1ppm accidentally, so I expect it to drop off tomorrow.