HIGH AMMONIA LEVELS UPDATE

[NightRydaz01]

I would like to really thank S. Reef and 1979Camaro for their advice and would appreciate any more advice any one has to offer.
*celebrate
I changed the water several times and brought the water levels to as follows:
PH - 8.2
AMMONIA - 4.0PPM
NITRITE - 0
NITRATE - 0
SALINITY - 1.022
(should I change the water again... or let nature take it's course?)
The fish are in a bucket with a heater and an airstone... hope that works??? they seem alot happier though despite the drastic enviroment change. I acclimated them before the transfer so they wouldn't go into shock.

 

[1979camaro]

its important to keep the ammonia under 5, so just watch it...soon you should see it drop and nitrite go up...the usual cycle process. you will, unfortunately, experience the same problem in the bucket as you experienced in the tank...the fish will produce ammonia which will eventually reach toxic levels. i suppose with enough water changes in the bucket they should pull through but you will have to be very diligent...remember, cycling is going to take a couple weeks most likely so perhaps it would be better to take the fish back to the LFS from which they came

 

[nightrydaz04]

Well I talked to the guy at the fish store and he told me to just leave all the live rock in there and not to mess with ANYTHING no water changes or nothing for until it reaches O again... He said that the high ammonia levels will cause an even stronger bacteria and in the end will help my live rock grow and do its thing better. Im taking the fish to the store tommorrow to see if they'll take them and give me store credit they want to check for PH damage or something because of the whole bucket thing I think 3 out of the 4 will pass one is swimming really funny. He said the affects won't really show up for at least a week anyways I think they're better off at the store than in my ammonia bomb or my bucket...

 

[S.Reef]

Well, you can always do water changes. The person does have a point not to mess with the system too much. Personally every few days I would do a 20 percent water change. It would be good to get the fish out of the bucket. If something is wrong with the Ph, which there is, it wont take a week for the signs to show. I would be moer worried about ammonia, or nitrite poisoning and the over all stress of being transfered to the bucket with 3 other fish.