# Driftwood causing ammonia spikes?



## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

*Need help...ammonia spike*

Can a big piece of driftwood cause ammonia spikes?
the picture is of the tank in question.

It is a new setup. Plants are ludwigia repens, anacrhis, cambomba, moss, egeria najas, hygro polysperma. The wood has been soeaked and there is no noticeable effect. The ph is at 7, nitrates between 5-10ppm, nitrites 0 and ammonia is high according to test kit and lsf. Substrate is Soilmaster Select and ADA aquasoil. It is an invert tank.

I am thinking that maybe it is eaither the driftwood or the ammonia changing to chloramine and been read in the test kit giving me a false read. The tank has a molly and few cherry red.

I need to get this thing going and transfer my inverts here, including some expensive ones due to an illnes in the family.

Some good advice needed here ASAP.




























Thanks,
Pedro


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

If it hasn't been treated properly, it's certainly possible. It might contain organic matter that forms ammonia when it breaks down, just like dead plants can. It's my opinion that if you are going to use driftwood, it's best to buy a pre treated piece that's designed for aquarium use. Some pieces range from several hundred to several thousand years old.

Finding something in the woods, hosing it off, and putting it in your tank is just asking for trouble.

Just my opinion.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Salt said:


> If it hasn't been treated properly, it's certainly possible. It might contain organic matter that forms ammonia when it breaks down, just like dead plants can. It's my opinion that if you are going to use driftwood, it's best to buy a pre treated piece that's designed for aquarium use. Some pieces range from several hundred to several thousand years old.
> 
> Finding something in the woods, hosing it off, and putting it in your tank is just asking for trouble.
> 
> Just my opinion.


Bought the wood at the LSF. It is supposed to be safe for aquarium use.

Pedro


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## Cal (Feb 20, 2006)

I know you won't want to hear this, but could you pull the driftwood out, soak it in a tub or what ever, then test that water for ammonia. Just a thought.


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## Gonzofish (Mar 26, 2005)

I've also had a driftwood dilemma recently. Though my tests showed a Nitrite spike. The LFS assured me that the driftwood was pretreated and safe. But try telling that to my suffocating Discus! I treated the tank heavily with activated charcoal for a week and that fixed the problem.


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

This is interesting. I will see if a water change and some carbon helps me out. I will try to test the wood as well.

Any other recommendations?

Pedro


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## John S (Jan 18, 2005)

have u lossed any cherry red yet could just be a bad test kit


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

It has been tested with three different test kits for ammonia and two at the lsf. I have not seen any dead cherry red.

Pedro


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## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Any way of lowering this ammonia? Tearing the tank and adding more planst would help?

Thanks


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

ADA soil has NH4 in it.

Wood may have some if it is fereshly cut.
If you soak or boil it, there should never be any NH4 from wood.
It's very recalitrant by nature, NH4 is not.

NH4 binds to clays, NO3 does not(which is why aDA soils are good for NH4 sources but Amano uses the PS for the NO3 source-soaked pumice-but it leeches out rapidly, so you may as well just add KNO3)

In a new tank, you might just have some extra dead plant material, dead fish, or the soil.

There are few other possible sources.

Of course, the test kit might have an issue as well..............

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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