1) Check if there is a dead fish somewhere. (a friend of mine found a dead rat in his tank, don't ask me how lol)
2) Big water change asap then a good dose of Safe/Prime.
What do you all do when you find ammonia in the tank when you are not expecting it? What is your standard operating procedure to deal with it?
1) Check if there is a dead fish somewhere. (a friend of mine found a dead rat in his tank, don't ask me how lol)
2) Big water change asap then a good dose of Safe/Prime.
Check for decomposing organic matter anywhere. Consider why the bio filter isn't taking care of the ammonia...pH/kH too low, not enough bio media, etc. Reduce feeding until resolved and test for nitrite.
Those 2 steps are for emergency.
Assuming you have a fully cycled tank. Ammonia spike only appear when there is decomposing organic, if not worst you have PH crashed that wipe out your entire bb colonies.
Like Megalodon said, check your PH, bb start to die off when PH going below 6 (if i remember the number right). If you detect the issue quickly, there is good chance you can save your filter. If not ...... ehh, i dont want to talk about it, nightmare i had when i started ~_~.
Maybe you missed you water change or not enough water change. How to deal with it? Do 100% water change daily (aged water).
Come by and I'll give you a cycled sponge, Willie
At my age, everything is irritating.