Brackish water new setup contamination? Help!

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piffpuffer

Black Skirt Tetra
MFK Member
Oct 2, 2024
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Been cycling a new 25gal for my figure 8 puffer for two months now. Salinity is at 1.008 (sea salt) and added 2ppm Ammonia when started cycling process. Using API freshwater test kit and been using it just fine with no issues for my freshwater shrimp tank and current brackish 15gal for my puffer. But everytime I do an ammonia test with my new tank, the test tube shows yellow and cloudy precipitation forming instantly (floats at the top). This has been happening the first time I tested for ammonia when I started cycling up till now.

I did a 80% WC and still getting cloudy results.
Currently:
- aragonite sand as substrate (rinsed prior)
- coral chips (rinsed prior)
- old deco i've used in other tanks before
- pre-scaped deco (rinsed prior)
- tall deco (rinsed prior)
- biomedia filter (rinsed before adding to filter)
- wanted to deal with water issue first instead of cycling so activated carbon for two weeks now (but still cloudy results)
i've removed all fake plants and the floating island.
Unsure what to do now. It's not the test kit issue, it works completely fine on my other tanks.

Apart from the water issue, I believe the tank has been cycling properly, i can see biofilm formation on the decor.

Please help, any ideas or comments are welcomed.
 
A specific gravity of 1.008, (depending water temp) compares to about 11 parts per thousand.
I thought this would be an interesting test to try, using my API fresh water test reagents..
So below 1st is test of my fresh water tank, using straight tank water
IMG_1011.jpeg
Now below a vial filled with 2/3 with same tank water, and inoculated with another 1/3 water from the ocean.
The ocean across the street frommy house averages 35 ppt.
So roughly about 11 to 12 ppt, same as your brackish tank.
IMG_1008.jpeg
IMG_1007.jpeg
so it seems to me, I get a similar haze, as you do, using the fresh water test, in brackish water.
 
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