Sudden ammonia rise

[HoundsNTrout]

I have had a 330G tote with a 55G bio tank with no problems or rise in anything for quite a while. Then had some minor nitrite levels, but switching it over to a larger bio tank I figured the bb were still growing to meet the demand. Which it appeared to do. That went away even with 3X daily feedings and 100 8 inch trout in there.

Now I have sudden ammonia levels rising to like 2ppm whereas before I NEVER had a single rise in any ammonia level.

THe only thing I can think of is my sock filters are really getting clogged fast, so at night I simply leave the pumps just running into the water for extra aeration. I clean them 3X per day and they still get clogged.

My guess is too much organic matter floating around even though I try to pump it out 2X daily.

Very odd. Never seen this in 4 years since I have gone to a recycled system. Usually IF anything at all its the nitrites that sometimes become elevated.

The rise SEEMS to happen a few hours after a feeding. So that would eliminate any particulate problem I would think.

WHY would the bio tank suddenly STOP working for the Ammonia bb only and before it was working fine.
Everything being the same. No changes.

 

[duanes]

Seems to me as your fish are growing, and feedings increasing with fish size, your original bio-filter is not able to keep up with ammonia produced, and needs to be doubled, or tripled or ????.
I have visited aquaculture facilities where the bio-filters are at least the same size, or larger as/than the vats the fish were held in.
At the University of Wi Great Lakes institute where they raise large vats of perch, beside the normal biomedia sumps, fluidized bed filters 6ft tall by 3ft in diameter where used, with a heavy flow keep up with surges in ammonia during feedings.
In another facility where Tilapia were raised, many stacks of 20 ft long troughs containing plants were used to control ammonia and nitrite levels and were 3 times the volume of the tanks holding fish. The roots of the plants also helped collect the particulate.

 

[HoundsNTrout]

Seems to me as your fish are growing, and feedings increasing with fish size, your original bio-filter is not able to keep up with ammonia produced, and needs to be doubled, or tripled or ????.
I have visited aquaculture facilities where the bio-filters are at least the same size, or larger as/than the vats the fish were held in.
At the University of Wi Great Lakes institute where they raise large vats of perch, beside the normal biomedia sumps, fluidized bed filters 6ft tall by 3ft in diameter where used, with a heavy flow keep up with surges in ammonia during feedings.
In another facility where Tilapia were raised, many stacks of 20 ft long troughs containing plants were used to control ammonia and nitrite levels and were 3 times the volume of the tanks holding fish. The roots of the plants also helped collect the particulate.

Hmmm. I just re-sized it to the 55G drum. LOL. Its been fine. Maybe I better try something larger. I was thinking decaying tiny particles were getting inside my bio filter somehow but maybe I better think about a larger one. Not sure yet. I never intended to keep that many "larger" fish in the tank but ..... Usually when they are 4 inches they are tested for disease then gone.

 

[duanes]

If it were me, I wouldn't replace biofilters, but add new barrels (as in a chain of barrels).
In that way retaining the existing BB, so as not to restart a new cycle, but let the existing biomedia help seed the new barrels.
I doubt the particulate alone would create such a quick rise in ammonia, but more extra food, and the ammonia excited from gills as fish grow. The bulk of fish feces is not the problem, but its the invisible ammonia excreted from gills.
In the Tilapia facility I lived near, the water was always brown, but not problematic.
Ammonia can be toxic in the clearest of waters.

 

[duanes]

Because you are raising trout, the food you are using would be very high in proteins.
I wonder if soon after each feeding it would be a good idea to use a protein skimmer, to remove amino acids from the water, these ammonia precursors might be better off removed from the water column altogether. Protein skimmers (foam fractionators) also have the ability to remove particulate, and make for less sock cleaning. Fractionation is also great at aeration
Below is a video of one I ran on an outdoor pond.
koi pond fractionation

 

[HoundsNTrout]

Only real big difference is lately I've been feeding a lot more food at once and not as many times per day. So, I am not going to feed these guys for 3 days til the ammonia drops to nothing. Incrasing the flow of fresth water. Then I'll give them a 3 day salt bath with no food, maybe even a dose of H2O2. Re fill tank and then maybe go back to much smaller meals more often during the day and see if that does the trick. IF not, I think yes I'll add a barrel.

Thanks folks. And yes protein is 50%, might look into how to build a protein skimmer I guess.

 

[HoundsNTrout]

So anyone? How would I just add another barrel? Because I have plenty of media and barrels ready to roll.
The existing one would pump into the 2nd barrel rather than go directly back into fish tank? Then the 2nd barrel would be the one going back into tank correct? in other words the 2nd barrel would have an inlet coming from the existing barrel and outlet into the new one. I'll try to get some pic's of current set-up. I just thought damn a 55G drum should be sufficient with only 100 fish and 50% daily WC's. Which is what I do anyway; 75 Gallons in morning and again in evening. WAS keeeping the system happy even with 3 large feedings per day.

 

[Winfield92]

I think another thing to consider is that you already had this problem - those rises in nitrites you saw in the past were likely byproducts of initial ammonia spikes.

What is in your "bio tank," or now your "bio barrel?" What are you using for media?

 

[HoundsNTrout]

I normally have been raising 1000 to 1500 fish UP to 4 inches in these totes with 'minimal' problems. But with this new problem maybe I can get it right so I can keep larger fish if needed. I never intended to actually keep them in tanks past 8 inches. And what if there were 1000 of them. LOL. Obviously not enough room for that many. I DO have a 5000 green water tank I'm thinking of making a larger grow out

I think another thing to consider is that you already had this problem - those rises in nitrites you saw in the past were likely byproducts of initial ammonia spikes.

What is in your "bio tank," or now your "bio barrel?" What are you using for media?

 

[HoundsNTrout]

I will get photos soon. Or quick video is best.
I use same as my local college hatchery which is poly screen material coiled up. You know, the stuff for your door or windows.

Seems to me, after being to the college several times they use about a 200G size bio filter with a 2500G tank.
I just don't get the " sudden " rise. So I'm gonna give it a week and see what happens with less food per feeding. SO go from 2-3 bigger feedings to 4 smaller feedings same amount of food. IF that doesn't work, then add a barrel.