High nitrAtes

[Frank@Wall]

I dont think your 7 to 10gal water change every 2-3 weeks is enough. Is your skimmer pulling good amount of gunk?

 

[shark32]

turbovr3six, thanks, I should do that more often... I need to make a new regimen of tank maintenance...I think I am going to include that as part of it..weekly vacuuming of the rocks...
Franl@Wall I know, my water changes were on the low side...they are being upped as we speak (or I should say type) LOL

 

[rambler67]

I had a nice battle with gha it just tanks patients. Scrub and water changes.and good luck.

 

[shark32]

rambler67,
Yes, everything in this hobby takes patience and dedication...
O.K. here is a FTS of my tank with all it's problems...( I know it's not a pretty sight at the moment)

Hopefully with all the great advice I recieved from everyone, I will be able to get my tank back to normal....thanks again for all those that took time to give advice

 

[mbg75]

I would cut back on feeding.
How many fish?
What kind of reactor u running?
How old are tank bulbs and fuge bulb?
Also, what kind if lighting?
Get all the glass cleaned up, clean the rocks, get a few filters socks. After doing a good cleaning, do a water change....
Also are you using RO/Di for water source? Have u checked the Tds?

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[shark32]

My light was custom made by Catalina Aquariums...I told the guy who was making it what I wanted to do and he gave me the following lights: during the daytime I run 3 54w 1000K and 1 54w 450mm and my dusk lights are 1 54w 450mm and 1 54w ACT 420mm...the bulbs have not be changed since I got the fixture last August...I was thinking I should start feeding every other day...it's just every time I walk past the tank they come to the top looking for food...they are almost as bad as my dog wanting biscuits...LOL... I have 7 fish, three shrimp and an urchin...I am currently running a BRS phosphate reactor with purigen and GFO...my fuge bulb is brand new...and my water comes from my ro/di unit...I just tested the water for nitrAtes, nitrItes and ammonia a couple of days ago and all tested 0...how would I test for TDS? I have alot of work cut out for me, but a happy healthy tank is worth it!!

 

[mbg75]

My light was custom made by Catalina Aquariums...I told the guy who was making it what I wanted to do and he gave me the following lights: during the daytime I run 3 54w 1000K and 1 54w 450mm and my dusk lights are 1 54w 450mm and 1 54w ACT 420mm...the bulbs have not be changed since I got the fixture last August...I was thinking I should start feeding every other day...it's just every time I walk past the tank they come to the top looking for food...they are almost as bad as my dog wanting biscuits...LOL... I have 7 fish, three shrimp and an urchin...I am currently running a BRS phosphate reactor with purigen and GFO...my fuge bulb is brand new...and my water comes from my ro/di unit...I just tested the water for nitrAtes, nitrItes and ammonia a couple of days ago and all tested 0...how would I test for TDS? I have alot of work cut out for me, but a happy healthy tank is worth it!!

Ok, u need a Tds meter to test the water coming out of the RO/Di. It should read 0. U can order one online or some Walmart carry them in the RV/auto section for $12. If you don't have really low Tds, it just making the algae problem worse..

As far as the reactor, I would run just a quality GFO, and test the output of the reactor, and tank water for phosphate.

The purigen should be in mesh bag somewhere in the sump with high flow.

14 months on t5 bulbs is a lot, the spectrum can change, and cause algae to grow.

As far as feeding, cut back the amount and how often. Maybe whatever they can eat in 1-2 minutes with no leftovers, like every other day. I'm sure there is plenty for them to pick off of in the tank..


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[shark32]

O.K. I ordered a TDS meter today...my GFO is from Bulk Reef Supply...the Purigen (is in a mesh bag) is one canister of my reactor and the GFO is in the other...I thought the flow through there would be great for the Purigen..I will pick up new bulbs today...should I keep the same array of bulbs? I already cut down on the amount of food, now I will switch to every other day...for my shrimp and star fish I will go back to target feeding them, so I know they are getting enough food as well...Thanks again

 

[shark32]

This a FTS of the tank after the latest 20% water change, Chemiclean and the use of a diatom filter (thanks to mbg75):

aside from the tank looking clean, it was not a good weekend for my tank...I had put Chemiclean in the tank on Thursday, so by Saturday when I did the 20% water change it would be for that also...I had a airstone from my old 55 gallon in the tank plus I had both of my powerheads running...I though that would have been enough aeration, I couldn't have been anymore wrong...Saturday morning when I turned the lights on, I found my clownfish and tuxedo urchin dead...we scraped the glass of all the algae and did the 20% water change...my wrasse and dragonnet were zooming all around the tank at this point...we siphoned up all the algae of the sand, then we used the Diatom filer, which freaked out all of my fish...by last night, my wrasse and dragonnet died as of right now, my flame hawkfish is swimming around a little and my starry blenny seems to be fine...my dottyback is still a skitterish and I have not seen my watchman goby (but that is his MO, I see him, then I don't, then I see him...)hopefully he is ok...all three of my shrimp are fine, as is my starfish and my porcelain crab...I just tested my water and the nitrAtes dropped a little, and there was a trace of nitrItes(less than 0.1), I guess from stirring up the sand, and 0 ammonia...I can only hope that my remaining fish survive and the tank stabilizes again...it is a awful feeling to loose all of those fish

 

[Awibrandy]

I'm so sorry shark!!

 

[mbg75]

I wouldn't have done the chemiclean.
You said u had a dual reactor? I would run the GFO in one and a good quality GAC in the other..be sure to use the correct amounts and GAC should be changed around every 2 weeks.. no need for chempure...
Get the skimmer working good again!

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[shark32]

Thanks Awibrandy...
mbg75-- I will never use Chemiclean agian, that's for sure...hopefully I never have the cynao issue period...as soon as I took out the Diatom filter, my skimmer started pulling out gunk again...I am going to order some GAC today and add that to the other part of my reactor...until it comes in, I'll leave the chemipure...Thanks again for all your help

 

[thirty5]

Oh, Im sorry to hear about you losing some fish. Now just worry about getting the tank back to normal parameters so you can get some more fish in there!

Don't give up on it!!!

 

[shark32]

Thanks thirty5!!
My nitrAtes actually went down a little...the test did not come back as dark purple as it had been...Eventually I will get a couple of new fish...I want the water to be on point again before I do anything...I am very happy that my three remaining fish seem to be doing well...

 

[shark32]

AAARRRGGGHHH....over the last ten or so days, I have changed about 75% of my water ( I did a big 25% change, then every day day after did a 10 gallon change so I did not stress my fish), I took out the sponges in my overflow and sump, have been changing my filter sock every 3rd day (which gets really brown looking), replaced the GAC and GFO, been cleaning the skimmer every three days (and it not even that dirty) and when I tested my water my nitrAtes were still high (although definately lower than they were becuase the test does not come back extremely dark purple), now between 30 and 40 on the SeaChem test kit....my question is do they take a while to continuously get lower? Or is there still something wrong? I now get a brown algae on my sand and top rocks...I tested my RO/DI water with a TDS meter and came back at 002..one LFS had told me that it could be my sand bed which is about 31/2 to 4 inches...could that be it? should I take it out? Thanks!

 

[Awibrandy]

shark32, simple answer. Yes, it takes time to bring the nitrates back down. Remember the nitrates did not appear over night, so they are not going to go away over night either. Besides, I'm sure you've heard the saying many times: "Nothing good happens quickly in the reefing hobby".
If you continue what you are doing now I can promise you they will go away as you continue to remove them with your maintenance schedule. Thank God you don't have corals yet.
BTW, your tank is coming along nicely!! Also, I have seen so many tanks way worse then your's was in the beginning of your thread.
Stay patient, and positive, and you & your tank will pull through with flying colors.

 

[thirty5]

I would not take out your sand... The Nitrates may be in your sand, but they will come out with maintenance. Just keep up the good work and stay on top of it. You will find that once you get it "running" the way that you want, it almost takes care of itself with regular maintenance.

 

[shark32]

Thanks Awibrandy and thrity5,
Awibrandy--I did not think along those lines that they did not appear overnight, so why would they disappear as quickly..thanks for that insight... I will definately continue with my strict maintenance and hopefully by the end of the year, I will be back on track...
Thanks guys!!

 

[mbg75]

It will take some time. But sounds like your nitrates are half of what they were. Pretty good!
Get that skimmer dialed in, should be pulling nasty stuff out.
Maybe someone here with the same skimmer can give you an idea where theirs is set at

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[shark32]

I just ordered a mag 5 pump for my skimmer, it originally came with a mag 3...when you say 'dial in' do you mean the height of the collection cup? I never changed anything else with the skimmer....I feel a lot better knowing that it takes awhile for the nitrAtes to go way down... I thought I was still doing something wrong.. Thanks again to all who helped!!