Water Testing

[OneTimer]

I usually have my store test my water and tested it for the first time. My tank is five weeks old. 14 gal biocube- white light 8 hours a day blue light 5 hours a day.

It contains

Sm Xenia
Red and white sponge - seems ok
Mean Green
Bubble Anemone
Cordy Anemone
Sun Coral- Don't know if it alive i have only watched it eat once
Mushroom
Eurchin
6 snails
6 hermitt crabs
3 Damsels

My water tested at 0.0 Ammonia, 8.0 PH, .15 nitrite and 31/ 1.023 ppl salinity.

Problem is I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Were can i find this information. Should I do water change of 3 gal. Etc.

Any advise is appreciated

 

[Chongpark27]

Hope this link helps http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

 

[SevTT]

I usually have my store test my water and tested it for the first time. My tank is five weeks old. 14 gal biocube- white light 8 hours a day blue light 5 hours a day.

It contains

Sm Xenia
Red and white sponge - seems ok
Mean Green
Bubble Anemone
Cordy Anemone
Sun Coral- Don't know if it alive i have only watched it eat once
Mushroom
Eurchin
6 snails
6 hermitt crabs
3 Damsels

My water tested at 0.0 Ammonia, 8.0 PH, .15 nitrite and 31/ 1.023 ppl salinity.

Problem is I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Were can i find this information. Should I do water change of 3 gal. Etc.

Your tank is massively overstocked and too young for what you've got in it -- and this is from someone who's impatient and pushed the limits himself. And keep in mind that those anemones will sting the crap out of eachother and anything else they come in contact with if they decide to wander in your very small tank. Are you feeding the sun coral regularly? These need feeding like 2x/day to survive, particularly in a tank as small and young as that. What about the anemones? Just feeding everything that needs feeding here means putting a whole LOT of food into a small system.

Quick fix: Regular water changes. Get a HOB sump filled with chaeto or one of the less noxious caulerpas and let it export nutes. Actually, since you really need bulk uptake, I'd go with the caulerpa and 24/7 illumination on the sump. Ditch an anemone, and start feeding the sun coral. Actually, give the sun coral to someone who knows how to take care of it and has a system capable of keeping it alive.

Real fix: Do research before you drop a whole lot of money on a set-up and critters so that you don't have to spend even more money fixing problems and replacing dead livestock. Your livestock/feeding loads should give you no detectable nitrites.

You've also got your lighting cycle weirded up. Usually you do blues longer than daylights, ((redacted 'cause I misread. Sorry. ))

How much live rock/sand have you got?

 

[jrobbins]

uh...nice to see you are taking it slow and researching before you put stuff in the tank...

I usually have my store test my water and tested it for the first time. My tank is five weeks old. 14 gal biocube- white light 8 hours a day blue light 5 hours a day.

It contains

Sm Xenia
Red and white sponge - seems ok
Mean Green
Bubble Anemone
Cordy Anemone
Sun Coral- Don't know if it alive i have only watched it eat once
Mushroom
Eurchin
6 snails
6 hermitt crabs
3 Damsels

My water tested at 0.0 Ammonia, 8.0 PH, .15 nitrite and 31/ 1.023 ppl salinity.

Problem is I'm not sure if this is good or bad. Were can i find this information. Should I do water change of 3 gal. Etc.

Any advise is appreciated

 

[CHEMCHEF]

Why does everybody have to be such a D***. The guy is asking for advice. The damage is done, so give him advice or Shut Up. This is how most people learn, Unfortunatly

Advice:
I would do 2. 3 Gal. water changes a week until tank levels out. Your goal is 0 readings on everything. Things will come around for you. It is not the end of the world.
I however would not have 2 anenomes in a tank that small.
Start running Chemi Pure Elite and Purigen as soon as you can. JMO

uh...nice to see you are taking it slow and researching before you put stuff in the tank...

 

[MTJ]

+1 on the water changes. Even after it levels out, I would make sure to do frequent water changes due to the bioload.

 

[Imbarrie]

You should start frequent water changes with RO/DI water.
In my 12g nano I change 2-3 gallons every week.

And I think your light cycle is backwards. Run blues longer than whites.

I agree that you should consider letting the sun coral go until you have more experience.

I also agree your bio load has been accelerated for the age of your tank.

I am going to add a sump to mine so I can get some volumetric efficiency before adding anything more to my pod. Then get a fuge area and maybe add a protein skimmer later. That should help alleviate the livestock to water volume ratio.

 

[OneTimer]

Thanks

I appreciate everyones help and/or opinion. I do weekly water changes and did ditch the Anemones. I might add that why the list of items appears daunting the corals are small in size and appear to be doing well. But I do appreciate all your insight to the hobby. I added some pictures of my reef tank
"RFD Reef" so take look and your advice is always welcome.

Rich

 

[Dre]

i usually have my store test my water and tested it for the first time. My tank is five weeks old. 14 gal biocube- white light 8 hours a day blue light 5 hours a day.

It contains

sm xenia
red and white sponge - seems ok
mean green
bubble anemone
cordy anemone
sun coral- don't know if it alive i have only watched it eat once
mushroom
eurchin
6 snails
6 hermitt crabs
3 damsels

[my water tested at 0.0 ammonia, 8.0 ph, .15 nitrite and 31/ 1.023 ppl salinity.]

problem is i'm not sure if this is good or bad. Were can i find this information. Should i do water change of 3 gal. Etc.

Any advise is appreciated

Test for nitrate as well.

 

[Master Shake]

nitrite is very bad. test calcium, that is too small of a tank for a sponge, you have to at least feed it phyto and never let it touch the air. and have the actinic lights on longer than the white day light that is what the corals need.

 

[jerl77]

CHEMCHEF for President of the United States !!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE WHEN YOU STAND UP AND TALK FOLLOW CHEMCHEF ADVISE IT WORKS

Why does everybody have to be such a D***. The guy is asking for advice. The damage is done, so give him advice or Shut Up. This is how most people learn, Unfortunatly

Advice:
I would do 2. 3 Gal. water changes a week until tank levels out. Your goal is 0 readings on everything. Things will come around for you. It is not the end of the world.
I however would not have 2 anenomes in a tank that small.
Start running Chemi Pure Elite and Purigen as soon as you can. JMO