Help!

[ironman58]

I'm at my wit's end-I have high nitrate levels between 40-80 ppm and no matter what I try,I can't seem to get it down. I changed the substrate to sand and got rid of the coral-there was a lot of waste deep down in the old stuff. I read that sandbeds are better for managing nitrates, anyway, I have been changing the water once-twice a day, using strictly RO/RI water. I bought some Amquel plus which is supposed to lower nitrates, ammonia, etc. I have a flame angel, spotted blenny, Blue hippo tang, 2 clownfish and a yellow tang, with a sea hare, sally lightfoot crab tuxedo urchin and a long-spined sea urchin in a 48-gallon bowfront with a refugium. I have about 4 inches of sand in the refugium and about 2 inches in the display tank. I have live rock and the tank's been set up for just over 5 months now. All the corals I bought either died or are dying. It's only been 4 days since I changed over from coral to sand and my last couple of tests seemed to show a slight decline (between 30-40 ppm). I don't want to replace or buy any more corals until the levels are at LEAST < 1 ppm. Is there any hope for the remaining corals? I had a bubble coral that has a couple of tiny bubbles left, and a brain coral that has a little bit of green left..I'm just gonna leave them alone for now..Any help/ideas/suggestions would be REALLY appreciated!

 

[gwhiz]

We need more info before we can help.

Are you sure nitrates are the problem with your corals? What are the other levels? How much live rock in the tank?

What filtration and flow? Anything in the fuge other than sand?

How much and how often are you feeding the fish?

Do you have a friend who can hold the corals while you sort out the issues with your tank?

It's going to take a while before the bacteria builds up in the new sand...you're essentially recycling the tank.

 

[ironman58]

Gwhiz;181466 wrote: We need more info before we can help.

Are you sure nitrates are the problem with your corals? What are the other levels? How much live rock in the tank?

What filtration and flow? Anything in the fuge other than sand?

How much and how often are you feeding the fish?

Do you have a friend who can hold the corals while you sort out the issues with your tank?

It's going to take a while before the bacteria builds up in the new sand...you're essentially recycling the tank.

I checked the other levels and they're all perfect. Ammonia at 0.0, nitrite at .25, pH at 8.2..I have about 30 lbs of live rock-In the fuge I have some caulerpa, I have 3 pumps that I have on a wave maker. Should I continue to change the water everyday? Im changing 5 gallons a day...THANKS!!!

 

[theplatypus]

nitrite at .25

That isn't good.

 

[drnecropolis]

That's what I was about to say, any sign of Nitrite is far from perfect...

 

[ralph atl]

here you go:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm</a>

[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php</a>


while you are at it, you might as well start looking at phosphates, too!


<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Phosphate reduction/ removal and high trates could be the answer. If you cannot get a fuge or sump (you can maybe make a "rubbermaid sump with chaeto in it for a few bucks) you can get a $35.00 hangon phosphate reactor for your tank and put some Phosar HC in there (or other). In the future, you'll most likely need a refugium with Macro algae. At first you’ll need to change your Iron based media in the phosphate reactor more often. Your media will get saturated in 2 weeks or so depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD Merck, Hack, Elos, or colormeter or send to AWT. If you already have a fuge & reactor, be aggressive & change the media every 2 weeks.</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">when you do your water change, take the end of the hose and suck all the algae down like a vaccum. It'll take a few water changes, but it works (especially after the phosphate remover kicks in)</span></span>

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, or whatever. </span></span>

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">check out:</span></span>
[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0000ff;">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</span></span></span></a>


[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0000ff;">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm</span></span></span></a>


[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0000ff;">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</span></span></span></a>


[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0000ff;">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php</span></span></span></a>


[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #800080;">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm</span></span></span></a>

 

[reefage518]

what are you testing with? i was using api and it always read between 40 and 60. everything seemed healthy to me. so then i went up to einstein aquatics and had it tested by an elos test kit. it barely changed from clear water. i think api sucks.

 

[etoh_is_good]

i wonder if you have enough live rock. also how long did you let your tank initially cycle before you started adding everything. having two tangs in small tanks is going to create some problems with the amount of feedings needed. you may want someone to babysit the corals in their tanks while you get your biocycle dialed in.

 

[dannybradley]

reefage518;181488 wrote: i think api sucks.

I've used API extensively, along with Tetra and Seachem. All have proved to be equally accurate. 99% of the problems with testing has to do with user error.

 

[ralph atl]

dawgdude;181506 wrote: IMO you dont have nearly enough rock in there to keep up with the bioload you have. Also you might want to consider a larger tank since a 46 bowfront is NOT large enough for tangs. They swim miles a day and really need a min of a 4 foot tank and 75 gallons. You can also sell them on here if you dont want to upgrade tanks but just realize the fish you have are not suited for a tank your size. A baby tang will need to swim just as much as a larger tang so the misconception that small tangs are ok for a small tank isnt true.

Now you say you replaced your substrate. When did you do this and how did you do it? I think that part of your problem is the fact that you stirred up your substrate and caused your tank to recycle itself.

after reading the initial thread more closely, I would concure with dawgdude.

 

[ralph atl]

reefage518;181488 wrote: i think api sucks.

I agree. Those kits suck for the most part, IMO. Elos is much, much better. I like API's alk, however. I find it 1 point higher in DKH, but it is very simple, easy, & consistent.

 

[ralph atl]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1127554&perpage=25&pagenumber=4">http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1127554&perpage=25&pagenumber=4</a>

some good info on test kits. However, Elos wasn't really being used at the time. For Hobby kits, they are awesome.

 

[ironman58]

Well I had the water tested this aftrnoon-It's either the test kit or user error cuz according to Optimum aquarium, everything's fine, except the nitrites are a hair high. The nitrate level was below 20 ppm. SO I'll wait and see...