Yeah-I've read some on that-I thought the flow should be slower over the RDSB, though-maybe I'm wrong there--, but I heard it does tremendous things-I thought about plumbing a rubbermaid container, but don't have the room at this house--
Very high nitrates in established reef; need advice
- Thread starter shaffer
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Yeah-I've read some on that-I thought the flow should be slower over the RDSB, though-maybe I'm wrong there--, but I heard it does tremendous things-I thought about plumbing a rubbermaid container, but don't have the room at this house--
First I would make sure the test kit is reading right, like said before. Then when you know your test kit is correct, test the new saltwater before the water change. Then go buy a couple more bags of sand. One inch is not really enough to remove nitrates shoot for two inches or more. When you do the water change try to clean some of your current gravel, just don't go really crazy with it. The new skimmer will also work wonders.
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Ummm just make sure you stay out of the 2"-3" range. You do not want a sand bed at 2-3". SO either go more 4" or go less 1 1/2". And be carefule adding sand to an established sand bed.
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I have some cheto as well... I just threw out a Kroger bag full the other day, full of bristles too, little buggers tore my hands up
Ya when your tank starts accumulating nitrates then you have to much bioload. If your tank has proper filtration and live rock/sand you should be able to process the waste your tank produces all the way through the nitrogen cycle (meaning back to nitrogen gas) and have little to no nitrate accumulation.
If you are accumulating nitrates then to much waste is being produced for the bacterial denirtators to handle!
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I would add a macro algae filter to your sump asap you can pick up cheap screw in florescent spot lights at home depot.
I run mine on a reverse photo period with the lights over my sump coming on at night.
My tank is a 75 gallon sps/mixed reef with a high fish load:
Yellow tang
2x maroon clowns
bangai cardinal
vanderbilt's chromis
Cherub angel
clown goby
2x cleaner shrimp
six line wrasse
I use a deep sand bed and a macro/mangrove filter with no protein skimmer
I do a five gallon water change every month or two. I stopped testing for nitrates because They never showed up on the salifert kit that I used.
I would recommend a 50% water change using ro/di water and a good salt mix. Stop using all the nitrate sponge's/chemical cures because it sounds like thats whats killing your xenia/zoa's, and replace it with a whole bunch of high quality carbon( to clean your water up)
Also double check your salinity,Alk, Cal, and Temp.
Good luck and if you want some macro algae or some more xenia I give both away all the time.
-Merlin
I run mine on a reverse photo period with the lights over my sump coming on at night.
My tank is a 75 gallon sps/mixed reef with a high fish load:
Yellow tang
2x maroon clowns
bangai cardinal
vanderbilt's chromis
Cherub angel
clown goby
2x cleaner shrimp
six line wrasse
I use a deep sand bed and a macro/mangrove filter with no protein skimmer
I do a five gallon water change every month or two. I stopped testing for nitrates because They never showed up on the salifert kit that I used.
I would recommend a 50% water change using ro/di water and a good salt mix. Stop using all the nitrate sponge's/chemical cures because it sounds like thats whats killing your xenia/zoa's, and replace it with a whole bunch of high quality carbon( to clean your water up)
Also double check your salinity,Alk, Cal, and Temp.
Good luck and if you want some macro algae or some more xenia I give both away all the time.
-Merlin
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you can add rock & rubble where the bioballs were. 90 pounds of live rock is not enough in your case. Adding a larger fuge, an additional sand bed, & upgrading a skimmer are all good choices. Continue with 2 x weekly water changes. Figure out which fish your going to sell. You can have that number of fish in a 90 (even that's pushing it), except that almost all your fish are giants. If they were all Gobi's you'd be fine.
Once you get your nitrates down to around 60 or so, then you can try some longterm husbandry, carbon, &/or systems to lower it down the rest of the way. Examples: Sulfur identifier, AZ-NO3, Zeo, etc.
Once you get your nitrates down to around 60 or so, then you can try some longterm husbandry, carbon, &/or systems to lower it down the rest of the way. Examples: Sulfur identifier, AZ-NO3, Zeo, etc.
Calireefer, how deep is your sand bed?
I was just in Decatur this morning!
What I need to figure out is how to keep the chaeto out of the ASM skimmer. I plan on getting the skimmer in about a week. Problem is that skimmer is going to consuemr a large amount of space in the wet/dry. Assuming the chaeto needs to be fully submersed, the only spot to put it is in the same location as the skimmer. Not sure how I can keep the chaeto from getting all sorts of tangled up in the skimmer intake.
I was just in Decatur this morning!
What I need to figure out is how to keep the chaeto out of the ASM skimmer. I plan on getting the skimmer in about a week. Problem is that skimmer is going to consuemr a large amount of space in the wet/dry. Assuming the chaeto needs to be fully submersed, the only spot to put it is in the same location as the skimmer. Not sure how I can keep the chaeto from getting all sorts of tangled up in the skimmer intake.
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My sand bed ranges from 3-5in of fine sand, not sugar sand, but one grade up. Also make sure its argonite so you get the buffering capabilities as well as the denitrifying.
As far as the macro algae filter. Try and construct a baffle, to keep it out of your skimmer. I used acrylic from home depot to make some baffles in my sump. I used silicone, which does not stick to acrylic very well, but its not critical that it holds water and mine has stayed in place for almost 1 1/2 years.
I'm using three types of Caulerpa, Red Graciliara and Chaeto. I throw away a large bag of this every month so if your down in Decatur again let me know and I'll hook you up.
As far as the macro algae filter. Try and construct a baffle, to keep it out of your skimmer. I used acrylic from home depot to make some baffles in my sump. I used silicone, which does not stick to acrylic very well, but its not critical that it holds water and mine has stayed in place for almost 1 1/2 years.
I'm using three types of Caulerpa, Red Graciliara and Chaeto. I throw away a large bag of this every month so if your down in Decatur again let me know and I'll hook you up.
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There are a lot of ways to handle that. You can just get a 5-10 gallon bucket with some egg crate & a light. You can separate some of you sump, maybe where the bio balls were or underneath them. You can get an add-on cpr aquafuge that hangs on the back, blah, blah, blah.........
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I read this thread with interest as this ia a common problem I hear about. I have a 220 mixed reef with 6 tangs (Indo Sailfin, Kole, Powder Brown,Large Achilles, Large Sohal, Larger 8" Regal) among many other smaller fish. I NEVER have had a NO3 reading in my tank. I did not see what your water change schedule was prior to this problem. I feel the reason I have never had NO3 is due to the fact that I have ALWAYS changed 10 pecent every 2 weeks since the tank was set up. Once Nitrates are up it is hard to get back in front of them with partial changes. One can do massive (75-80 percent ) changes but this shocks the animals more than the Nitrates are already doing. I would also consider checking the system for copper. It seems strange that the corals are suffering as well as the inverts. You may have inadvertently added copper by adding fish store water from fish purchases or it has accumulated to intolerable levels by a new fish here and another one there. Most LFS run copper in their fish systems as a preventative measure. Good luck and keep on changing the water, Also, put rubble in that sump and add some more to the tank. That skimmer is going to help as well.
Question. Should I wait until the nitrates go down before buying a cleaner crew? I really need to pick up some inverts to keep the sand and rock clean. I found what I believe to be a pretty good price for a cleaner package on aquacon.com for $169.
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Hope you did not add all that 40 lbs to the base at once. Adding any more then 1/4" at a time can cause real problems.
