Nitrates and tank updates.

[Joshifer]

Hi people. Who missed me? Lol.

 

Ok soooooo. Nitrates are 40 and won't budge.

I feed once a day small amounts. I actually target feed with basters and syringes. One day frozen brine. Next day some little pellets Steve reccomended. One day instant ocean flakes.

Stock is 2 clowns. 1 kupang damsel (their actually hitting it off well no fights at all) and one green clown goby. Gift from Kim ^_^ and alot of itty bitty hermits and one big tiger something snail. Since adding my purple algae looks lighter. Idk if its him or my lighting.

 

I did water changes. Skimmers running 24/7 nitrates won't budge. I modded that aquaclear last week I never had time to go get some chaeto. Might pop in QR later on my way to church and grab some.

 

Would chaeto + Xenia + skimmer be over kill? I'm not getting Xenia for nutrient export I actually love them. The silver tips and pulsing <3 I didn't get any Xenia yet. My GSP and Kenya's are doing well. Clowns are happy. My first clown became huge over night. I mean literally I woke up and went to feed and noticed she's huge since adding the 2nd. Their happy little pigs. Kupang is out and about. Clown goby hangs out in kenya "forest" at least he's visible now lol.

 

So back to my original question. Is chaeto Xenia and skimmer over kill? Another question for the road. Is running skimmer 24/7 bad? I could set it to a timer. Or just unplug. Or am I worried about nothing and 40 is ok?

 

Oh! As everyone knows I use that water vendor from walmart. Well on the 27th I caught a guy servicing it. Supposedly around the time I began filling my tank almost a month ago his chart was 0 TDS. And now it's 6 TDS. But a day before I caught him and began bugging him I used about 5 gallons of it for a water change. Is 6 high? Since I've been using that vendor the manager told me theirs been a increase in sales. People see me refilling jugs every time I'm there and started doing it. So that's probably the cause of the TDS rising.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Joshifer

[jimlin]

i dont see a problem with that. i run my skimmer 24-7, i would also leave the chaeto light on 24-7 until nitrates go down. in my experience detritus and other stuff gets trapped on the chaeto which creates higher nitrates. i typically take it all out and clean the chaeto in a bucket of dirty water during water change. i dont think xenias do much as far as nutrient export, but they do look pretty.

[Joshifer]

i dont see a problem with that. i run my skimmer 24-7, i would also leave the chaeto light on 24-7 until nitrates go down. in my experience detritus and other stuff gets trapped on the chaeto which creates higher nitrates. i typically take it all out and clean the chaeto in a bucket of dirty water during water change. i dont think xenias do much as far as nutrient export, but they do look pretty.

I modded a ac70 into a fuge. Just haven't used it yet. And rinsing would be no problem really. And yes I love Xenia. I can't find any tho.

[jimlin]

a bunch of people in the club have chaeto, just coordinate pickup during the next meeting.

[lnevo]

thats a bit on the high side...but i would recommend a better test kit (if you are using API) and have that measurement double checked...Also sounds like your feeding a lot... flakes are very high in nitrates...but it could also be the CL rock you have...

[Joshifer]

thats a bit on the high side...but i would recommend a better test kit (if you are using API) and have that measurement double checked...Also sounds like your feeding a lot... flakes are very high in nitrates...but it could also be the CL rock you have...

Once a day is alot? Ill stop the flakes then. I'm using api. I could take a sample in to QR and see how far off my kit is and go from there.

So should I feed every other day? I never use a whole cube. Just target with a baster and toss the left overs. Like yesterday I fed brine. Today a small pinch of pellets. They never even hit the floor. Or even sink for that matter their gone instantly lol

[lnevo]

You just have to fish right? You can get by once a day but i'd chop that cube into quarters and every other day is ok for feeding. Flakes are good when you are in a rush. I highly recommend staying away from API. I had two nitrate kits from them. One came with the regular marine kit and the other with the pro kit. Both registered 0 for me...guess what. I was up to 80ppm. That was my first mini crash. Lost a bunch of sps :(

[Orion]

Before you take any drastic measures, test your water with a different kit to verify what is going on.

[hawkfish01]

I suggest salifert or red sea..i use salifert myself..any but api but if all you have..8/

[Paulcosta]

I would try another test kit...I used API and thought my water parameters were on point and they were far that. I took a sample into QR and realized that API is junk. Steve and Vince recommended Seachem Multitest. It works great!!!

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

And before.., your tank was completely cycled? I.m wondering , if it is not all the way yet, I agree with above, limit feeding.

And do you got good flow, with No. Dead spots?

[Joshifer]

And before.., your tank was completely cycled? I.m wondering , if it is not all the way yet, I agree with above, limit feeding.

And do you got good flow, with No. Dead spots?

Tank cycled. Was gonna let it sit an extra week but had an accident. I have my test records. Nirate was 20 with the clown alone. And it went to 40 these past few days with 2 clowns kupang and clown goby. I'm feeding once a day very small amounts. I don't know my exact flow rate but I have decent flow. And hidden behind rocks I have some small pumps. Maybe their making the nirate?

[Joshifer]

Tank cycled. Was gonna let it sit an extra week but had an accident. I have my test records. Nirate was 20 with the clown alone. And it went to 40 these past few days with 2 clowns kupang and clown goby. I'm feeding once a day very small amounts. I don't know my exact flow rate but I have decent flow. And hidden behind rocks I have some small pumps. Maybe their making the nirate?

I'm dosing prime every 48 hours to be sure. I don't want them getting poisoned. Need to take my water to QR ASAP

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

I think you just gotta change your water, and be patient. Stop putting stuff in, and let your system catch back up. Water changes... And limit feeding.

Your tank has to adjust to it.s new bio-load.

[Joshifer]

I think you just gotta change your water, and be patient. Stop putting stuff in, and let your system catch back up. Water changes... And limit feeding.

Your tank has to adjust to it.s new bio-load.

I do 5 gallons every Saturday. This Saturday I did 10. And removed old filters and sponges.

[Joshifer]

I think you just gotta change your water, and be patient. Stop putting stuff in, and let your system catch back up. Water changes... And limit feeding.

Your tank has to adjust to it.s new bio-load.

So no to chaeto? I turned ac70 into a hob fuge. Didn't get chaeto yet was working on getting a good light first.

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

Running Carbon, right?

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

Yes. Macro algea is Always a good thing. Get it, and grow it. Lol.

[Joshifer]

Running Carbon, right?

I removed it last week as I read filter media is a nirate factory. Ac70 is running empty. Rubble inside waiting on chaeto

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

Also, can't hurt to also run some carbon filtration of some kind to help with dealing with the Bio.Load. So are you not running Any Carbon at all?

Edited September 30, 2013 by TheyCallMeMr.703

[Joshifer]

Also, can't hurt to also run some carbon filtration of some kind to help with dealing with the Bio.Load

How's about some carbon in a nylon sock and stick it in the ac70 with rubble and chaeto. And I can switch it out every once and a while that way it doesn't build up nitrates. And I don't have carbon running all the time. As I was advised not to always have carbon

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

Couldn't. Hurt to run atm , but yes, don.t depend on it. But from all this and more. Sounds like...

 

Re.test and make sure your test kit is accurate, water changes. Cheato. And maybe a lil bit of carbon to help. But let your system catch up to itself...

[jimlin]

I removed it last week as I read filter media is a nirate factory. Ac70 is running empty. Rubble inside waiting on chaeto

depends on what type of media. chaeto can be a nitrate factory too if you dont regularly clean it. i think you will be fine running carbon.

[treesprite]

I would try another test kit...I used API and thought my water parameters were on point and they were far that. I took a sample into QR and realized that API is junk. Steve and Vince recommended Seachem Multitest. It works great!!!

 

+1 on Seachem!

 

It's neat that you did the AC mod. I'd like to hear how it works out once established.

[gmerek2]

Your tank is somewhat new. The older it gets, the more "stuff" that grows to help lower nitrates. Microscopic bacteria. Algae on rocks, sand etc Others please help or correct me if I'm wrong I'm new too. The older my tank gets the more my nitrates go down they are finally 0. I did it with mainly PATIENCE with aging, more lighting to get dark spots growing algae, water changes and adding a nice sized refugium. Until 6 months from now.....you must do 20% water changes frequently no slacking. There is no other POSSIBLE way to reduce until your tank is aged like a fine wine. Wish I could speed aging of wine or fish tanks I'd be rich. I'm not yelling the capital letters are for importantce the other suggestions are also great i wont repeat. +2 love this site