My Rough Start - Pics - Page 2

capn_hylinur · #26 09/15/2007, 08:03 PM

your parameters are good--but I would try to aim for .026 in the salinity.

You could easily change that section for the wet dry into a mini refugium---put in some cheato algae --and that will help address your nitrate problem.
If your not up to that I would not run any of that filter medium in there at all---with a skimmer you do not need it and it is becoming a nitrogen trap.

VahanM · #27 09/30/2007, 01:15 PM

Just a little update...

I finally bought some new API test kits because I had a feeling the Tetratest kits were inaccurate and I was right.

Here are my current readings:

Temperature = 80°
Specific Gravity = 1.025
PH = 8.3
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = Through the roof (160!!)

I noticed this 2 weeks ago and did a 20% water change. I thought there might have been something decaying so I added 3 serpeant stars hoping they'll get in there and take care of it.

My Nitrates are still very high. I don't understand what the problem can be. I know bio balls cause high nitrates but this high?

The only thing I can think of that might be causing this is one of my rocks. I had purchased about 35 lbs of live rock and one day the guy at the fish store showed me a rock that had been sitting on the shelf for months. It was dry and he said all I had to do was put it in my tank and it should be fine. I did what he said and there was all kinds of dust and debris that came out. I realized that I probably should have washed and scrubbed it down before putting it in my tank. If you look at the pictures, it's the huge rock on the right side sitting on the sandbed with the big hole that my yellow tang is in.

Is it possible for that to cause high nitrates?

Any ideas?

dattong · #28 09/30/2007, 05:32 PM

I don't see any coral in your tank, so you don't need to worry about high nitrates. Your tank is new, just give it time to balance itself. Everything in the tank becomes live eventually if you seed your tank with some scoops of live sand, and that will help lower your nitrates. For the bio balls, If you decide to keep them, just keep them under the water. Good luck

Devin Frazee · #29 10/12/2007, 11:28 AM

I have had a 55 gal. uniquarium for 5 years. I have L R with fish and corals (Zoos, SPS, Grogornians and feathers). Remember stay small. Gobies, anthias chromis any non agressive community fish (I have 21 fish). Add macro algae (maidens hair , shaving brush) in the display area it looks good and helps nitrate.I have upgrade my sump pump to a rio hyperflow that I actually have to turn down. I upgraded my skimmer pump also. I have a split return inside the tank to mix up the flow. I added a uv sterilizer across the Back. I added a JBJ 1/15 hp chiller that has been the best money spent (Temp. 77 degs.). Make sure you keep you bio balls clean to avoid nitrate. I use some prefilter material that I clean several times a week that helps keep the bios clean. I would suggest adding L R rubble up to the water level in the wet dry and top it with you bio balls for oxygenation (throw a cleaner crew in the back). I bought a orbit light hood power compact light but now they have the metal halide combos (excellent). I do a 5 gal. water change every week and add calcium and mixed suplements on wed. and sat.

VahanM · #30 10/12/2007, 12:13 PM

How do I go about cleaning the bio balls?

GoingPostal · #31 10/12/2007, 12:44 PM

Take out some 10-20% and rinse in clean saltwater, don't do all at once as they are holding a lot of good bacteria. You can also just remove that amount every week too, keep doing large water changes if your levels aren't dropping at all I would buy yet another test kit to make sure.

VahanM · #32 10/12/2007, 01:08 PM

If I decide to remove them completely which is what most people suggest, what should I do with them? How should I store them? Are they completely useless?

SABOB · #33 10/12/2007, 01:10 PM

Take a water sample to your LFS to test for Nitrates.I had similar problem with the API test kit.Freaked out until it was suggested to have LFS test for Nitrates.Their test showed 10,so I bought a separate Nitrate kit.API Nitrate tets are known to be way off sometimes.

techigirl78 · #34 10/12/2007, 03:00 PM

I would take a water sample to the LFS as well. It would be surprising to me to believe that the starfish, snails, and serpents are surviving with nitrates at 160.

payyourtoll · #35 10/12/2007, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by VahanM
If I decide to remove them completely which is what most people suggest, what should I do with them? How should I store them? Are they completely useless?

Hi Vahan, as others have said, nice looking tank overall. rockwork looks nice. The one picture of the yellow tang makes him look very bleached, not sure if this is something to worry about or just a bad pic.

Regarding your bioballs, get rid of em. Add a filter element of some kind if you can (ie filter sock, even the smaller ones). Do not remove the bio balls all at once if you decide to remove them. Remove only a small portion each week until they are gone completely. I set up my tank with bio balls and did all the reading I could about them, as many were telling me to dump them. My research has led to the above advice, so take it for what it is!

good luck

moo0o · #36 10/12/2007, 03:31 PM

thats a pretty nice looking tank. i agree with what the other folks have to say. the LFS didnt screw you over much at all. everything is fine for a fish only tank. the nitrates might be because of your bioballs, but it almost might be because your tank is still kinda young. again, nice tank btw.

Devin Frazee · #37 10/12/2007, 04:09 PM

I know everyone says take the bio balls out but they do create a huge oxygen transference area. the bioballs help givie you arobic and anarobic bactreia balance. So half L R on the bottom and half Bio ball on top is a good tradeoff. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. Just take the bio balls out and rinse the in salt water and put em back. every 6 weeks. The pefilter in the fists stage helps alot. The bio balls are only a problem when you let them get dirty as with any flter.

VahanM · #38 10/12/2007, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by payyourtoll
Hi Vahan, as others have said, nice looking tank overall. rockwork looks nice. The one picture of the yellow tang makes him look very bleached, not sure if this is something to worry about or just a bad pic.

Regarding your bioballs, get rid of em. Add a filter element of some kind if you can (ie filter sock, even the smaller ones). Do not remove the bio balls all at once if you decide to remove them. Remove only a small portion each week until they are gone completely. I set up my tank with bio balls and did all the reading I could about them, as many were telling me to dump them. My research has led to the above advice, so take it for what it is!

good luck

Thanks!

I do have a prefilter and I'm running carbon in there as well. I'll take the bio balls out a little at a time.

Sorry to keep asking the same question but what should I do with the bio balls after I remove them? How should I store them?

Thanks for all the help guys.

Devin Frazee · #39 10/12/2007, 04:43 PM

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