Nitrate - Dead Shrimp and Lighting QUestion

[Iriejedi]

Hi RS friends -

Three quick questions- I have made a cardinal sin of putting what I was told to be cured live rock in to my tank - I mean it was colorful but a nitrate spike is under way and a water change clued my into something new - when even a small piece of the new stuff was exposed... it STUNK! I've exposed live rock with a water change before and have not niticed the smell. I can only assume it needs some additioon curing - but too late it is in the tank. It was about 40 lbs added to a 180 gallon tank that already had 250-300 lbs of rock. The tank is about 5 years old - well established.

So nitrate spike to the 20-30 range I did 2 30% water changes over two days. Brought Nitrate back to about 10ppm (Ammonia is 0.25ppm) and Nitrite is 0 ppm.

Added some fresh bacteria (Cycle and stresszyme)

Question 1 - is this just a matter of water changes ever 3 days for a while or should I be more concerned? I'm used to Nitrates at or near zero.

Question 2 - all 6 of my cleaner shrimp died rather suddenly - (salienity/temp stress)? No other fish problems - coral bandit and emerald crabs seem ok.

Question 3 - About 6 months ago I switch to 14k HQI bulbs - while I like the color I see less coraline algea on the walls (that I do not clean) - should I go back to 10k halides (3X150W HQI) (+ current 5 X 65 watt atinic PC bulbs)?

Thank you for your input/advice. Been a LONG time since I have had a minor crisis.

George

 

[RazerCorals]

What kind of skimmer/filtration do you have? If so run it extremely wet.

 

[Iriejedi]

What kind of skimmer/filtration do you have? If so run it extremely wet.

30 gallon sump with typical ventury skimmer - Fluval 404 with 3 chambers of ceremic porous chunks and 1 chamber of nitrate sorb. The rest is all that live rock and 4 X 802 power heads. A phosphate reactor (now also filled with Nitrate absorbing material) (clear plastic tube with material in it)

What do you mean run extremely wet?

Is that with the water level VERY close to top to get tons of water/foam out?

Thank you for any advice.

G

 

[blue_eyes53813]

I think the stresszyme will help alot... All you can really do is waite it out. I would do a once a week water change until it comes down.

When was the last time you vaccumed on the sand bed? You only want to stir up the very top 1/2 inch or so. Could there be alot of gunk on the bottom of the tank from the liverock?

I would even run some carbon in a filter for awhile....

 

[Woodstock]

"Extremely wet" refers to adjusting your skimmer so that the skimmate is thin and clear (not thick and brown). This will create alot more skimmate so be prepared to empty the cup more often.

 

[Iriejedi]

"Extremely wet" refers to adjusting your skimmer so that the skimmate is thin and clear (not thick and brown). This will create alot more skimmate so be prepared to empty the cup more often.

Thank you all.

I guess patients and Nitromax Marine is a virtue of a jedi.

I did a fairly good cleaning of the sand bed of course that is limited to the area in front of all that rock. And another 20% water change. I'll check in the AM how the nitrate is doing. But with ammonia at near zero (0.25ppm) and NitrIte at 0.00ppm - I've gained some hope this minor bump in an otherwise sooth road will pass. So I'm out $150 in cleaner shrimp - but in the big picture that is worth getting over. Considering that my best man in my wedding dies without notice last week-a few shrimp is hardly tear jerking.

I'll keep you posted on my nitrate concerns - I hope the worst has passed. Thank you for your input.

Anyone still care to comment on 14K 150W HQI bulbs vs 10k bulbs? I feel 10K was much better for coraline algea. So I am switching back. I still have 5 X 65 Watt Atinic bulbs.

IJ

 

[Witfull]

the thing with lots of coraline,,it sucks calcium ALK and Mag out of the water quickly, so a slowdown might not be a bad thing. also, how long ago was the change, it needs time to adjust to new perameters.

 

[Iriejedi]

the thing with lots of coraline,,it sucks calcium ALK and Mag out of the water quickly, so a slowdown might not be a bad thing. also, how long ago was the change, it needs time to adjust to new perameters.

10k to 14k switch was around last August.

So far I have almost 4 years with nothing but good growth of corals as well as coraline. But I noticed they all slowed down with the 14k bulbs.

This is the first hickup in a long time. Another round of water changes and a few good 'snifffs' of the rocks and they do smell more like the ocean and less like a swamp.

I also did a really good vaccume of the accessable sand bed. Yummy. Hopefully in a week or so all the corals will recover. They are 'ok' now but definitely not in their normal happy space.

Nitrate this morning was around 5-10ppm So far only the cleaner shrimp have been affected. All fish and the monster coral banded shrimp are accounted for - as well as my MONSER Fire Worm (better pics on the aboout the owner page of www.aquaticpeace.net - my fake business web site for MBA project) I've even see two of my 8 emerald crabs. So I am guessing they are also intact - assuming of course they are all around - hard to tell which 1 I see since they all look alike.

 

[addict]

Holy mackerel... that gives me the jeebies! :bugout:

I pulled a 2' long Eunice worm out of my tank about this time last year... mine was devouring all my soft corals and possibly ate a burrowing fish or three (my Stonogobiops gobies).

Are you having any problems with your worm? (Dang... I almost sound like Freud).

 

[Iriejedi]

Holy mackerel... that gives me the jeebies! :bugout:

I pulled a 2' long Eunice worm out of my tank about this time last year... mine was devouring all my soft corals and possibly ate a burrowing fish or three (my Stonogobiops gobies).

Are you having any problems with your worm? (Dang... I almost sound like Freud).

No he hangs out in the corner I know where to look now - this picture set is the only time I fave seen the whole worm.

Since I have no fish or coral loss I've determined he is a FireWorm and according to myu little fishy hand book they are Excellent for the tank. Great scavengers and from his size... he's eating something.

I have no idea where he came from - but he is wicked cool.