Numbers High - What to do?

jensthemom

jensthemom

Member
I have had some semi-high numbers over the past couple of weeks and have done three water changes and today still high.

Nitrates were around the 40 ppm
Ammonia between 1.0 and 2.0 ppm
Nitrites - barely registered
pH - only about 7.8
Calcium around 320-340
Salinity only 1.022

Should I do another water change? Add pH increase? Add Calcium?

All of my corals and fish seem to be doing great, nothing is responding negatively, YET, anyway.

Jennifer
 
jensthemom

jensthemom

Member
Here is my set-up: Everything was great with my numbers for months until the new addtions. The last five corals listed and about 20 more pounds of live rock are the newbies. About 3-4 weeks now.

Unlike most reefer's I use two 55 gallon capacity Marineland canister filters (since this is what I started with), 3 power heads and a Coralife Super Skimmer. I know this is not the norm, but it seems to be working great for me and one of the guys at my LFS swears by this set-up. I have approx. 70 + pounds of live rock and can't remember how much live sand I started with. I currently have a handful of red and blue hermits and turbo snails. I have more on the way since I haven't added any since my upgrade and I can tell I need them now. Lights-Coralife Aqualight with 50/50 and 10,000k lights compact. The tank is about 10 months old and was cycled and everything running zero's before any corals were added.

Fish:
1 Flameback Angel
1 Yellow Tang
2 Percula Clowns
1 Red Headed Fairy Wrasse named Rasmussen
2 Pajama Cardinals
3 Green Chromis
2 Striped Damsels
1 Arrow Crab
1 Peppermint Shrimp named Rocky
1 Sally Light Foot

1 Bubble Anenome (Home to Nemo and Marlin)
1 Pink Tip Anenome
1 Condy Anenome
1 Tongue Coral
1 Cup/Pagoda Coral
Stony Yellow Polyps
2 Sets of Metallic Mushrooms
Feather Duster
Kenya Tree
Gorgonian Orange
Finger Leather
2 Bunches of Zoanthis
Anthias
Favia
Acropora
Frogspawn
Hammer
Monti
Clam
 
nikkipigtails

nikkipigtails

Well-Known Member
How old are your test kits, by the way?

You definately need a better CUC. Turbos are great for algae grazing but not so good for eating detritis. With that many fish, there's going to be a lot of waste that your canister filters won't be able to get. The new LR you added probably wasn't cured and it's causing a cycle.

Do you have a fuge?
 
BEELZEBOB

BEELZEBOB

Well-Known Member
im thinkin you got 2 nitrate factories in the canisters (i.e. should only be like carbon or phos remover in them thats replaced weekly)

and the introduction of new LR, and the following die off has caused a mini cycle...
 
lcstorc

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
Wow! That is a lot for a 10m old tank.
Am I missing something? I don't see the size of the tank listed.
Regardless I would take the clam and anemones back. You just don't have the lights or water paramaters to keep either one long term. They may look fine now but trust me unless you upgrade the lights fairly quickly you will not keep them alive long term.
The amonia is the most scary of the numbers. You need to get control of that as quickly as possible. I would recommend a large (80%) water change and then the addition of Amquel to reduce the toxicity of the amonia. This will also reduce the nitrates at the same time.
I would look carefully for something dead in the tank. It could be from the new LR but something is producing a large amount of amonia. Find the source and eliminate the problem.
 
nikkipigtails

nikkipigtails

Well-Known Member
I agree with Lynn. The anemone and the clam definately need better lighting. You're also definately pushing the limits with your livestock.
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
All you can really do is alot of water changes over the next week or so until the #'s come back down. I would do 2-3 25% water changes weekly. Reduce feedings and try to figure where it is coming from. Dirty filters? To much feedings? Dead animal/s? Also blowing off the rocks with a PH before water changes to get the die off (if there is any) suspended in the water column. During water changes try to suck out as much of the gunk floating in the water as possible.. Running Carbon in a filter bag as well... Good Luck


Also Im not sure if Ive posted this before but Welcome to RS.
 
P

plahka

Member
I'd bet it's coming from the new rock. At this point do water changes and wait it out. Unless you can pull the rock and cure it sepately.
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
Sounds like the new rock is doing that to ya. You always need to cure it or if its cured keep it submerged. Also, if your tank is 150g or smaller it is overstocked.
 
jensthemom

jensthemom

Member
Ouch! When I bought the lighting, I was told it was great for what I wanted and I spent a fortune of course. As for my canisters, I have the bio-balls and sponges in them, but also a layer of LR. I do not have a fuge. I am not even sure what that is or if I can have one with the canisters. My protein skimmer takes alot of yuck out daily.

It is so funny who you ask. Because I thought I was asking the right people before I added any additions to my tank and it was always you have a 75 and you are fine with what you have and what you are adding. I am so blasted confused and certainly don't want to mess it all up. My anenome has been in my tank since the beginning with the lights I have and has always done great!!!!

So - who do I listen to!!!!!!!!!!! HELP
 
BEELZEBOB

BEELZEBOB

Well-Known Member
never take advice from those who benefit/profit from your failure.

i.e. LFS'

also, take a look in the member galleries. look at the tanks we have. all are attributing success to US healping eachother.

thats why RS rocks.
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
It would be interesting to test your lfs.. If you go back there and tell them you have water issues like high nitrates and they try to fix that problem by selling you more livestock which could possibly die. It would be a big sign on what kind of a lfs they are... Most Lfs are only in it to make $. They dont care about the livestock and know when your livestock die you will be back to fork out more $... It is really sad... Its not your fault,, But we are here to help you and the livestock.. we would not lead you astray.
 
PEMfish

PEMfish

Well-Known Member
jensthemom said:
...my tank and it was always you have a 75g...

So - who do I listen to!!!!!!!!!!! HELP
Click to expand...

PEMfish said:
...if your tank is 150g or smaller it is overstocked.
Click to expand...

See this problem? The tang can not live in a tank that small long term. I would remove him. I would also remove 8" worth of the largest fish in there besides the tang.





The LFS just wants your money, never trust what they say. Never.
 
jensthemom

jensthemom

Member
OK - here's the dilema. I started with a 30 gallon tank when I decided to try Saltwater and of course, I got hooked and wanted bigger and brighter fish. So I looked on books and checked with the lfs to find out how big I would have to go and they said 75 would be good. I was going to do 55, but they convinced me to go with the 75. I started with 2 percs and a wrasse and eventually added the pajama cards, and chromis and then the striped damsels and finally my yellow baby. Oops, forgot the flameback. One of my favs. As for the corals. I started with anenomes and those did great so I graduated up to the cup, zoas and finger leather. I then got the itch and slowly added the rest. I know I want lots of color and lots of interesting things to look at. I really felt good about my lfs and now I am feeling very discouraged and can't even begin to think of what to do next. :sinking: Some of my purchases were online and I can't take them back and I know the lfs will only give me half what I paid for trade-ins. Is there anything I can do to keep them all??????:tears: :tears: :banghead: :banghead:
 
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