Reasons to Start Over

[Kovu]

What are some reasons to start a tank completly over, I have the feeling I should start over since I do 50 percent and40 percent waterchanges weekly or every other week and the nitrates will not go down. Would this be considered a reason or not.

 

[BigJay]

are you checking your salt mix? Usually when nitrates don't go down after a water change its due to severe overstocking, something in your filteration thats harboring organics, poor top off water, bad salt mix, or a combination of the above. Instead of starting over removing all the fish from the tank and sell them back to the store or have them hold them for you. Test your source water before and after the mix. Once source water is showing 0 TDS , 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates continue to do water changes till the tank stabalizes at 0 across the board. Then add the swimming inhabitants back slowly at 1 per every 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[ReeferMan420]

heres what happens when you do a 50% water change...

you are only removing half..leaving half which goes back to what you had just took out.

heres what you do to reduce nitrates....

start with your 100% full of tank water

remove so there is 20% water remaining...

fill it to 40%

take out 20%

fill 40%

take out 20%

fill 100% this should take it down to near zero..try it and see if it works for you

 

[BigJay]

reeferman I strongly disagree with your recomendations. At almost no time should you change that much water at one time in a tank with inhabitants.

 

[Kovu]

The water I use is rodi water tds of .1 and phosphates of .001

 

[BigJay]

how old is the sand bed and what type of filteration are you running? How heavily stocked are you and size of the tank? Also what is your feeding regime?

 

[Kovu]

The sand bed is three years old, carbon with live rock. I have 2 tangs, 3 clownfish, bleeny, and two cardinals. The Size of the tank is a 180 gallon tank, and I feed every other day.

 

[BigJay]

Try systematically replacing the sand bed. Its most likley well overdue. Do about 20% at a time.

 

[ReeferMan420]

reeferman I strongly disagree with your recomendations. At almost no time should you change that much water at one time in a tank with inhabitants.

its a last case scenario...I agree.....it is better to do over time....but I didn't realize he had a stocked tank...

 

[Kovu]

Okay, but my sand bed isnt that deep maybe and inch or two, do I need to replace it.

 

[BigJay]

yes the sand bed has a limited life span. Usually less then 2 years. I'm gearing up to do mine actually. I'd recommend reading about it to understand the why. I'm guessing by the size of your tank to the number of inhabitants , plus your using RO/DI, no rubble or bioball filteration or dirty filter socks and unless your feeding huge gobs of food , I'd say its most likely your sand bed, based on its age.

 

[Kovu]

Okay cool thanks, never even thought about that

 

[ReeferMan420]

+1 on the sand bed..I am a firm believer of a DSB

 

[BigJay]

like I said just don't do it all at once. Start at once side of the tank and do no more then 20% at a time. Good luck, you have a nice tank there.

 

[Kovu]

Yea, I think my main problem was when I started it three years ago I went supersonic fast and made a lot of problems, its been on the back burner since I got a smaller tank to build up my confidence, hopefully with that I can go full steam ahead in a sense.

 

[smkndrgn142]

Yea, I think my main problem was when I started it three years ago I went supersonic fast and made a lot of problems, its been on the back burner since I got a smaller tank to build up my confidence, hopefully with that I can go full steam ahead in a sense.

biggest lesson I learned was to go slowly...take your time. All good things come to those who wait!

 

[ReeferMan420]

yeah its so easy to just want to throw stuff in there...I have a new tank and I want to go everyday and get something new...I know I need to wait and let things stabilize...