Reef Setup

Kovu

Kovu

Member
I have no clue where this thread could be setup so i just pick this. This is a continuation of this thread:http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/48548-mhlle.html
Just a quick rundown on my tank is that it is now 2 years old and has been having trouble with nitrates from the beginning and now i am trying to fix it. I have been told misinformation since i first started my first saltwater aquariam,untill i found this website.
Fish List
Red Sea sailfin tang
royal gramma
Pair of pajama cardinals
Pair of clownfish
Blue pacific tang
Invertabrate List
Peppermint Shrimp
Greenstar polyps
Assorted mushrooms

I have been told to get rid of some of the dead spots in my tank but they are mostly in the sand, if i put more flow there wouldnt that move the sand alot?
 
ReefLady

ReefLady

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Kovu - I moved this to the "General Reef Aquarium Discussion" forum - you'll likely get a lot more exposure there.
 
ReefLady

ReefLady

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Just a couple quick things. Have you tested the output of your RO/DI for nitrates and phosphates? I may have missed this, but has the filter media in the RO/DI been changed recently?

Also, how much and how often are your feeding? For the Tangs, I would keep fresh seaweed on a clip, but feed other foods sparingly (but frequently).

What do you have a for a CUC (cleanup crew)? You may want to boost that somewhat so no detritus is left on the substrate.

I also noticed that you have crushed coral. This can be a trap for detritus and may very well be contributing to your nitrate issues.

If you have polyps/'shrooms, you're going to want to make sure that your ca/alk/mg are all at good levels and are balanced. Your ca is low, and I'm not sure what the alk/mg levels are. Take a peek at this article - good information here:

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

As far as creating more water flow / eliminating dead spots (where cyano is showing) - you want the water to move, but you don't want a fast unilateral stream that will push the sand away. It's a fine line, but the key is to get turbulence, or multi-directional water movement. You just don't want "stagnant" areas.

HTH
 
Kovu

Kovu

Member
I use red sea salt, i know not best;
Crushed coral is slowly being removed that was a mistake to go with that stuff.
CuC consist of a bristle star, about 20 crabs and i think now i am at 10 nassuiral sanil, 8 cerths,and 2 astreais snail, sorry about the spelling
 
B

BobBursek

Active Member
OK, went back and read all the previous post so I am up to speed. I would redirect and get more flow where you have the cyano algae, what are your Phosphate levels? Are you running a Phosphate reactor, if not I would suggest that. I dinit think I saw what your water params are?
 
Kovu

Kovu

Member
No reacter;
Water Parameters are following Ammonia 0,Nitrites 0,NItrates 80, Ph 8.3, Salinity 1.026
 
B

BobBursek

Active Member
Then you need to get a phosphate Mg Ca and Alk test kits, start doing about 30g every 2 weeks water change to start bringing down the trates, trates that high are not unaccaptable in a FOWLR and a few schrooms, but that and phospates is the source of the cyano. What is your TDS's of your your DI water outlet?
 
B

BobBursek

Active Member
That is fine for your tank, and .8 if accurate test is not high. Like I said, I would try and get more flow in the areas where the cyano is, I have a CC bed, I do not vacuum it, but I do stir it up a bit periodically to get junk into the water column to get filtered out. I do a 20% change about 3-4 weeks and my trates run about 10-15 religiosly, I feed light though, you maybe over feeding and supposedly frozen food cubes have phosphates in them, so some people rinse them, I do not, lazy.
 
nanoreefsrcool

nanoreefsrcool

Member
the nitartes are very high, i would do a 50 percent water change once then keep doing 10 perecent a week. what size tank do you have? also do u have any dirty filter pads that could be producing nitrates. lastly theres no way that brittle stars gonna live with nitartes that high.
 
Reefcraze_1

Reefcraze_1

Member
what kind of filtration are you running?
What are you using for water motion?
how big is your tank?
I had a similar problem, my nitrates always sat around 20 and I did a 25% water change per week with no resolve. Basically the solution is better water motion (my tank is turned over 25 times per hour) and adequate filtration, a refugium is the best filter you can use. I have had a refugium for afew months and my nitrates never leave 0 anymore. the increase in water motion will prevent the cyano
 
T

tatuvaaj

Member
Kovu said:
i just ordered one and calcium is 350 and phosphates are.8
Click to expand...

That is very high phosphate concentration. Since you have both high NO3 and PO4 it indicates inadequate export methods. Your best bet would be to get a really good skimmer, maybe combined with organic carbon dosing.
 
Kovu

Kovu

Member
yea i have been working on those for some time now being fed bad information is why they are at that level.
 
B

BobBursek

Active Member
Kovu,
I was thinking about your feeding pattern, and what I feed and how often and was doing a mental compairison. I have 2 5' Tangs, a 4" Angel, 2 Cardinals, a 6 Line Wrasse, a Harliquin Basslet, 5 Chromies, a CB shrimp, Blood Red shrimp and a Purple lobster. I feed only once a day and in a week there is a day i do not feed. IMO i think you are over feeding, my tangs get a 1" square of dried Algae at most 2 times a week, dried and frozen food is mixed in there during the week. JUst food for thought, no pun intended.
 
burning2nd

burning2nd

Well-Known Member
Your over feeding..

soak your food in RODI and rinse well..

major water changes... you should consider a heavy ruteen

more flow, and alternating flow,
 
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