Need help!

A

Angel082590

Member
Hello, I need some help on getting rid of nitrates bad. I've had my tank up and running since may 19, I have 2 clowns, 1 neon dotty back, 2 hermit crabs, 1 sea star, and a crap load of snails. I ordered from reef cleaners and they sent me so many of these one snails that I believe I have way to many for my little tank to handle. Since setting my tank up my nitrate level has been up and down but never lower then 5. I just tested the other day and it has been the highest it has ever been at 80. I haven't done a water change in 2 weeks so they have some things to do with it. I plan on getting a protein skimmer very soon to see if that will help lower it. All my other levels are prefect its just been these damn nitrates that I'm having trouble with and I'm getting so frustrated. I have also tested the water I'm using and that is reading at 0 so I'm fine there. So can so done please help me out.
 
Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson

Well-Known Member
It seems to me that you answered your own question. The number one way to lower nitrates is water changes. Anthony Calfo, whom I admire and respect, recommended 50% water changes weekly. That's old school, but still I highly recommend his books. Back then they didn't have bio pellet reactors and stuff like that. If you keep up with the most excellent tanks out there, like the tank of the months, a lot of them are doing 25% weekly water changes. I personally know a couple people who have magnificent SPS tanks who do 25% weekly water changes and nothing else.

Also, IMO, a skimmer is a necessity, not a luxury. One of Anthony Calfo's sayings is he'd quit the hobby before he ran a tank without one. Or something like that, I'm not going to look it up now. But he did coin the phrase, "The solution to pollution is dilution." Personally, after seeing the amount of pure fish poop that's in my skimmer every few days I couldn't imagine running a tank without one.

Here's another example: You can run a very successful tank with nothing but a HOB skimmer, HOB power filter, adequate lights, and regular water changes.

I forgot to mention plenty of live rocks and/or sand.
 
D

DaveK

Well-Known Member
This is something I have posted before, another of "DaveK's Standard Lectures". It's about algae control and reducing nitrates and phosphates.


Standard Lecture #2 - Algae Control

Algae control comes down to controlling nitrates and phosphates. If you have a problem with algae it is because these two nutrients are out of control. Do not think that just because your test kits read zero or low values that you do not have a problem. In many cases the algae is removing the nutrients and growing. This is why there is a problem.

Here are possible sources of nitrates and phosphates -

Feeding, especially flake food and not rinsing frozen foods before feeding.
Using tap water to mix salt. Always use RO/DI water for this.
"Dirt traps" and "nitrate factories" in the system.
Low quality carbon can leach nutrients.
Low quality salt can sometimes add nutrients. This is unusual today.

Here are possible ways to remove nitrates and phosphates -

Water changes. Change 1/2 the water and you reduce the nutrients by 1/2.
Skimming. Remove the waste products before the biological filtration need to break then down.
Nitrate and phosphate removal products.
Deep sand beds.
Refugiums.
Algae Scrubbers.

Each of these has advantages and disadvantages. Most people that control algae well use many of the above methods.

There are also other items that can effect algae growth rates.

Good clean up crew.
Other livestock that eats algae.
Low general water quality, especially when the readings are off.
Lighting, sometimes you can reduce it, especially in FO or FOWLR systems.
Old light bulbs. Colors change as they age and this can be a factor.
Water flow. More flow will often help keep algae down.
Manual removal. Very important, especially when there is a big problem.
 
A

Angel082590

Member
Thank you guys, I just did a water change and cleaned stuff so hopefully that helps and I put the last Algone packet in there to. I'm hopefully going to buy the protein skimmer soon and new filter since I have a bio cube 14. Hopefully all of this helps and I can finally start getting corals. I do have a question about my snails. I want to get rid of almost all of them but feel bad flushing them down the toilet. What should I do with them?
 
Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson

Well-Known Member
Oh, no; not Lecture #2 again. LOL

I would top off every day and keep a close eye on your salinity. Instead of a weekly water change, I'd consider doing two 2 gallon water changes a week. Then everything in Lecture #2.
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
Angel082590 said:
Thank you guys, I just did a water change and cleaned stuff so hopefully that helps and I put the last Algone packet in there to. I'm hopefully going to buy the protein skimmer soon and new filter since I have a bio cube 14. Hopefully all of this helps and I can finally start getting corals. I do have a question about my snails. I want to get rid of almost all of them but feel bad flushing them down the toilet. What should I do with them?
Click to expand...

Please consider taking the snails that you don't want to a local fish store (LFS) and maybe they will give you a small store credit for them. Even if the LFS doesn't give you anything for them, I think it's better to give them away instead of flushing them.
 
nivek

nivek

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
RS Ambassador
Yup all of the above especially areas where there's detritus build up. You will need to siphon that out regularly.
 
D

DaveK

Well-Known Member
What are you feeding your fish? How much and How often? This is often a major part of the problem.Many people feed way too much.
 
A

Angel082590

Member
I do a 2-3 gallon water change once a week, I bought a siphon and have used it twice so far. Diana I would never just flush I feel to bad even though they are snails. I'm going to call some local fish stores soon to get rid of them. I gotta test my water tomorrow so fingers crossed the nitrates are going to be done a lot. I'm going to post some new pictures because I have changed stuff around.
 
A

Angel082590

Member
<a href="http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/Angel082590/media/Snapbucket/1392A99E-orig_zpse7b0de07.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y432/Angel082590/Snapbucket/1392A99E-orig_zpse7b0de07.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 1392A99E-orig_zpse7b0de07.jpg"/></a>


<a href="http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/Angel082590/media/Snapbucket/650D4E6B-orig_zps136b120f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y432/Angel082590/Snapbucket/650D4E6B-orig_zps136b120f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 650D4E6B-orig_zps136b120f.jpg"/></a>
The second chamber of my tank

<a href="http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/Angel082590/media/Snapbucket/E594E3EA-orig_zps59acc98a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y432/Angel082590/Snapbucket/E594E3EA-orig_zps59acc98a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo E594E3EA-orig_zps59acc98a.jpg"/></a>
 
A

anthony27

Member
Dave,

Excelent advice.


DaveK said:
This is something I have posted before, another of "DaveK's Standard Lectures". It's about algae control and reducing nitrates and phosphates.


Standard Lecture #2 - Algae Control

Algae control comes down to controlling nitrates and phosphates. If you have a problem with algae it is because these two nutrients are out of control. Do not think that just because your test kits read zero or low values that you do not have a problem. In many cases the algae is removing the nutrients and growing. This is why there is a problem.

Here are possible sources of nitrates and phosphates -

Feeding, especially flake food and not rinsing frozen foods before feeding.
Using tap water to mix salt. Always use RO/DI water for this.
"Dirt traps" and "nitrate factories" in the system.
Low quality carbon can leach nutrients.
Low quality salt can sometimes add nutrients. This is unusual today.

Here are possible ways to remove nitrates and phosphates -

Water changes. Change 1/2 the water and you reduce the nutrients by 1/2.
Skimming. Remove the waste products before the biological filtration need to break then down.
Nitrate and phosphate removal products.
Deep sand beds.
Refugiums.
Algae Scrubbers.

Each of these has advantages and disadvantages. Most people that control algae well use many of the above methods.

There are also other items that can effect algae growth rates.

Good clean up crew.
Other livestock that eats algae.
Low general water quality, especially when the readings are off.
Lighting, sometimes you can reduce it, especially in FO or FOWLR systems.
Old light bulbs. Colors change as they age and this can be a factor.
Water flow. More flow will often help keep algae down.
Manual removal. Very important, especially when there is a big problem.
Click to expand...
 
A

Angel082590

Member
Can someone tell me what all those white dots are on my rocks? When I got my three big snails there were some on them and then all of sudden they popped all over my rocks.
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
Dave and Mike nailed it.

There are some other options to try, but not until you nail the basics like they mentioned.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 
A

Angel082590

Member
Well I tested the tank the day before yesterday and the nitrates are still at 80 so today I took over 50 snails to my local fish store. I'm going to do a 3 gallon waters change tomorrow and siphon the sand and clean out so I'm hoping all of that will lower it enough. I haven't been able to get a protein skimmer yet because I'm planning a wedding and just haven't had the extra money to get it. Since I have a 14 gallon bio cube I was going to get the oceanic protein skimmer can anyone tell me if they have tried it? I've been reading so many different reviews on it that I'm not what I should do that will fit my tank. I have no room to do a completely separate tank for that so I need one that will go into the first chamber.
 
A

Angel082590

Member
I haven't posted in a while, been busy just got married last month and doing a bunch of other stuff. I'm still having a hard time with my nitrate levels they are kicking my butt. I still have to buy a protein skimmer but haven't had the money plus I do not know what kind I should buy. I have done a lot of research on the oceanic protein skimmer but have heard so many different reviews on it. I'm worried if I buy on I'm going to spending so much money on the wood air stone they have. I've been reading about the aqualife 115 protein skimmer but I can't seem to find out if it fits in the 14 bio cube. Everything I'm reading and watching says it goes into the 29 bio cube so I have no clue. Can someone tell me what protein skimmer I should get that will work with my lid being closed. I'm so frustrated that I'm about to just get rid of my tank.
 
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