Where do I go from here?

[Nu2Reefs]

Thanks everyone!
Water changes seem to be helping
Nitrates and Phosphates coming down
Nitrates at 20
Phosphates at .4
With no life in the sand (so to speak) should I siphone it when I do waterchanges or leave it alone?
It was mentioned earlier to replace my seaclone and add water flow. If I can only do one at at time, which is more critical the new skimmer or more water flow? Thanks again the tankalready looks better.

[jhnrb]

if only one at a time I would recommend skimmer, but, the water movement is just as important. so either way you will not fully benefit until both are completed, but, skimmer 1st.

[Nu2Reefs]

Ok skimmer first! Thanks!! I have some old powerheads from an old tank out in the garage. Will these help for flow or do I need something else. For asthetics I would like to have as few thing hanging around as possible but if this will help for a short term solution where is thebest place to put them? I currently have one big one on the left rear corner, two smaller ones on the rr and one small one down low in the center behind the rocks. Sorry I cant give you specs the only one with any numbers is the bigger one its an 802?

[Bifferwine]

Powerheads are perfect for increasing flow. You can put them any number of places, depending on where you want to increase flow. In my 55-gallon, I have a powerhead in each back corner at a 45 degree angle. I think that's how most people do it. If these powerheads that you already have on hand do a good job, you probably wouldn't have to buy anything else for flow (unless you get sick of all the equipment in the tank).

[Nu2Reefs]

Quick question.
I tested the water from the fish store ( I know I should have been doing this all along but...)
anyway, It has no nitrates no phosphates but it tested .25 for Nitrites. If I understand correctly thats just going to turn into more nitrates in my tank so do I use the water or scrap.
My Tank currently
Nitrates 80+
Phosphates-.6
Nitrites- 0
Amonia-0

[jhnrb]

well I personally would not add any water to my system that showed ammonia or nitrites. with your nitrates at 80+ I would recommend a nitrate sponge and a new source for your water. maybe an ro system is needed.

[Nu2Reefs]

Nitrate Sponge?
What is this?
Were do I put it in the system?
What brand is best if there are multiple brands?

[Bifferwine]

It's a type of filter media, you can use it instead of activated carbon in canister filters, power filters, etc. You can also put it in a bag and can put the bag anywhere in the tank where water flows through it (the section where the water flows out of the Remora is where I put stuff like that). There are several brands, Seachem Denitrate, Kent Marine Nitrate Sponge, etc. They supposedly suck up nitrates, I've been using the two brands I mentioned above for about 4 months now, I've found they don't decrease my nitrates, just keep them stable.

[jhnrb]

The nitrate filter pads will only obsorb a certain amount of nitrate and if it is developed faster than the pads can extract it the nitrates will not come down, so you really need to determine what the cause of nitrate is and deal with that 1st, nitrate pads are normally used for emergencies, until you get a skimmer on that system your nitrates will most likely not go down all the way. skimmer next, then see where you are in couple weeks. keep up the water changes though and see if the nitrates continue to decrease. keep us posted on your progress. hope this helps.

[Nu2Reefs]

Did another water change two days ago. 20 gallons
Nitrates 40-50
Phosphates .4-.5
Its hard to tell which but its comming down slowly
Should I be doing bigger changes?
One guy at the fish store recommended 50% to bring them down faster
How fast is too fast?