I have had my tank now for about a week or two and have been doing my water changes etc..My I have a Bio Cube 14 and have the standard setup as far as the filtration etc. My question is all my levels are ok except for my Ph is alittle low and my nitrites keep getting high. So I do water change around 10-20% depending on the levels and everything goes back to normal, then about 3 days later they start to rise again. I also have live rock that has began to grow some goldish brown algaem, is this good or bad? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do have an additional powerhead on the way that is a 250gph powerhead I am hoping this helps some.
Cycling Issues
- Thread starter jrose40
- Start date
little_fish
Moderator
The high nitrates are often caused by overstocking your tank or over feeding. What fish do you have in there, how much are feeding, and what are you feeding? Also are you using tap water?
I only have one small puffer, I have about 3 small snails and like 4 very small blue legged hermits. I am feeding every other day and feeding him frozen squid pieces "only enough for him to eat quickly" I am using tap water but after reading I have decided I should use bottled water. ??? Can I use the brita water filters to filter out my tap water or should I buy bottled water since right now I cannot afford a RO system. Thanks again
chuck78
The Reefanatic
Hello there, Welcome to living Reefs :) For starters, you shouldn't be doing any water changes at all until your tank is FULLY cycled. Those water changes of yours are only slowing the process. When a tank is brand new, Ammonia & Nitrites are expected too be a little high. You can do 1 of 2 things. 1.Throw a piece of raw shimp into the tank & wait a few weeks for Ammonia & Nitrites to drop to 0 & become Nitrates or 2.Add "Bio-Spira" to the tank & add a fish 1 week later. I suggest option 1 b/c it is more "fish friendly". Hope this helps....Good Luck!
chuck78
The Reefanatic
Wow...ok...didn't know that you already had livestock after just a week. You're having those problems cause your tank is'nt fully cycled yet!! I think a 14 gallon may be a little too small for even a baby puffer plus they are a high waste producing fish...that may also be a part of your problem.
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little_fish
Moderator
Your tank is much much much much too small for that puffer, and he is the source of the high nitrates. A much better fish would a clown goby
The puffer I have is a banded tail puffer, one of the very small species. The LFS owner said he would be fine, the banded tail puffers are native to my waters and lots of people have them in tanks around here. I ordered the new powerhead pump, some Marine buffer a master saltwater testing kit "since the one I have is the test strip verson and is horrible".
little_fish
Moderator
You said he is 3 inches long right now, do you realize that they grow to almost 11 inches? He is not a good fish for your tank. Will his death from being crammed in a tiny tank need to be what convinces you of this? Take him back to the store and get a pair of clowns. It will help with your water quality issues and they will be much better off in your tank.
Also LFS are notorious for giving bad advice. They sell you whatever they can get the most markup on and if they sell you a fish that is going to die in your care so you keep going back to buy more fish, its a win for them.
Also LFS are notorious for giving bad advice. They sell you whatever they can get the most markup on and if they sell you a fish that is going to die in your care so you keep going back to buy more fish, its a win for them.
little_fish
Moderator
With the biocube i hear there are some media baskets you can get and i think that would be your best bet
SarahSmile
:)
Hi and welcome! Everyone just wants to help you have a great tank with inhabitants that are going to be with you for a long time. So, try not to take it as lecturing :) People are just speaking from experience and trying to save you some headaches.
Tap water is going to give you some water quality problems, for a 14 gal I say, run to petco, buy a couple 5 gallon boxes of premade salt water and use that. It's easy and your tank will look better and have fewer problems, i.e. phosphates, algae, unhappy inverts etc.
Biocubes are great, but, you do have to be careful when picking your fish, as you can ony keep 2 or 3 small peaceful fish. The puffer fish you chose may not live long in a tiny tank (the stress of a small tank will kill him) and is very aggressive, he may eat your snails and crabs and will have to be the only fish in there, not sure if that species if reef safe, if not, then you won't be able to keep corals. But, that's up to you. Everyone is gonna do what they're gonna do. I've had 2 perc clownfish in mine and they are fun to watch and very peaceful.
Also, doesn't sound like you cycled your tank, should take a few weeks to see ammonia, see the ammonia turn into nitrites, then nitrates, then everything goes back to zero and you're safe to add living things. I waited 5 weeks to add anything to mine when first starting up.
My advice: return the puffer, they'll take him back, no worries-it happens all the time. Cycle the tank. Test every other day and you'll see the levels rise then fall. Then add a clean up crew and a fish meant for a 14 gal tank, clown, goby, firefish, etc. If you google "nano fish" you can find a lot of fun ones!
Tap water is going to give you some water quality problems, for a 14 gal I say, run to petco, buy a couple 5 gallon boxes of premade salt water and use that. It's easy and your tank will look better and have fewer problems, i.e. phosphates, algae, unhappy inverts etc.
Biocubes are great, but, you do have to be careful when picking your fish, as you can ony keep 2 or 3 small peaceful fish. The puffer fish you chose may not live long in a tiny tank (the stress of a small tank will kill him) and is very aggressive, he may eat your snails and crabs and will have to be the only fish in there, not sure if that species if reef safe, if not, then you won't be able to keep corals. But, that's up to you. Everyone is gonna do what they're gonna do. I've had 2 perc clownfish in mine and they are fun to watch and very peaceful.
Also, doesn't sound like you cycled your tank, should take a few weeks to see ammonia, see the ammonia turn into nitrites, then nitrates, then everything goes back to zero and you're safe to add living things. I waited 5 weeks to add anything to mine when first starting up.
My advice: return the puffer, they'll take him back, no worries-it happens all the time. Cycle the tank. Test every other day and you'll see the levels rise then fall. Then add a clean up crew and a fish meant for a 14 gal tank, clown, goby, firefish, etc. If you google "nano fish" you can find a lot of fun ones!
SarahSmile
:)
Throw the bioballs and the stock filter away too. Your filtration is your live rock and with regular water changes you'll be fine. If you want to keep that high waste producing fish you may have to do 4 gallons a week, which may stress your inverts. Or, add a protein skimmer, they have some built specifically for the biocube, they usually aren't necessary with little tanks but that guy is gonna cause you water quality problems.
Ok so I am sad:( I returned my puffer after thinking about everything that everyone has said. I am allowing my tank to properly cycle and 'reset". I am thinking of going with two clown fish once I am ready and an anemone. Can anyone give me any pointers as to which clown fish to buy and which anemone and also can I put other soft corals in there if so which ones are good? Thanks
Mr.Diggler
Smitten with Sookie
Baby steps, Padawan. Keeping an anemone in that small of a tank may be a challenge and unsafe for the other inhabitants. Especially since your tank is in its early stages. If the nem dies you could nuke your whole tank. The whole tank.
little_fish
Moderator
You are going to want to wait at least 6 months to year to get a nem, they are some the hardest animals to keep in this hobby. They require pristine water conditions and very high lighting, much higher than comes with your biocube.
But even if you put a nem in there, there is no guarantee your clowns would even host it.
Instead, i would suggest something like a hairy mushroom. They are much more forgivable, and you can put one in your tank right away! And clowns do love to be hosted by them!
But even if you put a nem in there, there is no guarantee your clowns would even host it.
Instead, i would suggest something like a hairy mushroom. They are much more forgivable, and you can put one in your tank right away! And clowns do love to be hosted by them!
SarahSmile
:)
That's awesome you returned the puffer and are cycling. The waiting is the hardest part (thanks Tom Petty).
Are you testing every day, that really helps, test, write down the results and, before you know it, everything will be at 0 and you'll be off to get a fish!
If you go to liveaquaria, go to marine fish, then nano fish and you can see some ideas of what fish you can add and keep happy in your 14 gallon, firefish, a clown, shrimp, etc. Go check it out and see what fish you like.
Also, I've had zoas and a duncan and mushrooms in mine so I know you can keep all those with your lights, all very fun stuff if you want to look into those.
Are you testing every day, that really helps, test, write down the results and, before you know it, everything will be at 0 and you'll be off to get a fish!
If you go to liveaquaria, go to marine fish, then nano fish and you can see some ideas of what fish you can add and keep happy in your 14 gallon, firefish, a clown, shrimp, etc. Go check it out and see what fish you like.
Also, I've had zoas and a duncan and mushrooms in mine so I know you can keep all those with your lights, all very fun stuff if you want to look into those.
SarahSmile
:)
I have 2 rics, a green and an orange, they are very happy
