Guys I Need Some Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bubbasfishinco]

man there is something up with MY tank the nitrates have shot up tp 40 and 60 ppm and almost all of my googd algee and stuff has died off and i cant figure it out:frustrat: i feed my fish 1 time a week and i do watr changes monthly...................i got bad algee like crazy on the glass....i will try to some pics to show but itlooks perddy bad

 

[Rcpilot]

To get the nitrates down, I would change 30%--40% of the water right away. If you change 40% of the water and your nitrates are 40ppm--that will knock them down to 16ppm. Change 40% again in 4 or 5 days and that should lower them even more.

You haven't told us what kind of filtration you are using. Are you using a refugium? A sump only? Are you using a wet/dry with bioballs? Do you have any macroalgae for nutrient export?

Is this a fish tank? A fish tank with live rock? How much live rock? How many fish? How big is the tank? Is this a reef only tank?

The monthly water changes is probably the thing that will draw the most criticism from other reefers. Most people do water changes weekly. Just do smaller water changes. If it's 100g-- then do 10--15g per week water changes, instead of 25-30g monthly.

Answer those questions and we can help you.

 

[LionFish]

you only feed once a week?

wow is there any filter media that needs a good cleaning? bio balls? or a Bio wheel?

Did anything die that you dont know about?

 

[reeffreak]

Are you using tap or RODI water?
Whats the equipment list-skimmer,filter etc?
What about lighting and how long to keep it on?Do you have corals and how many fish.

Really?
You only feed the fishes once a week?
40-60ppm of nitrate is not horrible buy yeah,it still needs to get down to 20-30 or lower.Increase water changes to weekly or bi-monthly instead.

 

[yote]

Did you happen to stir your sand up?

 

[Bifferwine]

Yes, answer these questions and maybe we can be of some help!

 

[bubbasfishinco]

ok im workin on the pics

 

[Bifferwine]

How about the questions?

 

[bubbasfishinco]

hey my computer is freaking out so i can give u a link so go check it out https://www.livingreefs.com/gallery/cat5

 

[Bifferwine]

Okay, so can you answer the questions?

 

[bubbasfishinco]

and as for the questions...........ok im runnin a a wet dry bio ball sump w/ protein skimmer.........lights i couldnt begin to tell u that..........its a 250 gal. w/ sump....as live rock and i run my lights for 8 to 10 hours a day

i have 10 fish..............i use well water and i have tested it and there are no nitrates.............and i think my dad may feed them when im not around or something and the only i stir up my sand is when i clean the gravel and rock and stuff

i dont think anything has died without me knowing.................i hate this shit:frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::

 

[reeffreak]

If you have over one pound of live rock per gallon than remove the bio-balls.If you do keep them in then start cleaning them regularly.I would replace them slowly,1/3 a week with rock rubble instead.

If your not already,switch over to feeding frozen foods instead of flakes and pellets.

 

[Bifferwine]

Your well water could have high phosphate levels which cause algae too. Why/how do you clean the gravel and rock? You shouldn't have to clean it yourself if you have enough of a cleaner crew.

 

[yote]

If you've got the bio-balls,you about have to clean then once a week.
I have them in my trickle filter to lessen the noise from the drip tray.But every week when I do my water change,I let the balls soak in bleach.
Then I rinse them with hot water,then let then soak some more in dechlorinator.

 

[Rcpilot]

I wouldn't use bleach on bio balls.

If you want to clean them, simply remove them and swish them around in the water you just drained from the tank. All you're trying to do is knock the loose gunk off them so that it doesn't rot and turn into nitrates.

Chlorine and hot water is killing all your aerobic bacteria. But if you just rinse them in the tank water--you won't kill your aerobic bacteria. Even a light scrub with a soft brush wouldn't hurt if you have some gunk embedded deep in the bio balls. :Cheers:

 

[bubbasfishinco]

i do feed frozen food and biff there is this 1 fish that i think is eating most of my cleaner shimp and my cleaner crabs but nitrates could have killed them too so im stuck

 

[Bifferwine]

If your nitrates are that high, then yes, it could have killed your shrimp and crabs. Which fish do you think killed them?

 

[Doc]

ok. here is some feedback, first NEVER use well water. our tanks MUST have RO water. stop using well water. next, bioballs tend to create high nitrates, that is their nature to create them. From the picture you posted of your tank, it looks like you have just about enough live rock to not need the bioballs at all. Just to be safe, add another 40 lbs.

Are you running any kind of phosphate remover? algae feeds off of phosphates and you need to cut them down - a lot.

How much do you know about YOUR tank? I am concerned you have no idea about the specifics of YOUR tank. like lighting for example? Is it a FOWLR or are you running a reef? what is your fish load? You mentioned having 10 fish. I saw a hawkfish and a Regal tang in the pics you posted. What else do you have?

-Doc

 

[reeffreak]

I wouldn't use bleach on bio balls.



Chlorine and hot water is killing all your aerobic bacteria.

Thats the point Yote was making Rc.You don't want the bio-balls to become a biological filter so cleaning weekly with a little bleach is okay.Dechorinator will remove any chlorine.

 

[Bifferwine]

I totally agree to stop using well water. I bet the TDS of well water is sky high!!