2XAl
Salt Addict
hi all,
first thread on here, sorry for the length. i have been doing 10-15% water changes in my 55 regularly and aside from an algae bloom that was entirely my fault all has been well. this weekend after a wc ammonia was 0, nitrites at 0, ph 8.2, temp 76, nitrates about 10, sg at 1.024. I added some nitrate reducer, per the bottle instructions, to try and get them down even lower. Last night just for kicks to see how the reducer was working i checked my nitrates again, this time they were up to 20. :frustrat: I did another 5 gal water changes and tested all again tonight. Nitrates are up to 40, all other levels are the same. i didnt feed today just so i wasnt overloiading the bacteria. stock list is as follows:
-50-60# of live rock
-2 nemos
-1 watchman goby
-1 pygmy angel
-1 yellow wrasse
-6 turbos
-6 smaller turboish snails
-2 cleaner shrimp
-8-12 nassarius snails
- brittle star
-dozen random hermits
lighting:
2 actinic bulbs on at 10a off at 9p
150w metal halide on 11:30a off 7:30p
led moonlights
MH bulb and ballast were both replaced within 4 months
actinics are unfortunately almost 2 years old but as i understand they dont degrade as quickly.
thanks in advance, ironically my fish and corals have never looked better but Im trying to keep it that way
first thread on here, sorry for the length. i have been doing 10-15% water changes in my 55 regularly and aside from an algae bloom that was entirely my fault all has been well. this weekend after a wc ammonia was 0, nitrites at 0, ph 8.2, temp 76, nitrates about 10, sg at 1.024. I added some nitrate reducer, per the bottle instructions, to try and get them down even lower. Last night just for kicks to see how the reducer was working i checked my nitrates again, this time they were up to 20. :frustrat: I did another 5 gal water changes and tested all again tonight. Nitrates are up to 40, all other levels are the same. i didnt feed today just so i wasnt overloiading the bacteria. stock list is as follows:
-50-60# of live rock
-2 nemos
-1 watchman goby
-1 pygmy angel
-1 yellow wrasse
-6 turbos
-6 smaller turboish snails
-2 cleaner shrimp
-8-12 nassarius snails
- brittle star
-dozen random hermits
lighting:
2 actinic bulbs on at 10a off at 9p
150w metal halide on 11:30a off 7:30p
led moonlights
MH bulb and ballast were both replaced within 4 months
actinics are unfortunately almost 2 years old but as i understand they dont degrade as quickly.
thanks in advance, ironically my fish and corals have never looked better but Im trying to keep it that way