Hi guys,
I did a 20% water change last week and after testing the water a few days ago, found I had 40ppm Nitrates, Yikes! I did another 20% water change yesterday and tested my water again today. Again, 40ppm Nitrates.
I never had any Nitrate issues before. The only recent change was I added a small cleanup crew of probably 10 hermit crabes and 10-15 snails (Wilks as we call them locally.) The local fish store does not sell clean up crews so I had to find them locally. Any ideas as to whats happening?
The stats. 70 gallon FOLR tank, 2 clowns, a lionfish, Blue Tang, Flame Angel, long nose Hawk Fish, Coral Banded shrimp.
About 30 pounds live rock, live sand (about 2 inches) I should have gone deeper. Marineland Sump with bio wheel, carbon bag, and blue & white mesh filters, Seaclone 150 skimmer and 9w turbo twist UV Steralizer.
Using RO water preixed from the fish store, I'm NOT stirring my sand bed during water changes. Feeding twice a day (pellets in the morning and a mix of Carnivore & Herbivore frozen cubes in the evening, Lionfish gets a mix of raw table shrimp or squid every 2-3 days.
Salinity at 1.024, temp at 79-80f, PH 8.4, 0 Amonia and Nitrite. Aside from 1 hermit crab casualty, the tank looks great. Any suggestions or ideas are much appreciated.
Larry.
I did a 20% water change last week and after testing the water a few days ago, found I had 40ppm Nitrates, Yikes! I did another 20% water change yesterday and tested my water again today. Again, 40ppm Nitrates.
I never had any Nitrate issues before. The only recent change was I added a small cleanup crew of probably 10 hermit crabes and 10-15 snails (Wilks as we call them locally.) The local fish store does not sell clean up crews so I had to find them locally. Any ideas as to whats happening?
The stats. 70 gallon FOLR tank, 2 clowns, a lionfish, Blue Tang, Flame Angel, long nose Hawk Fish, Coral Banded shrimp.
About 30 pounds live rock, live sand (about 2 inches) I should have gone deeper. Marineland Sump with bio wheel, carbon bag, and blue & white mesh filters, Seaclone 150 skimmer and 9w turbo twist UV Steralizer.
Using RO water preixed from the fish store, I'm NOT stirring my sand bed during water changes. Feeding twice a day (pellets in the morning and a mix of Carnivore & Herbivore frozen cubes in the evening, Lionfish gets a mix of raw table shrimp or squid every 2-3 days.
Salinity at 1.024, temp at 79-80f, PH 8.4, 0 Amonia and Nitrite. Aside from 1 hermit crab casualty, the tank looks great. Any suggestions or ideas are much appreciated.
Larry.