What am I missing?

[Justin Craig]

I am new to all of this and have been testing my water regularly. I noticed a small spike in my amonia and a spike in my nitrates, but I never saw any nitrites.. I am now starting to see small brown algae spots on my glass and on my sand. Will someone look at this and tell me what the heck is going on? Should I do a water change soon?

Background:
Tank Started on 10/19/2013
Tank Info:
75G display with 20G sump
65lbs live rock
65 pounds live sand
Pre-mixed saltwater
Equipment:
Reef Dynamics INS80 skimmer
Rio return pump
LED lighting
2 1150 koralia pumps
Inhabitants:
CUC
1 cleaner wrasse added on 10/23 (pissed and not eating)
1 mocha clown added 10/26 (lonely and not eating)

 

[Sakura2282]

How did you start the cycle in your tank?

You added that wrasse fish when your tank wasn't cycle yet? that's too bad poor fish, that's why he isn't eating. The same goes for the clown ammonia is very harmful to fish. I think that your tank started to cycle when you added the wrasse they will probably die, hope they don't.

 

[Smitty]

The brown stuff are diatoms, which are normal in new tanks and will eventually go away.

 

[Justin Craig]

How did you start the cycle in your tank?

You added that wrasse fish when your tank wasn't cycle yet? that's too bad poor fish, that's why he isn't eating. The same goes for the clown ammonia is very harmful to fish. I think that your tank started to cycle when you added the wrasse they will probably die, hope they don't.

I used fully cured live rock and live sand which should mean my cycle is short and almost not measurable. The wrasse isn't eating because it was a bad purchase and I should have done more research first. Clown I think will come around he's new to the tank.

 

[Justin Craig]

The brown stuff are diatoms, which are normal in new tanks and will eventually go away.

That's what I figured, do I need to change water now to get rid of nitrates?

 

[Justin Craig]

Why didn't I see any change in nitrites?

 

[Justin Craig]

How did you start the cycle in your tank?

You added that wrasse fish when your tank wasn't cycle yet? that's too bad poor fish, that's why he isn't eating. The same goes for the clown ammonia is very harmful to fish. I think that your tank started to cycle when you added the wrasse they will probably die, hope they don't.

Also if you notice my levels the ammonia barely spiked?

 

[RockStacker]

Why didn't I see any change in nitrites?

You said you used fully cured live rock. There must have been enough surviving bacteria in there that processed the ammonia and nitrites so they barely registered on the tests.
The standard Ammonia>Nitrite>Nitrate progression usually occurs when cycling a new tank with all dry rocks/sand. When seed bacteria or live rocks/sand is used, this process can be cut short.

 

[Justin Craig]

That's what I figured. I did a water change yesterday and everyone except for the wrasse seems really happy. Wrasse is still in his hole, I can see him breathing but he just won't come out. He may be coming out while I'm at work, just don't know what to do.. I feel terrible about it..

You said you used fully cured live rock. There must have been enough surviving bacteria in there that processed the ammonia and nitrites so they barely registered on the tests.
The standard Ammonia>Nitrite>Nitrate progression usually occurs when cycling a new tank with all dry rocks/sand. When seed bacteria or live rocks/sand is used, this process can be cut short.

 

[RockStacker]

It will take fish time to acclimate to the new tank. Some adjust faster than others.
Try giving the wrasse a small portion of food (drop it right in front of his hiding spot) and see if he comes out to grab a bite or two. If he does, then he should be good.
If he does not get the food, try again in a couple of days.

 

[MitchReef]

I agree with Rock....some just get their little fish panties in a wad and don't come out for a while....He may be coming out before or just after the lights are on and you just don't see him sucking down pods....do you have pods in the system?

 

[BL1]

Most likely won't Mitch, all cleaner wrasses except for one that I know of are obligate parasite feeders. Because of that cleaner wrasses usually don't make it long in captivity.

 

[Aquarian]

That's what I figured. I did a water change yesterday and everyone except for the wrasse seems really happy. Wrasse is still in his hole, I can see him breathing but he just won't come out. He may be coming out while I'm at work, just don't know what to do.. I feel terrible about it..

If you take him to a LFS they will usually give you store credit for a trade in, or you can contact a reef club in your area and donate him to someone who has a bad case of ich.