What would you do?

[koda_dad]

Okay here is the situation...

Not sure why but my tank has started cycling again.

I just tested everything...and nearly choked when the test results came out.

Everything has been looking great EXCEPT my toadstool. The toadstool has been opening up, but not for long and closes up more than I have ever seen when lights go out. I had a few people tell me he was just growing.... My fish look normal.... no gasping for breath, they are all eating and swimming normal etc.

Snails are super active, shrimp is doing his usual...

But.... here are the results.
The good..
Temp: 80.5
Sal: 1.0255
PH: 8.4
Alk: 10
Calcium: 480

The bad..
Nitrite: 0.1
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: 0.5

Here is my dilemma... I have no premixxed salt water at the moment. I have salt, but nothing mixed. I usually do, but I had decided to switch to NSW (natural sea water) and I am getting it delivered on Monday morning. So I didn't make up a new batch when I ran out.

So would you mix up a batch right away and do a 30% water change? or.... Mix up a batch let it sit for 24 hours then do a 30% change? Or lastly wait until the NSW comes monday morning and do the 30% change then

Is 30% enough?:shock::shock:

 

[JohnDoe]

What other coral/fish/etc do you have in your tank? Have you noticed anything missing for an extended period of time?

If you have, I would worry about finding where it went.

Have you done an ammonia reading recently?

I also noticed that you have your temperature up around 80F. That is the high for the Toadstool (some actual recommend a little lower than that! [depending on the type ofc] http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+600+753&pcatid=753 ). Oh... You also should check what your other fish and coral require. If they require a minimum of 80F, then I wouldn't touch that temperature. If they CAN survive at lower temperatures, then you might want to try adjusting it slightly lower.

You MIGHT want to try pulling that down a tad bit. Just my personal, no-experience, suggestion.

 

[koda_dad]

Okay...I am starting to wonder if the tests themselves are the prob.

I am running API kits for everything EXCEPT Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia. They are Nutrafin.

I had major trouble with a PH kit from them that was totally incorrect.

The Ammonia reading was 2.4 which is indeed very high.

 

[JohnDoe]

Okay...I am starting to wonder if the tests themselves are the prob.

I am running API kits for everything EXCEPT Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia. They are Nutrafin.

I had major trouble with a PH kit from them that was totally incorrect.

The Ammonia reading was 2.4 which is indeed very high.

That ammonia reading COULD be caused by a dead/decaying animal in your tank. Have you noticed anything (fish/coral/starfish) missing recently?

I might do a small water change in order to get some of the ammonia out, but be careful not to agitate the sand too much when refilling (that could stir up even more trouble).

Again, I am no expert on this subject, so yeah... :/

 

[koda_dad]

Other than the snails everyone is accounted for.

I see lots of snails just not sure if they are all alive and well. I have also seen my peppermint shrimp so I think that should be ok.

 

[koda_dad]

Also would you syphon the sand at all? Maybe the top of the sand?

 

[JohnDoe]

Other than the snails everyone is accounted for.

I see lots of snails just not sure if they are all alive and well. I have also seen my peppermint shrimp so I think that should be ok.

Ok, then yeah it could be the test kit... but then again... what do I know... :dunno:

Siphoning you would have to ask someone that has true experience with these tanks. I know WAYyyyy too little to give you any sort of answer on that.

It may agitate the nitrate/nitrite levels to even higher, but may not. I am not sure on that at all. I've tried helping, but from this point on you need someone with more experience. Sorry I couldn't help any more. :(

 

[yote]

I think I would re-test using a differnt test kit.
Its not unheard of for test kits to go bad,and you have no way of knowing how long they have been sitting on a shelf somewhere.
As for the sand bed,I very seldom touch mine.And when I do,its only to siphon out any detritus I can actually see.