Problems and i need help!

[Alexnyc22]

I'm having an issue with my tank and i would like some input on how i should fix it. First and foremost i noticed that my Duncan wasnt opening up all the way recently, hes been opening up but short and stubby. Some of my other corals seem to be doing ok but not as well as they were doing before. I did a 10 Gallon water change on my 90 gallon tank 2 days ago and tested the water yesterday evening (about 24 hours later). Ive also noticed that the ball of cheato in my sump is slowly getting smaller and disappearing. I have a Aqueon model 4 and i have the coralife light recommended for that sump that fits directly on top. Can someone tell me what im doing wrong? Help please!

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Phosphate .25
Calcium 420
Alkalinity 10 dkH
Salinity 1.024
PH 8.3
Temp 78

Thank you for your time.

 

[Shastri Sookraj]

Nitrates look too high, what's yours water change process?

 

[Alexnyc22]

I normally stop all my pumps, take out 5 gallons and replace them with 5 gallons of new mixed saltwater. and start everything back up again. I use red sea salt.

By the way, the tank has been up and running for about 6 months now with no probelms what so ever. I had a little red slime at one point but that went away as well.

 

[Shastri Sookraj]

How often are your water changes and what's your total water volume?

 

[Alexnyc22]

Honestly i dont do them as often as i should but i do 5 gallons at a time. The last one i did a couple of days ago was 10 gallons though. My tank is a 90 Gallon with a Aqueon Model 4 sump.

 

[Dan_P]

As for the chaeto, I had the same thing happen to me.

I bought it, Caulerpa, and another macro alga and threw them in my sump along with some Long Island Sound macro algae. I had one 5000 K CFL spot from Home Depote. Nitrate and phosphates nondetectable. The chaeto fell apart, all the other species looked OK but not much growth. I lowered the spot to within a few inches of the water and growth started (chaeto long gone). Added a second spot light and I now have to harvest the sump or it becomes a mess of macro species.

I am beginning to suspect that in some or all cases of chaeto low growth or death, there is insufficient light intensity. I should buy another clump of chaeto and see how well it does under my now brightly lit sump.

 

[Shastri Sookraj]

This is tricky, but it could be that ether your water changes are not consistent enough( or to fast ) or maybe since your only in a 6 month cycle your livestock is starting to show those " new tank syndrome " symptoms( which could be from stocking the tank b4 the cycle was complete). I also did my 1st water change in a year when i redid my tank, and Even thou it's been up and running and I reused my tank water I still ended have new tank syndrome. I think this was cause when i introduced mixed salt water and it RE jump-started the cycle.

It could be the littlest spike that changes your system.

Anybody else want to take a kick at it? I will follow along!

 

[Alexnyc22]

Duncan on the left and my anemone in the middle

 

[Chefjpaul]

What testing kits are you using?

How often do you test KH?
(Large swings between water changes may shock corals).

Magnesium level?
Are you dosing anything at all?

How are you controlling your heater?
(Temp swings)?

If you want to cut nitrate in half you need to do 50% WC.

Filtration involved?

 

[Alexnyc22]

Api

I test weekly and the only difference ive noticed is nitrates... Sometimes they go up and sometimes down but i dont get why

And the heaters have a temp gauge and I monitor it with thermometers

I have an aqueon model 4 as my sump if thats what you mean by filtration. i use filter socks and a skimmer

 

[Nandez13]

Api

I test weekly and the only difference ive noticed is nitrates... Sometimes they go up and sometimes down but i dont get why

And the heaters have a temp gauge and I monitor it with thermometers

I have an aqueon model 4 as my sump if thats what you mean by filtration. i use filter socks and a skimmer

The two things that stick out to me are the test kits that you're using and the volume/frequency of your water changes. API test kits are not reliable for Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium (Are u testing Mg?). I've compared them with Salifert test kits and the difference in Calcium readings was about 50 ppm. This can result in making dosing mistakes because you think your parameters need adjusting.

The 5 gallon water change on a tank that size is not enough to do much. You have around 100 gallons in your system so replacing 5% of the volume won't raise your Ca/Alk/Mg much nor will it lower your nitrates much. Even if you did a 5 gal water change once a week (which you don't seem to be doing), it would take you several months to actually see an impact in your parameters. Try doing a 25% water change and then you don't have to worry as much about doing them regularly.

 

[ivandrago]

for a 100 gallon tank you should be doing 3 1/2 Homedepot buckets every 2 weeks. I have a 105 gallon and thats what i do. Then you should also do once every 2 month 50% water change. This seems to be working for me.