Nitrates, please go away!~

[JonnyIce]

Ugh the frustration. I have myself a lovely Biocube 29 where I've removed the bioballs and then the sponge between chamber 2 and 3. Currently using a stock biocube filter, but plan on using plain filter foam once I get my levels in check. I have a heater in chamber 1, tunze skimmer in chamber 2, and upgraded to MJ1200 in return chamber...also put in a Koralia nano for extra flow...what's in the tank? a few dwarf blue hermits, some snails, one of those halloween looking crabs and a reef hermit that is too big and needs a new home. Heck, I even have some chaeto hanging out in there for good measure. The problem? My nitrates are off the chart. My nitrites are 0, my ammonia is 0, pH is around 8 and the salinity is 1.020 range. I've got a nice amount of live rock and sand, but my guess is that the original issue was buying uncured rock from a few LFS. I don't know at this point...I'm just frustrated...prematurely bought some things at Greenwich Aquaria which ended up being eaten by the reef crab or just dying and then being eaten. I've done quite a few w/c including did an 8gal water change this weekend and still getting high nitrates...can anyone help? Oh I use Walmart R/O water with Instant Ocean salt. I appreciate any help I can get...I'd love to have some livestock one day as this thing has been cycling since 7/12.

Here is the FTS

is this cyano? should I just take out the piece and boil or chuck it?

Sorry for long post and fuzzy iPhone pics, but I'm just saddened by this whole thing :frown:

 

[duke62]

try testing your ro/di and see if those nitrates are high

 

[SaltyFlip]

Cycling since 7/12? Just to make it clear for me, after buying uncured rock and prematurely buying livestock and then end up dying, I can just imagine the sudden shift in load in your tank. Everything must've jumped. I'm wondering when was the last time something died in your tank and from then, by how much and how often have you changed your water?

 

[georgelc86]

Johnny if you throw your rock out I have a trash can for you to use. I will even come by and collect it. What happened to Conan the Hermit Barbarian. Exactly how high are your nitrates.

 

[JonnyIce]

The only things that legitimately died were cleaner shrimp. The sea cucumber was killed by Conan the Hermit (who just molted again and is now a nice red color)...as were a couple of nassarius snails...nothing else has died or been killed for about two weeks or so. I have done two water changes since then. R/O water measured 0 on the nitrates scale. I am using Salifert kit and the bright deep magenta seems to be off of the chart!

 

[georgelc86]

CHB is my new nickname for that hermit. so your what 40 50ppm on trates.

 

[JonnyIce]

I would say 100 according to the chart lol. I thought the kit might've been wacky, so I tested the R/O and it came up 0.

 

[georgelc86]

Crazy, water change time!

 

[SaltyFlip]

yup! water change...it'll take a while for those nitrates to go down esp if you do less than 30% water change...even if it was 50 I think it'd take it about a month to get it to 0.

 

[georgelc86]

You can also take a turkey baster and blow some water over the rocks and get some of that T-Rex sized CHB poop free floating just before your water change. What should help cut down on the high trates at the moment.

 

[JonnyIce]

Ah CHB, the little pooper...I'm thinking of doing a 50% change and using the PetCo Ocean Water (I think some on the board use it) just to make it easier to do the change...would that be a waste if I know I'm just going to be taking it out again soon or should I go with water I know is quality?
At least someone is smiling up there! LOL
Any ideas about the magenta blob pictured?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The Blob is cyano.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I use Petco water from beginning to end on my tank and have used it on every tank I have had. On my 24 I do 5 gallons every 2 weeks and everything is good. Do I think doing a I would buy 4 boxes of it and do a 20 gallon WC see if it helps. I recently had to do a huge WC on my 24 amounting to 15 gallons which is alot for a 24 g tank but everything made it ok for the most part. If you have someone here that could make you a lot of RODI water and you could mix it up with whatever salt you are using and do a WC like that, maybe that is an option.

 

[prattreef]

Since there are currently no delicate inhabitants of the system I would do a large 75+ % water change and keep our lights off. You also mention nothing of your phosphate levels. Are you running GFO and carbon?

 

[JonnyIce]

I think I'm gonna buy the PetCo water and do the 20 gallon change just because it would be smoother than waiting for new water to mix in 5 gallon bucket.

 

[georgelc86]

Make sure CHB doesn't try to lobe a javelin your way during the water change.

 

[JonnyIce]

LoL George, let me know when you take your roadtrip to the Y-O to pick him up...he will be the star of your sump...at night he goes into the huge shell to hide...funny guy.

 

[CHEMCHEF]

I dont want to confuse the situation more, but I started with petco water and the S.G. Always seemed to be around 1.028 when i tested it. So have some RO around to dillute it. Has anyone else found this with petco water.
Because otherwise it seemed like a great product.

Sorry didnt mean to hijack thread.

I think I'm gonna buy the PetCo water and do the 20 gallon change just because it would be smoother than waiting for new water to mix in 5 gallon bucket.

 

[georgelc86]

Thinking about it Johnny, just checking my life insurance policy and health to make sure I am covered for animal mauling.

 

[JonnyIce]

Chefs are always allowed to hijack my threads. thanks for the heads up.

I dont want to confuse the situation more, but I started with petco water and the S.G. Always seemed to be around 1.028 when i tested it. So have some RO around to dillute it. Has anyone else found this with petco water.
Because otherwise it seemed like a great product.

Sorry didnt mean to hijack thread.