All kinds of crazy. Please help.

[Akakta]

Ok say I am four month new to this whole thing....I signed up on reef central and I'm not really getting much help. I'm hoping I can find some help here. I have so much going on and that I have done to this tank I would really hate to have to rewrite everything here. So I'm hoping you can use this link Three monts new to this. Clam question. - Reef Central Online Community and please tell me what's going on, what to do or what should I be doing? Please help. Thank you and have a good day

 

[cdness]

I read that over and it is all over the place... You are having issues with the tank and right now it would be considered a FOWLR tank so there is less to worry about. I see you upgraded the lights but are dealing with some death.

Please post your parameters and a description of the tank setup here so we can get started and help:

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:

Salinity (SG):
Salt Mix Used:

Tank Size:
Filtration description:

Livestock:

From what I read you have high nitrates and run bio-balls. This is very common which is why not many people will recommend using bio-balls anymore. The only way to get the nitrates down at this point would be water changes. Once they are down you can use other export methods like a turf scrubber or macro algae in a fuge.

Also from the images you have posted over there it looks like there may be a parasite or fish disease in the water. It doesn't look like HLLE but your description makes it sound like that. The best cure for it is better water quality. Get on those water changes ASAP.

More to come when you post your system specs...

 

[CrazyEyes]

If you're dealing with nitrates I have to suggest IF you have a skimmer, try carbon dosing. Red Sea makes a product called Nopox, it is essentially carbon dosing but is more forgiving than lets say vodka. A ATS is a great method too but they always seem to need quite a bit of space to be effective. Same thing with a fuge w/macro and or chaeto, they do work but it always seems they need a lot of room to be effective. My no3 was around 200ppm for quite some time with a fuge, I removed the fuge, added a bigger skimmer and started carbon dosing and doing fairly big water changes. I was able to get it to below 30ppm in 6 days. But just as explained before we need quite a few more details regarding your particular system.

 

[Akakta]

Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: over 200
pH: 7.8

Salinity (SG): 1.023
Salt Mix Used:RO water Red Sea salt. Salinity 1.024

Tank Size: 150g bow front
Filtration description: wet/dry filter


Livestock: Blue regal tang, one damsel, two clown fish

Ok this system is about ten years old. It was already installed when she moved in. I not to sure where to start now. Had one tang die. then the damsel started getting sick and then I started treating the tank with paraguard. after two day of treatment with the paraguard my water started getting cloudy. I skipped a day of treatment and the water cleared up. Today I did half of a treatment. As of right now the damsel looks goods swimming and what not but he's still not eating. And hasnt eaten for now about a week. This all started after the tang died.... Since adding paraguard I had three snails die. And I started adding the paraguard Sunday 9th. I have done a lot of work to this tank. I do water changes every week, and have been doing them since march with missing only two water changes. I trying to figure out what to do with the damsel, and getting my nitrate down. If you want pic or any other info I will try to get it to you. Thank you again and have a nice day.

 

[CrazyEyes]

I would, remove the bioballs, add more LR (if needed) not sure how much is in there. I would honestly try to find somewhere to keep the fish for the time being. And all the other livestock in the tank. I would then take a turkey baster and blast off all the LR, vacuum the sand while doing a water change. And I would honestly do a huge water change. I'm talking 80+ %. I would go through the whole system and remove ANYTHING that can trap nitrates i.e filter floss, sponges, bio balls etc. I would get a skimmer ASAP( if you can afford it) after the skimmer I would seriously contemplate the red sea nopox(only if you get a skimmer) and wet skim.

 

[CrazyEyes]

Besides removing the livestock, that is honestly exactly what I did to my system when I was suffering my nitrates. And I promise you I brought mine down from 200 to 20 a week.

 

[glb]

You may have to change almost all of the water to lower the nitrates. 200 is a massive number. Good luck !


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[CrazyEyes]

Depending exactly where your NO3 is a 80% WC SHOULD bring you down to under 50ppm, still high but not even in the same ballpark as 200+ But, unless you figure out the underlying issue doing a big WC is really just a big band aid.

 

[Akakta]

Well I not in a rush to get them down. I do a gravel vac every water change. I have cut out and changed a lot of the lines. When I started doing gravel vac it was like I was taking core samples. Lol now when I do gravel vac the sand come out pretty clean. Here are some pics of what I have cut out.
- See more at: image-30.jpg Photo by akakta | Photobucket
This is the old UV light. I plan on remaking the UV and making it more functional.
They had this all over the lines.
- See more at: image-31.jpg Photo by akakta | Photobucket
This is what the lines look like right now

- See more at: image-34.jpg Photo by akakta | Photobucket
- See more at: image-32.jpg Photo by akakta | Photobucket

And here's what the tank is looking like today.
- See more at: image-29.jpg Photo by akakta | Photobucket

 

[glb]

I think you should be in a rush to bring them down. At those levels, the fish aren't going to do well. I'd change out the water ASAP to save the remaining fish.


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[CrazyEyes]

Yeah man, 200+ppm isn't a joke. I mean, granted it's not as harmful as ammonia or nitrite but still not pleasant.

 

[REEFKEEPER10]

The bio balls is what is causing the high nitrates most likely. I have heard of hi nitrate but wow. Biopellets would bring them down but to fast so I would remove some bio balls each week until nitrates start falling and maybe feed a little less. A few partial water changes want hurt either.

 

[zemuss]

I would not attempt to bring the nitrates down too fast because this could shock the system as well. I would do changes over a few weeks to get the nitrates down.

However, wet dry filtration systems is part of the issue and the media in the trickle system. So take out the bio-balls as recommended would be where to start. Then I would replace all the vinyl hose in the system and most likely any PVC piping.

Then turn the wet dry into a sump and use the space to hold the skimmer if you got one. I would also create a fuge if there is room in the cabinet and get some cheato tumbling.

'z'

 

[CrazyEyes]

Forget that, bring them as fast as you can. With water changes that big though you need to get everything as close to spot on with each as possible. Like I said, I lowered mine from 200 to 20 in 6 days and I lost nothing. But not every system is the same.

 

[glb]

I've done up to 90% water changes in emergencies and if you make sure the water parameters are consistent, it won't destroy the bio filter. I just don't want to see any more of the fish suffer. Hats off to you for trying to take care of this tank after it was so neglected.


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[Akakta]

Cool! Thanks you guys for all your help!!! I have gotten more help here then over at reef central. I will be on here from now on.... So I was think about adding carbon bag to it too. What do y'all think?

 

[CrazyEyes]

Carbon in a bag is fine, I've run carbon in a bag in a high flow area and in a reactor and I have to be honest, didn't notice a difference between passive or a reactor. Just make sure it's in an area with good flow and rinse it first. I will recommend BRS ROX 0.8, stuff works great.

 

[Akakta]

So I thought I'd give an update.... So my water is perfect. Nitrates 0! I was useing test strips that were giving me false readings. I got a saltwater master test kit and I tested for everything and it showed that my water is clean and perfect!!! With all the work, cleaning I have been doing has paid off!!!! Wooooh!!