Heat/nitrates

[JumperAlex]

Is it possible that with my AC being out this week and my tank reaching temps of sometimes 83 degrees that my nitrates would be abnormally high? I do religious 20g water changes every Sunday and they have been between 0-10. I did a 20g water change on Saturday to try to lower the temp and when I tested the water it was close to 40-50. So Sunday I did an additional 20g change and they tested at 25-30. All changes are done with RODI water that I make at home and instant ocean salt. Salinity and Ph are both testing normal(no ammonia or nitrites). The only new addition was a small Tomini tang the week before the AC went out and I don't think he would create that much waste. Any insight would be great. Thanks


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[revsgirl]

Bump


Chasing the Dream Giver, not the dream! Tonya

 

[Mrfresh]

Thats a good observation. But u have to check other factors before being sure.
Did you lose any corals from ur temp getting that high?
Did u start to feed more to help the new fish eat?
Hows ur skimmer working?
When was the last time u changed out ur carbon?

 

[JumperAlex]

I don't have any corals, I have not increased my feeding because the tang ate at the store and by the second or third day of having the tang he was eating at home. My skimmer I assume is running fine, I empty the cup on Wednesday at the same time I change my filter socks and again on Sunday when I change my socks again and do my 20g water change. It is a CAD light 1220 skimmer (plenty of cleaning power for my tank right?). I don't run carbon in my sump but I do run a media reactor with bio matrix media. Do I need to run carbon?


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[mike007]

83 degrees will not cause high nitrates. Excessive nutrients in water column will. Usally thats from overfeeding fish or corals. Water changes are great but thats a temporary fix. You have to find the source of the problem. Try underfeeding and see if levels go down. Also carbon is good to run it takes out alot of stuff no other filters can.

 

[JumperAlex]

I'm feeding once a day in the evening and not even a full frozen cube for all of the fish I have. Should I cut back to every other day?


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[mike007]

I would feed every day. Never let food hit the bottom and only feed enough that can be consumed in 2-3 minutes.

 

[JumperAlex]

Okay, So I tested the tank about 15 min after the water change last night and got the results above. My girlfriend tested the water today on her lunch break (while adding frozen water bottles to the sump) and it tested at 10. Any clue as to the reason it would drop?


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[JumperAlex]

Sorry for all of the questions I'm rather new to the hobby and am trying to get things figured out.


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[Mrfresh]

Carbons always a good thing to run but some don't. Just a choice.

It's good to ask questions better to know and prevent something or wait and find out after the fact

I would try to mix ur food with some pellet and slowly work out frozen with the pellets over a 2 week period.
It looks like all ur fish would be ok with pellet.
Jmo

 

[mikewilder]

one cube/day in 90 gallons shouldn't be problematic. how long has the tank been set up? how much live rock?

 

[NanaReefer]

Is everyone accounted for?


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

 

[JumperAlex]

Tank has been set up since the end of December and yes everyone is accounted for.


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[mike007]

You might want to take a sample to lfs and double check your readings. Something does not seem right. Do you have live rock? What are you using for a biological filter?

 

[JumperAlex]

I have about 120# live rock and a media reactor in the sump with matrix media.


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[JumperAlex]

This is a picture from the week I added the Tomini.


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[mike007]

I think your readings are off. Usually with high trates you will have a algae problem. Your tank looks great to me.

 

[JumperAlex]

Happy to report that after a week of not having AC, the landlord had both the inside and outside units replaced today. So we now have AC again and didn't lose any fish!! Crisis inverted!


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2

 

[JumperAlex]

Averted.


90g FOWLR
Foxface lo x 1
Ocerllaris clown x2
Blue spotted Toby puffer x1
Tomini tang x1
Flame hawk x1
Red legged hermit crab x 5-10
Snails x 5
Short spine urchin (red) x 1
Conch x 1
Chocolate chip starfish x 2