Help please R2... again

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Hey everyone, starting to bald at a young age ripping my hair out, and could really use some guidance.

I had a freshwater aquarium for a couple months before I finally began my saltwater coral tank. It's nothing big, 55gal with a oversized UV canister filter (replaced the bio Balls with much more marine pure balls), 60-70lb of live rock, a couple fish, eels, 2 anemones, and some torch corals.

I recently lost a fire goby, so when I returned him to the lfs they tested my water, and told me my ammonia and nitrate were 0, but nitrite as 2 and pH was low.

I had a hard time believing them so I tested at home. They used API, I have the red sea kit. Today I tested and had:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.2
Nitrate 50
Salinity 1.025
Temp 76
pH 8.0
Alk >13 dkh

I'm getting everything ready for a 30-50% water change. I also have brown algae spreading throughout. I know brown algae is normal in a young tank but seems quite rapid spread (<4 days since first noticed). The tank was fully cycled before the corals and additional fish were added. Any suggestions? Anyone have such large discrepancies between the lfs test and their own??? Thanks to everyone in advance.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

 

[cmcoker]

As white as you rocks are it just looks like the uglies to me. How long has the tank been setup?
A couple eels plus fish seems like a high Bioload for as young as your rocks look...
Id trust the red sea kits over the api your lfs is using.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Tank is a little over a month old... cycled it with 4 damsels and 2 clowns and a bottle of bio spira

 

[Joey waid]

Rocks look normal to me. It maybe the fish just died to be dying.

 

[Salty1962]

You need to give your tank more time to cycle. You should have 0 nitrites, toxic to livestock. I wouldn't add anything else until your numbers fall in line.

 

[jsker]

Sorry to tell you, you tank is still cycling. The tank will go through more up and down for about a year You fish most likely passed for the reason there was not a bio load established. Take your time

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Another side question... I just did a water change, using hw marine mix. It always seems like I get high alk everytime... I forgot to test the fresh mix before adding it but after it is 11-12 dkh... any recommendations?

 

[Bob Escher]

Your tank is still cycling, not the nitrogen cycle but what I call or heard before the maturity cycle.
You know your reaching maturity when you get brown hair algae, your rock is turning to a deeper color and even purple because of coralline algae. It will be awhile just watch things, be deligent about tests and water changes and it will happen

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Ok thank you

 

[ws6kid]

In a young tank like this, there is nothing in place to really manage nitrates. 50 is really high. Should be around 5ppm. They will need to be managed via water changes until they are under a safe level more normally.

Nitrites are toxic, but you can always find some in most tanks as it is the second step in the nitrogen cycle. If you have fish pooping, the ammonia gets converted first to nitrites, then to nitrate.

I would recommend larger water changes every week until your nitrate numbers get to and stay where you want them.

 

[ruth howard]

As others have said, give it more time to cycle. Your rocks look like mine (BRS reef saver dry rock). If it is dry rock, it really isn't "live rock". It will become live rock in time. My rocks had green stuff on it that would blow off with a turkey baster. The green stuff is finally going away, and my tank is 9 months old. I know it is frustrating, but stick with it and take your time. I have always heard it can take a year for a tank to mature. I used all dead dry rock so it might take longer. Don't give up and keep asking questions.

 

[Steve C.]

Not to sound repetitive, but Your tank is still cycling. You have a pretty big bio load in the tank.. also we're the live rock that you placed in the tank initially cured? Your tanks going to continue to go through its natural progression. Thus, you might lose more live stock, and or corals. Sorry to say that. I know it's hard, but try to not put any other fish and coral in the tank. Don't do a lot of water changes throughout the process. Balance is key, so don't mess with it too much. If you're going to do a water change, do a small water change nothing big, because you're being counter productive. You have a 55 gallon tank, reef crystals will work just fine, you don't have any sps coral, that Would warrant the HW salt, with this, some fish, anemones and some torch's and or hammers will be just fine.. just be patient, and trust me, I've had to become very patient with this hobby. I lost a lot along the way because of my lack of waiting and letting the process take it course.

 

[Steve C.]

 

[Steve C.]

Here's a pic of my tank, and that's after not waiting and rushing.. it's. Enter to leave it and let it take its course instead of change to much to fast..

 

[Myka]

Just a correction, nitrite is not as toxic in saltwater as it is in freshwater. Most reef tanks will never see a nitrite level that will be toxic to any critters in the tank.

I also agree the tank is way too young to be moving so fast. The reason the nitrate is high is because you started with dry rock and there is no DEnitriying bacteria to deal with the nitrate. It usually takes 8-16 months for the anaerobic DEnitrifying bacteria to establish a good enough population that nitrate will fall when you start with dry rock.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Thank you everyone for the great advice. I definitely was impatient to get some fish and color on the system and I do believe I'm paying for it and still will... I guess no matter how much everyone tells you to be patient, everyone has to find out on their own... everyone has been a huge help here