New to salt water and cycled my tank for about 6 weeks before adding fish. Now that I have added a baby yellow tang and two baby black and white clown fish algae has started to grow rapidly on the glass and live sand. This was 2 weeks ago. Went to my lfs and was told to get a biocube protein skimmer and carbon bag to help. Also did a water change each week and it doesn't seam to be helping. My nitrates won't seam to go down. What can or should I do?
Help!
- Thread starter romesoccer5
- Start date
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TriggerThis
Well-Known Member
You need A properly set up saltwater tank with the right equipment. I bet your using tap water for the water changes.
Most nitrate problems are caused by excess nutrients. Most common cause Is from overfeeding. Adding a skimmer is good do you have live rock?
Do you have your water readings from the water that your using? Do you know what the TDS is? Do you know what the Nitrates are reading in it? How about the phosphate level in the tank? Do you know what that reading is in the top off water?
Small triggers
Well-Known Member
Adding the skimmer was a good suggestion..also carbon can help...but you may want to get a nitrate absorber..like chemipure elite...
Using RO/DI water is the best source of water to make saltwater...if you are using tap depending on where your at there are phosphates and nitrates..among other things you don't want in your water...
Lastly...if you have your own test kits, please let us know your nitrates and phosphate level...also if you could give us your salinity and tank temp that could help...
And keep in mind all new tanks go through these hurdles...some people obviously have forgotten when they started....
Using RO/DI water is the best source of water to make saltwater...if you are using tap depending on where your at there are phosphates and nitrates..among other things you don't want in your water...
Lastly...if you have your own test kits, please let us know your nitrates and phosphate level...also if you could give us your salinity and tank temp that could help...
And keep in mind all new tanks go through these hurdles...some people obviously have forgotten when they started....
HiddenUser
Valuable Member
Algae blooms are pretty common when starting up new tanks...You'll want to make sure you keep the nitrates and phosphates low.
You can try cutting back the light cycle, feed less, water changes to take out the excess nutrients.
You can try cutting back the light cycle, feed less, water changes to take out the excess nutrients.
KoleTang
Valuable Member
I need answers to these four questions in order to help you.
What is your tank size?
What filtration are you using?
What are you feeding and how much?
How often do you do water changes and how much water is changed?
What is your tank size?
What filtration are you using?
What are you feeding and how much?
How often do you do water changes and how much water is changed?
KoleTang
Valuable Member
Your water change regimen sounds good. Keep that up.
It doesn't sound like your overfeeding. You could cut down to once a day if need be.
So it really just comes down to how much waste is being introduced from the fish as apposed to how much is being removed by filtration. A yellow tang is a very large source of waste, especially for a tank that small. The Biocube brand protein skimmer is not a very good skimmer. So large waste vs small filtration, that's a bad match up. I suggest removing the tang (it will outgrow the tank anyway), getting a more solid skimmer, and adding some Chemi-Pure Elite. This is the skimmer I recommend. And you'll need this for it. You will have solid filtration and if you keep up with those water changes your tank has a bright future ahead! (BTW, I would only add a total of 4, maybe 5 small fish in there)
It doesn't sound like your overfeeding. You could cut down to once a day if need be.
So it really just comes down to how much waste is being introduced from the fish as apposed to how much is being removed by filtration. A yellow tang is a very large source of waste, especially for a tank that small. The Biocube brand protein skimmer is not a very good skimmer. So large waste vs small filtration, that's a bad match up. I suggest removing the tang (it will outgrow the tank anyway), getting a more solid skimmer, and adding some Chemi-Pure Elite. This is the skimmer I recommend. And you'll need this for it. You will have solid filtration and if you keep up with those water changes your tank has a bright future ahead! (BTW, I would only add a total of 4, maybe 5 small fish in there)
