Newer Tank Tips

[Ryan0607]

Got my First reef tank a couple months ago and got a few fish and coral from a friend and everything looks like it’s doing good but the tank is starting it’s cycle it looks like and wondering if there was any recommendations on the tank, it’s a 55g with a reef octopus hob skimmer a hob filter and a few basic power heads and a green element light/Current USA light but thinking about getting the Gyre icecap 4K and a tidal 110 filter to replace what I got on there now also have a Christmas wrasse a angel and 2 clowns

 

[blaxsun]

If you've had the tank for a few months already and have fish and coral in it, it's probably cycled. Have you been testing it regularly?

 

[Ryan0607]

If you've had the tank for a few months already and have fish and coral in it, it's probably cycled. Have you been testing it regularly?

calcium 390
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 75-100
Phosphate 0-0.3
Magnesium 1250
Alkalinity 15.7
PH 9

these are the numbers as of a few days ago I got the tank from someone on Facebook that only had rock in it and a crushed coral bed and kept the water that was in it to fill it back up once I got it to my place and have been doing about a 10 gallon water change every couple weeks also didn’t really wait for my take to cycle to add anything I added coral and Fish after having it for a couple weeks

 

[Ryan0607]

If you've had the tank for a few months already and have fish and coral in it, it's probably cycled. Have you been testing it regularly?

Also never really had an algae problem or what would look like the tank cycling till about a week or so ago

 

[blaxsun]

Your nitrates and alkalinity are way high, so don't add anything else until you address this. You should increase your water changes to 20-25% weekly to get this down. Your calcium and magnesium are also low.

I would tell you that this tank probably isn't ready for occupants, but this would be like closing the barn door after the horses have already got out...

 

[Ryan0607]

Your nitrates and alkalinity are way high, so don't add anything else until you address this. You should increase your water changes to 20-25% weekly to get this down. Your calcium and magnesium are also low.

I would tell you that this tank probably isn't ready for occupants, but this would be like closing the barn door after the horses have already got out...

OK I’ll increase the water changes to bring those down…do you have any recommendations to increase my calcium and magnesium? I was was thinking about getting some Kalkwasser to put in the tank

 

[blaxsun]

Stick with the water changes and most of the elements should balance themselves out. Something like NOPOX could also help with the high nitrates if they persist.

 

[Ryan0607]

Stick with the water changes and most of the elements should balance themselves out. Something like NOPOX could also help with the high nitrates if they persist.

Ok will do I appreciate the help

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

nitrates are dangerously high for your fish, shouldnt really go higher than 40. The high nitrates and phosphates are also feeding the algae problem

 

[blaxsun]

nitrates are dangerously high for your fish, shouldnt really go higher than 40. The high nitrates and phosphates are also feeding the algae problem

Ideally, yes. But fish can survive in higher nitrate environments for a period of time. Since I'm guessing that the fish have been in this high nitrate environment pretty much from the outset, I'd be more concerned with a drastic nitrate reduction in short order. Hence the suggestion for increased water changes and possibly NOPOX.