Nitrates still 160 ppm

Mike in CT · Apr 27, 2014

Paul is on the right track, I had off the wall nitrates for months after using all dry rock and having only 2 fish. It just takes longer for the nitrate bacteria to get a foot hold. As I previously stated I ended up using vodka after a few months, but now( about 10 months later a was able to wean it off vodka and my nitrates are below 5 at least for now. Things just take time sometimes .

gemini9 · Apr 27, 2014

Here are a few pics. ... DIATOMS lol

PaulKreider · Apr 27, 2014

I'd point that powerhead right at the rocks, and just give it a little time. Diatoms are a good sign that your tank is progressing. Patients is key.

gemini9 · Apr 27, 2014

Done. Now theres a bunch of debris blowing around the tank lol

PaulKreider · Apr 27, 2014

More flow through the rocks means more food for the bacteria and faster growth, Look up the berlin method of filtration, It was big before the use of skimmers. You could probably add a clean up crew in the next few days.

gemini9 · Apr 27, 2014

Cuc sounds good. Ill keep an eye on my nitrates and do another water change tomorrow.

Dalmatia · Apr 27, 2014

Sorry but dry rock like you said contains a lot of dead matter with in it, so how does that not contribute to ammonia-nitrite-nitrate? Am I missing something.

Dalmatia · Apr 27, 2014

That's the only reason you cycle it.
The rest I agree with

PaulKreider · Apr 27, 2014

The pure white dry rock that has been mined from inland ancient reefs is dead as a doorknob, There's absolutely nothing on it, may rinse off some dust but other than that its clean. Now live rock that has been sitting and become "dry rock" will have dead matter on It.

Dalmatia · Apr 27, 2014

Does make sense

But where can you get rock like that?

Mgoc · Apr 27, 2014

I did have to battle nitrates for a few months, they were never higher than 30-40 ppm but I had to do 30 gallon water changes every week just to keep them under control, and then I tried a product named Aquabella and I have had zero nitrates in both my tanks ever since, one of them is 50g with only a HOB filter rated for 75, I am a heavy feeder, I do water changes every 3 weeks or so now you might want to try it since you dont have any fish or corals yet and therefore nothing to loose.

Mgoc · Apr 27, 2014

Dalmatia said:
Does make sense
But where can you get rock like that?

I believe you can get from marcorocks.com

gemini9 · Apr 27, 2014

PaulKreider said:
The pure white dry rock that has been mined from inland ancient reefs is dead as a doorknob, There's absolutely nothing on it, may rinse off some dust but other than that its clean. Now live rock that has been sitting and become "dry rock" will have dead matter on It.

The Reef Saver I ordered from BRS is indeed dry and straight mined from the earth. Their reef saver rock is not from out of the ocean, but from mines underground from ancient fossilized reef I believe. The other "Dry Rock" I ordered, however, the Tonga shelf, Fiji and Pukani, was from the ocean. I washed it and it did have allot of matter in it. I removed as much as I could but didn't get it all. This is where the dead crab came from.

Reefing Madness · Apr 28, 2014

Mgoc said:
I believe you can get from marcorocks.com

That stuff doesn't contribute to Ammonia, Nitrites or Nitrates. Now phosphates on the other hand, oh yea. Its just man made rock, doesn't have anything in it, and can't have die off, therefore no Ammonia to burden the tank with.

Reefing Madness · Apr 28, 2014

gemini9 said:
The Reef Saver I ordered from BRS is indeed dry and straight mined from the earth. Their reef saver rock is not from out of the ocean, but from mines underground from ancient fossilized reef I believe. The other "Dry Rock" I ordered, however, the Tonga shelf, Fiji and Pukani, was from the ocean. I washed it and it did have allot of matter in it. I removed as much as I could but didn't get it all. This is where the dead crab came from.

You have to cure the rock that you got, received, unless you got it locally, and it was fully cured rock, this stuff will have die off, and will run a full cycle.

Mike in CT · Apr 28, 2014

A couple things I noticed using inland mined reef rock . It takes FOREVER for nitrates to come down after starting a tank , but they eventually will. I was in dismay after restarting my tank , having only 2 fish that I knew were eating everything I was feeding them and my nitrates were off the scale . The other thing is that I can not get coralline to grow on it. If I put a frag or a piece of rubble in the tank, coralline will cover it and also the glass and plastic. But it will not grow on the rock itself . I don't know if there is something in the make up of the rock, or if it's absorbing something, but coralline won't get a foothold on it.

gemini9 · Apr 28, 2014

I have a mix in there. Some of the mined rock, I also have some Fiji, pukani and tonga shelf. Along witj a few LR from LFS. Good info to know about the mined rock!

gemini9 · Apr 28, 2014

Any idea how long it will take for thw die off to clear up?

fishroomlady · Apr 28, 2014

I'm not sure you have a lot of die off - it's probably just detritus blowing around in there. Slow and steady - do a good sized water change, move the tank when your water level is low so you can fit a skimmer, and add a CUC.

PaulKreider · Apr 28, 2014

So basically what I'm seeing now is that you put some dry live rock in without curing it, This ment that it cured in your tank, which normally takes a month or a little more. So your tank should be perfectly fine and ready I'd say by next week.

Next time cure the rock in a different container!!