Nitrite and algae

madweeder · Jun 4, 2015

I got a 50 gallon bowfront tank for Xmas. Fill it up in late march 20 gallon sump,reef oct protein skimmer,two 1100 gph powerheads,two kessil 160 tuna blue light,70 lbs of white {live} sand and about 50/60lbs of old live rock I had from an old tank. For a month nothing happen no ammonia-nitrites nothing. I put a piece of uncooked shrimp in started to get ammonia and high nitrites and a little nitrate but never zero went to fish store got 10 lbs of live rock put it in tank about two weeks ago. Now I have a lot of red algae please help spend a lot of money still have no fish and wife is getting upset and will no longer look for the ghost shrimp I told her were in there
Ammonia .50
Nitrite well above 2.0
Nitrate about 20
Phosphate .25

Tahoe61 · Jun 4, 2015

Are you using RO as a water source?
Are you using API test strips?
Have your LFS test your water for you, and test your water source.

Sound like you have the makings for a nice set up, just need some tweaking.

I would start by doing some water changes with RO/DI water as your source. Double check your chemistry values. Consider changing the directional flow of your power heads if needed. Remove manually what algae you can during the water changes.

There are other interventions but until you know the source of your phosphate and nitrates and get a true value for your ammonia that is how I would proceed.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 4, 2015

It started cycling shortly after you added the shrimp.
How long ago was that?

madweeder · Jun 4, 2015

I do have ro/di unit it's new but I will test it I am using API tests. When I bought the last 10lbs of live rock I had them test it and they got the same results as I did.the shrimp I add well over a month ago and I'm sure it now gone I will move powerheads to get better flow

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 5, 2015

I'm surprised the ammonia is still elevated.

Does that kit read 0 ppm ammonia in RO/DI water?

madweeder · Jun 6, 2015

Checked my ro/di unit water is good on the way out. I had a make shift filter bag on my overflow pipe removed that on the day I posted. Today (Saturday) and ammonia is 0
Nitrite has dropped to .25 nitrate is about 20. I'm doing a 15 gallon water change now and removing as much as the algae as I can. I'm close to getting a fish super excited. Thanks for the help love this app