Questions

dwair · Oct 20, 2014

So I got a 90g Setup a month and a half ago, almost 2 months ago. Already established system. I moved it and put all the Live rock in there plus water.

It went through a mini cycle for like a week, and now its good to go. Exception is my nitrates. For some reason I can't get those below 2. They've actually risen to 3-4 lately. Just did a water change yesterday though, so going to recheck tonight.

But I've added 3 acans, God of War colony, 2 blastos colonies, galaxy, and some other zoa/paly. Already had like 20-25 heads of frogspawn. Plus all the fish I've added. Everything is thriving and doing great.

I've been changing the water every week, 10-15g changes. Mainly cause I inherited algae problems (bubble algae and red hair algae) My emerald crabs have almost wipe out the bubble algae, I give it 1-2 more days and its completly gone. My urchins are working on the red hair algae its almost gone as well.

I have a pair of wymoing white clowns. 1 flame hawk, 1 triger, 1 goby, 1 manderian dragonett. 1 atlantic sea star, 1 sand star.

I've been dosing my cal/alk/mag lately cause the levels dropped abit, but they are all good now.

PH - 8.2
Mag - 1210 (going up)
Cal - 400 (going up)
Alk - 8.2
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 3-4
Phosphates - 0

Think I'm good to add an anemone?

I've looked at the different types, and while i like the RBTA/GBTA's. I really want a Mag (Ritteri).

Any help on what I need to do to prepare for that? I've researched them and they like high lighting (have 2 Radion Gen 3 Pros). High Flow (MP40wES). Plenty of live rock. Like 125lbs. Stacked almost to the top.

Thoughts?

Jimbo662 · Oct 20, 2014

What are you using for filtration? Sump? Canister?

dwair · Oct 20, 2014

Jimbo662 said:
What are you using for filtration? Sump? Canister?

Good question, sorry I didn't include that. 30g Sump with media reactor (chemi pure/purigen) Reef Octupus 160 skimmer. Rufugium in middle with chaeto and other macro. Light running at night when Radion's are off.

Jimbo662 · Oct 20, 2014

Hmm...any filter socks in the sump?

dwair · Oct 20, 2014

Jimbo662 said:
Hmm...any filter socks in the sump?

Yes, and I just cleaned it, but its about to overflow again, actually planned on going to my LFS on wednesday to get a new one.

Jimbo662 · Oct 20, 2014

How often are you cleaning it? maybe try leaving the sock off a few days and see if you see any improvement.

dwair · Oct 20, 2014

Jimbo662 said:
How often are you cleaning it? maybe try leaving the sock off a few days and see if you see any improvement.

Honestly my LFS when they came to help me set it up, told me I didn't need to clean it until it overflows, so yesterday was the first time. But after I cleaned it best as I could, which seemed like it didn't do much, its already almost at the top again ready to overflow.

So I was going to replace it with a brand new one.

Jimbo662 · Oct 20, 2014

Yikes...when I used them I was switching out about every 3 days or so. The longer you leave them in uncleaned the more nitrates your going to have. I had 2 that I used. I would just rinse it really good to get any gunk off then soak it overnight in a weak water/bleach mix then rinse it really good and hang to dry. Try running without it for 3 or 4 days and see what happens.

dwair · Oct 20, 2014

Jimbo662 said:
Yikes...when I used them I was switching out about every 3 days or so. The longer you leave them in uncleaned the more nitrates your going to have. I had 2 that I used. I would just rinse it really good to get any gunk off then soak it overnight in a weak water/bleach mix then rinse it really good and hang to dry. Try running without it for 3 or 4 days and see what happens.

Sigh, I never even thought of this being a nitrate trap. It will be okay running without it?

Dude you may be my hero, I've been trying to figure these nitrate levels out forever.

Guessing by all this, I'm not ready for an anemone yet? Lol

Jimbo662 · Oct 20, 2014

I had nitrate problems on my last tank. On the current tank I decided to go without the socks. The water in the tank won't be crystal clear but it's perfectly fine to go without them. I'd definitely hold off on a nem for now...at least until you get this figured out.

dwair · Oct 20, 2014

Jimbo662 said:
I had nitrate problems on my last tank. On the current tank I decided to go without the socks. The water in the tank won't be crystal clear but it's perfectly fine to go without them. I'd definitely hold off on a nem for now...at least until you get this figured out.

There has to be a solution to this that includes socks or an alternative.