Reset on Tank water parameters

Jacquie Samples · Jan 10, 2016

Hi everyone,
I recently got new LED lights for my Biocube29. I had been running it with no livestock with the lights off due to a GHA outbreak. A couple of weeks ago, I took out the live rock, cleaned them up in salt water, did a 75% water change, and changed the charcoal, etc.

So, I am trying to be patient, but my nitrate tests have been wild this week. I had my LFS test because my kit went missing. 3 test in 8 days -- 40 ppm, 160+ ppm, and last night, ppm. Granted, I did do a 50% water change after getting the 160+ reading.

What I can't understand is why Nitrites and Ammonia stayed at 0ppm through the fluctuations in Nitrates.

Should I be more patient and not test for a while? Stop water changes?

Thanks in advance for any advice!
Jacquie

shimps1 · Jan 13, 2016

The only way that nitrates go down are either from water changes, or through getting used up in growth of algae or coral. If you saw a spike in nitrates but everything else remained 0 I would say your cycle is probably over.

Jacquie Samples · Jan 13, 2016

Thanks, Shimps1. I will get some snails to atart.

Jacquie Samples · Jan 13, 2016

Oops, I meant to start. All the other parameters did stay at 0.

shimps1 · Jan 13, 2016

Good luck. Starting over is always nice because you know the mistakes you made the first time.

Jacquie Samples · Jan 13, 2016

Yes, I am trying to avoid all of those mistakes.

brandon429 · Jan 13, 2016

its important to know that the nitrates we measure in the water, in addition to that which are eventually formed off fish waste cast into the water, are mostly produced deep in the typical sandbed as waste we stored (that can be cleaned) can you post a full tank shot to see? the green hair algae can be beaten with lights on, regardless of your nitrate issue by the way, but dealing with the nitrates will certainly help.

Owing to the number of tanks with ideal nitrates and still GHA I found it helpful to point out the independent nature of algae control on the reef tank, we can kill it regardless.

Jacquie Samples · Jan 15, 2016

Here is a photo of my tank from last night. Sorry it took me so long to get it loaded here. I can't seem to figure out how to get pics from my phone straight to the forums. I finally have time to get here on the computer.

Anyhow, I have added Margarita snails (4) and Red-Legged Hermit crabs (6) as the start to a CUC. I added the snails on Sunday and the hermit crabs on Wednesday. So, sort of slowly, but not as slowly as I'd intended. Since I am pretty sure the tank has cycled, I decided I needed some CUC to help with the algae.