Water Change? Add Bacteria to Reduce? Please help!

[vetteguy53081]

Ammonia - 0.25/0.5 ppm
Nitrites - 2-5 ppm
Nitrates - 30 ppm
PH - 8.2
Temp - 77.9
Salinity - 1.025

So, I have turbo snails, one hermit crab, and some nassarius snails in my saltwater tank. I ran my 32 gallon tank for a few weeks before adding them in, but I'm not sure if a cycle was completed. There's live rocks and live sand that was initially put in along with 10 gallons of ocean water (not made salt water). I did a 25% water change two days ago and my nitrites went up along with nitrates. Ammonia went up slightly as well. Was it because the sand was disturbed? Is it in the middle of the cycle and converting to nitrates? Should I do another water change or add some solution to reduce the nitrites? Please let me know! Don't want anything to happen to my snails.

I encourage you to take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at

 

[jellifishi]

I used the same sand and I am sure there was a lot of dead organic matter in it. Every day that the tank is running the cycle continues to get better and the biome will process more input quicker.

I would just do a 10% water change a week until you decide to add fish, then before you add them a larger water change.

What are you feeding your CUC ?

Please don't use "Emergency" unless your tank is crashing.

There's algae in the tank, mostly a thin layer of brown algae on the sand and they seem to be eating it up. I did also buy algae wafers.

 

[jellifishi]

Your tank is young. And still cycling. It takes a while. How much live rock do you have (in pounds) and how deep is your sand bed?

I have about 30 pounds of live rock and a 20 pound bag of the sand. The sand took up about an inch.

 

[jellifishi]

Snails shouldnt have an ammonia reading once bacteria is established. Using live rock and live bag sand should be more than plenty for a few snails waste. The water you used also sounds good. Now what may have happened is a massive live rock die off. Did the live rock have all sorts of stuff growing on it or just rock that was still whate or off green color maybe a little coraline? The only thing I can think of is using different salts in large water channge. The chemicle makeup could have been different enough. I do 100 percent water changes but use same salt and get temp up. Was the live rock covered in life or did it just have maybe some light green and a little coraline maybe on it.. if a lot of stuff could had die off from the various salts. Just a theory.

It didn't have much on it. It is more purple in color and has some white/light green spots.

 

[jellifishi]

This was the reading today, a few minutes ago. Time for a big water change?

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

This was the reading today, a few minutes ago. Time for a big water change?

At this point do as big of water change as you can even 100 percent. Then another one once nitrite dissappears this is mainly to get your nitrates down. As you will end up with alot of gha or other issues.

 

[Naekuh]

This was the reading today, a few minutes ago. Time for a big water change?

no... wait til your nitrites bottom out....

Or at the very least, wait until it turns that light lavender color.

Your tank will explode in nitrates, until all the nitrite has been used up.

 

[jellifishi]

Is this safe for my tank and critters though? A high nitrate level is the end of the cycle, from what I've researched. The only way to reduce them is a big water change.

 

[BigMonkeyBrain]

This was the reading today, a few minutes ago. Time for a big water change?

Well, Randy said : "Marine species are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity because chloride (at 19,350 ppm in seawater) outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake mechanisms."

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php

A water change is still your call

 

[PharmrJohn]

I have about 30 pounds of live rock and a 20 pound bag of the sand. The sand took up about an inch.

Cool. That's great.

 

[jellifishi]

At this point do as big of water change as you can even 100 percent. Then another one once nitrite dissappears this is mainly to get your nitrates down. As you will end up with alot of gha or other issues.

Once both water changes are completed, would that be the "end" of my cycle? Another comment suggests to let my nitrates soar and then do a final water change. Just seeing which option would be best since I do have some living CUC in there.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Once both water changes are completed, would that be the "end" of my cycle? Another comment suggests to let my nitrates soar and then do a final water change. Just seeing which option would be best since I do have some living CUC in there.

So a cycle is just establishing enough bacteria to handle your bioload. Your tank is always cycling. You have bacteria established especially with that high of nitrates. My concern is why it went so high without dosing or feeding.

If you have filter sock in back chamber area, clean with fresh saltwater or replace. If using floss just replace. If you dont have any nutrient export currently setup such as macro algae, skimmer, you will need more frequent water changes. The larger the better. Your cleanup crew will be happier with water change. Just make sure your using same slat mix and temp is within 2 degrees. If not, then no more than 25 percent. If it is, then you can do 100 percent if you want. I have always done weekly 100 percent water changes with no issues. But larger tanks are not always feasable.

Please list out equipment. This will also help see if there is a gap. Also list any dosing or additives you have been doing.

Something seems off with that high readings and what you have so far. Only thing I can think of is snaills with lack of water change and either heavy feeding or dosing, or a couple of your snails have died off and you just havent found them.

Count your snails and see if you find them. If on bottom and not out or stuck to something or moving, give it a wiff. Youll know if its alive rofl.

 

[jellifishi]

So a cycle is just establishing enough bacteria to handle your bioload. Your tank is always cycling. You have bacteria established especially with that high of nitrates. My concern is why it went so high without dosing or feeding.

If you have filter sock in back chamber area, clean with fresh saltwater or replace. If using floss just replace. If you dont have any nutrient export currently setup such as macro algae, skimmer, you will need more frequent water changes. The larger the better. Your cleanup crew will be happier with water change. Just make sure your using same slat mix and temp is within 2 degrees. If not, then no more than 25 percent. If it is, then you can do 100 percent if you want. I have always done weekly 100 percent water changes with no issues. But larger tanks are not always feasable.

Please list out equipment. This will also help see if there is a gap. Also list any dosing or additives you have been doing.

Something seems off with that high readings and what you have so far. Only thing I can think of is snaills with lack of water change and either heavy feeding or dosing, or a couple of your snails have died off and you just havent found them.

Count your snails and see if you find them. If on bottom and not out or stuck to something or moving, give it a wiff. Youll know if its alive rofl.

I did end up finding a dead Nassarius snail that was buried in the sand, poor guy. Could definitely tell from the smell... I ended up doing a 35% water change and will check the levels tomorrow. Let me know if you still want the list of equipment, but I think I found the culprit...Thank you so so much for your help so far!

 

[Lavey29]

Is this safe for my tank and critters though? A high nitrate level is the end of the cycle, from what I've researched. The only way to reduce them is a big water change.

Nitrites is irrelevant in reef aquaria. Nitrates would have to be in the 100s before causing issues. Just do some good size weekly water changes...your fine

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I did end up finding a dead Nassarius snail that was buried in the sand, poor guy. Could definitely tell from the smell... I ended up doing a 35% water change and will check the levels tomorrow. Let me know if you still want the list of equipment, but I think I found the culprit...Thank you so so much for your help so far!

Ok so that definetly could be the issue. We wont know for a day or 2. But if nitrites are depleted by tomorrow or alot lower and ammonia isnt showing then that was it. You can still list just incase or just wait. Since not much critters in there to eat the snail, it was just rotting. Hermits can be added but can kill snails when they need new shells. But will also help if you have die off as well.