Water parameters. What am I doing wrong?

Valkyrie · Apr 30, 2017

Set up on February 11th, 2017
20 gallon
live sand
dry rock-it's beautiful and very attached to these pieces.
1 Hydor powerhead
Hydor "Slim Skim Nano" internal skimmer rated for 23-35g (piece of crap!)
AquaticLife Internal Mini Skimmer 115 (added today)
Fluval heater, appropriately sized.
One thumb sized scrap of GSP that I added 2wks ago (I didn't expect it to live and it has flourished!)
10 trochus snails that have been in there for about 3 weeks.
I use RO/DI water. Both made by me and by my LFS. Depends on how much I need between all my aquariums.
I use the same salt as my LFS, too. Instant Ocean I believe, but I can check later if I need to do so.
____________________
Today's parameters using Red Sea Marine Care Test Kit that was purchased in Sept. 2016
pH 7.6
KH 7 (2.5mEq)
NH3/NH4 >2
NO3 >50
NO2 0
Salinity 1.025-pretty consistent in all of my aquariums and rarely wavers.

I did not start testing until March 26th. I didn't see the point since everything was new. In the last month these numbers have been consistent and that's with weekly 25% water changes. I do have an algae die off, I noticed that there was floating algae that my Hydor was not picking up. That's just been this week though, not for the past month! I have not been happy with this skimmer for awhile and last night, I ordered a Reef Octopus Classic HOB Skimmer and a Hydor SmartWave 425 Pump Controller Kit. Since I was dismantling a 10g coral tank, I took the mini skimmer from it and added it to the 20g. Once the Octopus comes in I'll figure out what I'm going to do with the other two. The Hydor was such a bitter disappointment, I may just throw it out.

So what am I doing wrong? Is it because I started with dry rock? I was ignorant and did not understand that I had to cure it first. Is it the snails? I don't understand how the snails are doing so well, eating the algae like there's no tomorrow and I HAVE PODS!!!! How is this possible????
Do I just need to find a different test kit? If I were to start buying Hanna checkers which one or two should I get first? Ammonia and Nitrate? Wait, Hanna doesn't check those do they? ARGH!! I have no clue. I thought Red Sea was the best, now I'm lost and frustrated. I want the best without breaking the bank.

Edit to add: I just watched a BRS video and I think I have a test kit shopping list. I also noticed that some of the Red Sea individual test kits were VERY different from the test kit of 5 that I have.

I have two tiny lightning maroon clowns that are to go in this tank in about a month. If I can't get this tank under control I really don't know what I'm going to do.

TIA

wrassyreefer · Apr 30, 2017

Are you using Tap or Ro water?

Valkyrie · Apr 30, 2017

wrassyreefer said:
Are you using Tap or Ro water?

Whoops! That's important too! Sorry to have left that out, I'll edit my original, too. I'm using RO/DI

Hooloovoo · May 1, 2017

I wouldn't start adding livestock until the ammonia is undetectable (GSP might live though since you can hardly kill that stuff if you are trying). You said you used dry rock, and did not cure it. It might be okay to do that with quarried or artificial dry rock, but dry rock that came out of the ocean originally is usually loaded with dead stuff. It sounds likely that there is some decaying organics on or in the rock that is continuing to add ammonia faster than it can be converted to NO2 and NO3 by the bacteria population in your system.

Basically, you are curing the rock right now. You are just doing it inside your tank, and you are going to have to be patient. Worst case scenario, you could have a rock with a dead rock boring sponge deep inside of it. In that case, it could continue to leach ammonia for a long time. The old sniff test might reveal if you have a rock like this. Some folks even go so far as using bleach and/or muriatic acid to get rid of the organics. I personally prefer to be patient, and just wait things out, but it might be worth considering if the rock is foul enough. Just be sure to follow the proper precautions if you do decide to treat the rock with bleach or acid.

When ammonia finally goes to zero and stays there, I would suggest doing a complete water change to rid you of the nitrates and phosphates that accumulated during cycling. By that point, you should be ready to go.

Remember, in reef-keeping, nothing good happens quickly. I am four months into my current tank build, and I just added the first fish last week with corals still to come. I've had too many disasters in the past that came from trying to rush things. I am taking it slow and easy this time around.

Paul B · May 1, 2017

Valkyrie, I think we spoke about this once before. That tank is a few weeks old, not even the age of a Pod. Nothing is happening yet and your parameters are fine. Your tank, and every tank depends on bacteria to run and do to the parameters what you want to do. It is like any other tank that was set up with dead rock. Nothing is wrong.
Don't add anything or remove anything, it just needs time with no tweeking. Let the bacteria do what we pay them to do so go out to dinner and try the Chardonnay.

Brew12 · May 1, 2017

Hooloovoo said:
It sounds likely that there is some decaying organics on or in the rock that is continuing to add ammonia faster than it can be converted to NO2 and NO3 by the bacteria population in your system.

+1 on this. It is backed up by the fact that your NO3 is so high. I would only be worried if you had ammonia without having high nitrates. I can't tell you how long it will take for your system to stabilize without ammonia, but give it time, it will.

Paul B said:
Let the bacteria do what we pay them to do so go out to dinner and try the Chardonnay.

This is probably the best thing you can do at this point. Except I have always preferred Shiraz. Unless I'm eating a cheeseball, then I'm down with the Chardonnay.

Valkyrie · May 1, 2017

Thank you all for the help. I was really confused because of the pods that are obvious. I didn't think they could produce nor survive with such high numbers.

I'll just relax. My babies aren't going anywhere and they're perfectly happy in their QT.