what should i do next??

[csv_scorpion]

here's what i have:

- 33 gallon tank
- 4" sugar sized sand (not sure if it's live yet)
- 18 lbs of live rock (mostly Fuji)

- Fluvel 304
- 2 powerheads (145 GHP and 300 GHP)

- 1 blue yellow-tail damsel
- 2 false percula clownfish
- 1 watchman diamond goby
- 1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
- 5 zebra hermit crabs

- salinity = 1.024
- temp = 76 - 78

- pH = 80 (i think)
- amonia = 0
- nitrite = 0
- nitrate = 25 (i think, maybe lower)

what should i do next?? or better yet... if you had this tank, what would your next steps be? i'm not sure if my tank is still in it's cycle. when your nitrate disappears, does that mean that the cycle is done?

ultimately... i wanna get some coral in my tank. i know that i'll need a skimmer and probably a sump. but i want to make sure that my tank is stable enough to have coral. please help. thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I would do a WC to help get the nitrates down. I would also get a good skimmer. Don't add any corals until the nitrates get below 5-10 PPM.

HTH

Louey

 

[sslarison]

Skimmer for sure. Get tbe Back Pack,For your tank it would be perfect.

 

[ReefLion]

In addition to the above, remove the fluval. Order detrivore kits from two or three online sources.

Tim

 

[csv_scorpion]

I would do a WC to help get the nitrates down. I would also get a good skimmer. Don't add any corals until the nitrates get below 5-10 PPM.

last week, the nitrate level was around 25. i did an 8 gal water change this past sunday, and on monday i measured the nitrate level at around 25. i'm not sure if i'm doing the test right...

- get 5ml of water
- 14 drops of solution #1, shake gently
- 7 drops of solution #2, shake gently
- spoonful (small spoon that came with kit) of zinc, shake well
- 7 drops of solution #3, shake gently
- sit for 10 mins.

i'm not sure if the zinc is supposed to dissolve. when i do it... it doesn't.

Skimmer for sure. Get tbe Back Pack,For your tank it would be perfect.

what's a "Back Pack"??

In addition to the above, remove the fluval. Order detrivore kits from two or three online sources.

if i remove the Fluval, would i NEED a sump? or can i do without?



thanks guys for all your help. much appreciated.

 

[ChrisRD]

what's a "Back Pack"??

As in a CPR BakPak II like this

IMO an AquaC Remora or a Precision Marine HOT-1 would be a better choice.

if i remove the Fluval, would i NEED a sump? or can i do without?

These two things aren't really related. You don't need a sump (although it's a nice option). If you have a good skimmer, live rock and a DSB you shouldn't need the canister either. In fact, the Fluval may be contributing to your nitrate problem.

I'd keep it on hand as it can be useful for running carbon, resins, poly filters, etc. in the future.

HTH

 

[LFS42]

One thing to keep in mind is that there are only 3 ways to remove nitrates.
1. Protien skimmer
2. Heavy plant load
3. Water changes

It will take 3-4 heavy (25-50%) water changes to get the nitrates down to where people would like them for corals.
I would back the idea of getting a protien skimmer and removing the fluval. I see it often where people have canisters on marine tanks that just cause more trouble than they are worth.

As for fish, perhaps a starfish or some easy corals like mushrooms, star polyps, or zooanthid colonies.

 

[csv_scorpion]

As in a CPR BakPak II like this

IMO an AquaC Remora or a Precision Marine HOT-1 would be a better choice.

in the CPR BakPak II, wouldn't water passing through the bio filters create nitrate? isn't that the case with my Fluval? or is this a different type of filter from the Fluval? i'm guessing that the skimmer would take out enough nitrates that it kinda cancels out the fact that the bio filters would produce more.

thank you so much guys for all your help. you guys are the best. i'm going to keep doing big water changes and slowly try and remove the Fluval. also... i'll look into that BakPak or something similar. wish me luck! [/quote]

 

[Anonymous]

csv_scorpion said:

Louey said:

I would do a WC to help get the nitrates down. I would also get a good skimmer. Don't add any corals until the nitrates get below 5-10 PPM.


last week, the nitrate level was around 25. i did an 8 gal water change this past sunday, and on monday i measured the nitrate level at around 25. i'm not sure if i'm doing the test right...

- get 5ml of water
- 14 drops of solution #1, shake gently
- 7 drops of solution #2, shake gently
- spoonful (small spoon that came with kit) of zinc, shake well
- 7 drops of solution #3, shake gently
- sit for 10 mins.

i'm not sure if the zinc is supposed to dissolve. when i do it... it doesn't.

I'm not sure about your test kit. You could try a different brand.

How long has your liverock been cycling?

Louey

 

[tazdevil]

LFS42 posted:

One thing to keep in mind is that there are only 3 ways to remove nitrates.
1. Protien skimmer
2. Heavy plant load
3. Water changes

Your not correct that those are the only three methods. He is using a DSB, which also removes nitrates, its just not functioning yet. Also, check your source water. That can have a high nitrate load to begin with. This tank has been up for how long? DSB's take some time to become fully functional, at which time the nitrates should drop as they are converted and released as free nitrogen gas.

 

[csv_scorpion]

I'm not sure about your test kit. You could try a different brand.

How long has your liverock been cycling?

Louey

for about 3 months now. is that too early??

 

[aquarist=broke]

In addition to the above, remove the fluval.

You can keep the canister filter (Fluval) just remove the stuff inside. It will help turn the water over in the tank. Good flow is vital to the survival of you inhabitants, future corals included.

If you don't want to throw that $100.00 Fluval away.....

 

[madrefkepr]

I would also recommend the Precision Marine Hot-1. I really like mine!

 

[csv_scorpion]

if i went with this method:

slowly taking out the media in the Fluval and adding a protien skimmer, would this be called the "Berlin Method"?? if so... is this true??

"... The protein skimmer will also remove many of the 'beneficial' elements so you really need to perform regular additions of strontium, iodine and trace elements in a Berlin method reef..."

i read this at: http://www.exotictropicals.com/encyclo/ ... filtration

if this is the case... i guess i would need to start adding those elements from time to time.

 

[esmithiii]

My best advice would be to get a good book, read it cover to cover before you start adding fish. Tullock's Natural Reef Aquariums is excellent. It will tell you all the "basics" and prepare you for what is to come.

Ernie

 

[ChrisRD]

in the CPR BakPak II, wouldn't water passing through the bio filters create nitrate?

It could yes, but there's a "reef ready" version (called the Bakpak 2R) where there is no biobale (bubble baffle instead).

isn't that the case with my Fluval?

Basically, yes. The Fluval will trap detritus in an aerobic area of your system where it will break down into nitrates.

i'm guessing that the skimmer would take out enough nitrates that it kinda cancels out the fact that the bio filters would produce more.

The skimmer removes organics before they get a chance to break down into nitrates.

 

[ChrisRD]

if this is the case... i guess i would need to start adding those elements from time to time.

Not necessarily. Regular (partial) water changes will replenish trace elements. Never add anything you're not testing for.

If you add stony corals, you'll have to supplement Ca/Alk.

 

[csv_scorpion]

oh... also... on one of my powerheads i have it running with an air tube attached, but it's only spurts out about 20 bubbles per half second. it's like... "spurt"... "spurt"... "spurt"... "spurt"...

does this also help create nitrate by oxygenating the water? or is it minimal?

sorry for all the dumb questions. thanks everyone for your help and patience.

 

[ChrisRD]

does this also help create nitrate by oxygenating the water? or is it minimal?

No correlation as far as I know. Bubbles in the tank are annoying though (for the aquarist and possibly the corals too) and they can cause excessive salt creep. I'd take the hose off.