Nitrates in store-bought water and other stuff.

[Incitatus76]

Hi guys,

 

My wife bought me a little nano-reef tank(27 liters, about 8 gallons) for my birthday last week. It's the best present I ever could have asked for--I used to have a lot of reef tanks back in San Diego, and I've been missing it ever since we moved 5 years ago.

 

I'm going a bit nuts with it though. She had the guys at the local pet store set it up over some time, she's been planning this with them since the end of the summer, and then bring it over to set it up, which is phenomenal and incredibly sweet, but I do feel strange since I didn't do the cycling and know where it's at, etc. (Also, in the US, I set up my tanks through Tampa Bay Saltwater, where you get tons of critters and tons of die off right away so it's really shock therapy with lots of water changes, but once it stabilizes, it's very stable. This tank must have been done in a more traditional way--there's some live rock, a cleaner shrimp, and a halloween crab, but no other clean up crew.)

 

So I am in Central Europe now and no longer have easy access to filtered ocean water from Scripps Institute--I have been using the store's salt water and it tests high in nitrates already (about 8 I would say), and the salinity is reading 1.030 when I test it with a refractometer. Their hydrometer says it's about 1.022, but I'm not sure I trust it, so I've watered it down.

 

I'm having trouble with my nitrates--about 35, I'd guess. I'm sure I overfed for the first week, but not outrageously so. I've added more live rock, some snails that will probably get eaten by the crab, and some macroalgae. I've also done 2 water changes. And my only fish, a clown goby, committed suicide over the weekend, so no real feeding anymore. And the nitrates are still 35.

 

Any advice on what to do now? I assume the tank has cycled--based on nitrates, but I haven't checked for ammonia or nitrites, since I have no ammonia test and I figured that if I had ammonia and nitrites everything would be dead. I can't get rid of the crab and just go for lots of snails because my family loves the crab (as do I).

 

I also assume that the store's salt water is not going to help out my nitrate problems at all. Just to make sure I'm not crazy, would you trust a refractometer over a store's old and salty hydrometer. (The store's tanks also don't seem to be in the greatest shape--hair algae problems, etc.)

 

Should I just keep doing water changes?

[Clown79]

If they aren't using ro/di water that could be a contributing factor. They may also not chsnge the cartridges often enough leading to nutrient issues.

 

I would either invest in your own ro/di or use distilled you can buy or buy your own ro/di. Mix your own water. Mixing your own is the only reliable source.

 

What is the filteration system you have?

Using filter floss and replacing it every few days is best. Filter sponges and pads are nutrient factories, even when washed.

 

Do you vacuum your sand? Sand traps a lot of food, poop, etc which in turn creates nitrate and phos issues. Vacuuming it during water changes is beneficial.

 

Low feedings. 1 fish and cuc doesn't need that much.

 

Your Halloween crab won't go after the snail. They can't use the shell.

[Incitatus76]

Thank you for the response. I'll start mixing my own water; I'll buy ro/di water from the same place (it's the most convenient, and they're nice people so if I can give them business, I will) mix up water and test it to see if the problems are from their ro/di water. I'm guessing it very well may be.

 

Unfortunately, I got snails that are fairly large. Whenever they venture out from beneath the sand, my crab attacks them. Hopefully they'll find enough to eat down they're--I'm worried they'll die down there and pollute the tank. At least they're cleaning up the sandbed.

 

Thank you again for your help. I'm sure I'll need more of it soon.

[Clown79]

Yw.

 

Just remember, if their ro/di has any nitrates or tds readings, using it isn't beneficial to you.