First Reef tank Progress and Help thread

[ny300z]

Can you take the pump out clean it? If not then just brush the dirt off it will get caught in the mechanical filtration media you have in the filtration compartment ... I would not put a snail there because it is probably a small area and when the snail runs out of food there it may die off and pollute the water. It's better to just use a brush (clean brush that has no soap or any other residue on it)

 

On the testing I would say yes since the tank has been running for a while now ... and you can then post them here or my thread so we can give you some feedback (me= those who read my thread and myself)

 

Go for it ny300z and keep us updated .... thanks

 

sorry for the delay, i wanted to include pics with my response.

 

So as you can see in the pics, the part with the pump is after the filtration area and right by the exit of the pump into the tank. (RIGHT SIDE IN PIC) (FILTER MEDIA IS LEFT SIDE) So if i were to brush all that stuff off it would go right into the tank. Just by moving it i got a lot of crap in the tank for a minute.

 

Should i do it next water change? maybe put something over the exit hole that goes into the tank while i do it?

 

the pump is tight in there and rather hard to get out. especially since its full of water now.

 

[ny300z]

i bought a master reef test kit last night and tested everything for the first time

 

here are my results. any help, advise or info is appreciated cause i am a complete NOOB

 

Nitrite=0

Ammonia=0

Nitrate=40 mg/L

Calcium=400 mg/L

Phosphate=0.25 mg/L

KA=232.7

[seabass]

Looks like your biological filter is fine, but the nitrate and phosphate levels are high. Personally, I would do a 75% water change.

[ny300z]

Looks like your biological filter is fine, but the nitrate and phosphate levels are high. Personally, I would do a 75% water change.

 

really? that much huh?

 

how close does the water temp of the new water have to be to the tank temp? how do people get it the same before they do a water change? buying another small heater for the spare water?

[nanolutionary]

really? that much huh?

 

how close does the water temp of the new water have to be to the tank temp? how do people get it the same before they do a water change? buying another small heater for the spare water?

 

Hey i've been researching on this site for about a month now but I have seen people using a bucket with a separate heater in to get the water the same temperature usually done by heating it overnight.

[ny300z]

Hey i've been researching on this site for about a month now but I have seen people using a bucket with a separate heater in to get the water the same temperature usually done by heating it overnight.

 

sounds good, thanks man

[littlelactose]

How are you getting the water to the sump if you set it up after the fact ... are you using a hang on overflow and if so which one ... Interested in finding out how you did it ... Thanks

 

Albert

 

I didn't add it after the fact. I drilled two holes right in the plastic in the back. I was saying that since he just started his tank that it's not too late to put everything in a bucket for a couple of hours while he drains the tank and whatnot- and he won't really have to start all over.

[nanolutionary]

Your tank is awesome it's making me think I may start off small with a pico and probably with a sump once I get my head around how it works first!

 

So are you gonna change your lighting?

[ny300z]

Your tank is awesome it's making me think I may start off small with a pico and probably with a sump once I get my head around how it works first!

 

So are you gonna change your lighting?

 

i plan on changing the lighting in a month or so when i start corals. Right now i just wanna learn how to keep everything stable and the levels right.

 

maybe one of those par38 led bulbs

[seabass]

Nitrate=40 mg/L

Phosphate=0.25 mg/L

...the nitrate and phosphate levels are high. Personally, I would do a 75% water change.

really? that much huh?

Yep, a 10% water change will bring the nitrate level down 4ppm (to 36ppm) and the phosphate level down 0.025ppm (to 0.225ppm). As you can see, a 10% water change would do little to correct these parameters. A 75% water change would lower these levels to nitrate of 10ppm, and phosphate of 0.0625. Which is arguably still too high.

 

Melev's Reef recommends values for nitrate is 10ppm or less, and phosphate is 0.03ppm or less. Typical ocean reef values for phosphate are as low as 0.005 ppm. Read Reef Aquarium Water Parameters - by Randy Holmes-Farley. He recommends nitrate be kept at or below 0.2ppm (which is still twice the value of typical ocean reef values).

[ny300z]

thanks seabass.

 

i will read that article but by the calculations you just did it seems i may have to go back to college to keep this tank goin lol

 

hopefully i can get my head around all this.

 

So i will do what you guys said and do a 75% water change.

 

possible dumb question alert ++++

 

if i change that much of the water do i lose any "establishment" my tank has made? to me it sounds like the tank will have mostly all new water. thats not like starting over at that point?

 

sorry for the noob question

[JamesHL88]

The bacteria population is what you are trying to grow to mature "cycle" your tank. Most all of it lives on surfaces in your aquarium, such as sand, rocks, glass etc... very little if any is in the water column itself.

[ny300z]

The bacteria population is what you are trying to grow to mature "cycle" your tank. Most all of it lives on surfaces in your aquarium, such as sand, rocks, glass etc... very little if any is in the water column itself.

 

great explanation! thanks a lot

 

was there something i am doing or did wrong to get those high levels so fast?

[albertthiel]

sorry for the delay, i wanted to include pics with my response.

 

So as you can see in the pics, the part with the pump is after the filtration area and right by the exit of the pump into the tank. (RIGHT SIDE IN PIC) (FILTER MEDIA IS LEFT SIDE) So if i were to brush all that stuff off it would go right into the tank. Just by moving it i got a lot of crap in the tank for a minute.

 

Should i do it next water change? maybe put something over the exit hole that goes into the tank while i do it?

 

the pump is tight in there and rather hard to get out. especially since its full of water now.

 

If you stop the filtration unit from running you should be able to clean it out without anything getting into the tank IMO ...

 

Albert

[ny300z]

If you stop the filtration unit from running you should be able to clean it out without anything getting into the tank IMO ...

 

Albert

 

yes after thinking about it, once i turn off the filter and lower the water level when i do a WC it shouldnt be a big deal. i hope. that area is so dam tiny!

[seabass]

was there something i am doing or did wrong to get those high levels so fast?

Nitrate is the result of the nitrogen cycle (or cycle). Ammonia is broken down into nitrite, and nitrite is broken down into nitrate (where water changes export it). Sure some nitrate is broken down into nitrogen gas (and in some larger systems, all of the nitrate can be broken down; but that's not very common with nano reefs).

 

Just getting the cycle established usually adds to the nitrate level. That's why most people do a large water change after the it has become established. Fish wastes and other decomposing debris can cause nitrate levels to rise.

 

Phosphate is often attributed to food. Overfeeding (and/or improper) feeding can lead to high phosphate levels. Besides water changes, phosphate can be lowered with chemical filters such as ChemiPure Elite or GFO.

 

 

Note: this assumes that your source water (and salt mix) is nitrate and phosphate free. When you mix a batch of saltwater for your water change, test it before you add it to your tank.

[ny300z]

good info seabass, thank you

 

so the phosphate problem was probably caused by me feeding the fish. for the last week or so i only feed him once a day and literally a pinch of food but i was feeding him twice that for a few days

[albertthiel]

Nitrate is the result of the nitrogen cycle (or cycle). Ammonia is broken down into nitrite, and nitrite is broken down into nitrate (where water changes export it). Sure some nitrate is broken down into nitrogen gas (and in some larger systems, all of the nitrate can be broken down; but that's not very common with nano reefs).

 

Just getting the cycle established usually adds to the nitrate level. That's why most people do a large water change after the it has become established. Fish wastes and other decomposing debris can cause nitrate levels to rise.

 

Phosphate is often attributed to food. Overfeeding (and/or improper) feeding can lead to high phosphate levels. Besides water changes, phosphate can be lowered with chemical filters such as ChemiPure Elite or GFO.

 

 

Note: this assumes that your source water (and salt mix) is nitrate and phosphate free. When you mix a batch of saltwater for your water change, test it before you add it to your tank.

 

+1

[ny300z]

so i did some cleaning last night

 

changed 75% of water

cleaned out the algae in the filter area that I was having trouble with. used a brush and a siphon.

changed poly fill

changed carbon

 

all cleared up great by the morning.

 

but i checked my nitrate and phosphate again today and here were my results

 

Nitrate= @5.0

Phosphate still about 0.25

 

So was this water change successfully or not really? what else can i do to correct my parameters? should i worry?

 

since phoshate is caused by overfeeding should i skip a day of feeding the clownfish and blood shrimp that are in there?

 

i have only been putting in a pinch of marine flake once a day.

[seabass]

If your new water was phosphate free and your tank water had high phosphate levels, you should have seen some difference after changing 75% of the water.

 

Note: this assumes that your source water (and salt mix) is nitrate and phosphate free. When you mix a batch of saltwater for your water change, test it before you add it to your tank.

Did you have a chance to test your newly made saltwater before adding it to your tank? I remember my first tank; I didn't understand why my nitrates were 40ppm, no matter how much water I changed. Welll... it turned out that the RO vending machine I was using was making water with 40ppm of nitrate. Doh!

 

It's also possible that your phosphate test kit is off. If they offer this service (and most fish stores do), take a water sample to a LFS and have them verify the phosphate level for you.

[ny300z]

If your new water was phosphate free and your tank water had high phosphate levels, you should have seen some difference after changing 75% of the water.

 

Did you have a chance to test your newly made saltwater before adding it to your tank? I remember my first tank; I didn't understand why my nitrates were 40ppm, no matter how much water I changed. Welll... it turned out that the RO vending machine I was using was making water with 40ppm of nitrate. Doh!

 

It's also possible that your phosphate test kit is off. If they offer this service (and most fish stores do), take a water sample to a LFS and have them verify the phosphate level for you.

 

i did not remember or think to test just the RO/DI water i got from the LFS but i did test the newly made salt water

 

Nitrate=0

Phosphate= 0.25

 

so i guess either the phosphate is in the RO/DI water or the salt i used to mix it. (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals)

 

Should i just do another normal (10-20%) WC in a few days?

 

is this level harmful at the moment?

[seabass]

You need to figure out if your test kit is correct. The levels are high enough to start causing problems.

 

Again, a 10% water change will do little to get the levels corrected. You need to do a much larger water change (with good water).

 

Try making a batch of saltwater with distilled water. Then test it to see if it's high in phosphate.

[ny300z]

You need to figure out if your test kit is correct. The levels are high enough to start causing problems.

 

Again, a 10% water change will do little to get the levels corrected. You need to do a much larger water change (with good water).

 

Try making a batch of saltwater with distilled water. Then test it to see if it's high in phosphate.

 

ok thanks

 

i will bring a sample of the water to the LFS to get tested.

 

when you say make a batch of saltwater using distiller water.....thats the same as the RO/DI water i bought right?

[albertthiel]

ok thanks

 

i will bring a sample of the water to the LFS to get tested.

 

when you say make a batch of saltwater using distiller water.....thats the same as the RO/DI water i bought right?

 

yes it should be .. RO/DI is the better one to use to mix up fresh saltwater. After you have done it put an airstone in it and aerate it for 12 hours or more so all parameters stabilize including its pH.

 

Albert

[ny300z]

yes it should be .. RO/DI is the better one to use to mix up fresh saltwater. After you have done it put an airstone in it and aerate it for 12 hours or more so all parameters stabilize including its pH.

 

Albert

 

thats the only thing i didnt do was aerate it, i just kinda mixed it up because it was late and i forgot to buy a airstone.

 

i brought my sample to the LFS and he said everything looks ok. Although in the end im not sure if he actually tested for phosphate. (he was saying something how a little phosphate will only cause a algae problem if anything) and since i dont have that issue and its not really high i should be ok.

 

whether or not this guy knew what he was talking about is anyones guess. its hit or miss with these guys.

 

other then that he said he didnt find any nitrates, PH, ammonia or anything else. my salinity was a little on the low side for reefs.

 

i also told him i found phosphate in the saltwater i made using their RO water and IO reef salt. He said he dont know but there should be little to no phosphate or nitrate in their water or the salt mix.

 

one thing i will be doing is cutting the clownfish feeding down to once every other day instead of daily in hopes that it was causing the phosphate issue.