Back to the basics - need advice

[woodymdt]

Good morning,
Ok, frustration is past, worrying is over, now we just want to settle down and get our 55 SWA looking decent again and get it healthy for the inhabitants.
55 gallon swa
emporer 400
2 penguin 175 ph
2 penguin 125 ph
red sea prism skimmer
60lb LR
3 1/2inch DSB
Here are our current settings:
PH 7.8
AMM 0
Nitrites 0
Salinity 1.030
Nitrates 20ppm
So I KNOW I need to lower the nitrates....that is with a water change, yes?
And I know we should lower the salinity a little bit, that is by adding some non salted R/O water, correct?
I'm also going to move the powerheads around a bit, I just don't think we're getting a good flow throughout the tank. There is a small mess of red algae on the sand, and in the water change we'll try and vacuum that up some as well.
We added a Prism skimmer last night, going to work with the adjustments today and hopefully get it working as close to correct as possible.
So, any other suggestions?

 

[woodymdt]

waiting patiently........ :notsure:

 

[squidd]

Hey Woody, whats up...??
I've been down for a while (computer problems) but last I heard you were switching to a bigger tank..
How'd that go...? and what's the "frustration"...?
Your levels are "close" just some minor adjustments of salinity (suggest getting a refractometer rather than the hydrometer your using for more accurate readings) and lowering of NitrAtes (regular partial water changes with aged, aerated, salinity, pH and temp adjusted water are always a good idea) and a touch higher pH (young tanks fluctuate quite a bit in the biggining, so don't get too worked up over "chasing numbers" just keep monitoring and don't let them get too far out of line)
Play with the "flow" from powerheads a bit, trying to get some surface disturbance to promote gaseouse exchange (oxygen) AND flow of oxygenated water to the depths of tank and around and behind rockwork to battle cyno...
The skimmers a good addition, and should start pulling gunk out shortly (they need a little breakin time and minor adjustments in the beginning)...After that you just add new inhabitants "slowly" to allow biological filtration a chance to keep up..
Pretty soon she'll be looking pretty nice...and you'll be ready to add the sump and fuge and closed loop for additional flow...and then your going to want a bigger tank...and then....

 

[woodymdt]

Originally Posted by Squidd
Hey Woody, whats up...??
I've been down for a while (computer problems) but last I heard you were switching to a bigger tank..
How'd that go...? and what's the "frustration"...?
Your levels are "close" just some minor adjustments of salinity (suggest getting a refractometer rather than the hydrometer your using for more accurate readings) and lowering of NitrAtes (regular partial water changes with aged, aerated, salinity, pH and temp adjusted water are always a good idea) and a touch higher pH (young tanks fluctuate quite a bit in the biggining, so don't get too worked up over "chasing numbers" just keep monitoring and don't let them get too far out of line)
Play with the "flow" from powerheads a bit, trying to get some surface disturbance to promote gaseouse exchange (oxygen) AND flow of oxygenated water to the depths of tank and around and behind rockwork to battle cyno...
The skimmers a good addition, and should start pulling gunk out shortly (they need a little breakin time and minor adjustments in the beginning)...After that you just add new inhabitants "slowly" to allow biological filtration a chance to keep up..
Pretty soon she'll be looking pretty nice...and you'll be ready to add the sump and fuge and closed loop for additional flow...and then your going to want a bigger tank...and then....

Thanks squidd, I've been away from the forum for quite a while myself...work and remodeling taking precedence.
Another question. When I bring salt water home from my LFS in 7 gallon containers, what do I do to keep the water aerated? Do people put the water in other containers, and a powerhead or something?
I'm going to change approximately 10 gallons today, so I'm hoping that will help lower the nitrates a little.
We haven't gotten the "bigger" tank that we wanted, possibly next year...but for now we did move everything out of the 40 gallon tank and setup our 55 gallon tank, so we did upgrade just a bit.
Right now I don't have any powerheads pointing to the surface, I"ll do that today when I move two of them, and get at least one breaking the waters surface. The guy we trust at the LFS suggested setting up a couple to bounce off the glass like pool shots, so the flow would disperse to different parts of the tank. I do have one powerhead in the middle back pointing almost parallel with the back glass, and it's shooting behind 2/3 of the LR.
Thanks for your advice my friend, and good to see you again!!

 

[squidd]

Another question. When I bring salt water home from my LFS in 7 gallon containers, what do I do to keep the water aerated? Do people put the water in other containers, and a power head or something?
Most people mix their own SW in a garbage can or rubber maid tub or some such..with a heater and power head to keep water circulated, aerated and up to temp...always nice to have a decent amount of pre-mix on hand for emergencys...
Suppose you could do the same with the purchased water (PH/tub/heater) to keep some extra "at the ready"..
Power head placement is just something you need to keep playing with...alot depends on your rock work and and other surfaces for deflection and blockage..You set it up and give it give it some time ..you might find the front clears up but but behind the rocks is a dead zone... so you move one or two and then the rocks are good but there's sand building up in the front corner...maybe get another power head or switch to a couple bigger ones...
Or you get the new tank(bigger) have it drilled with a dozen holes for a closed loop and put so much flow through it there couldn't possibly any dead zones... :jumping:

 

[woodymdt]

Originally Posted by Squidd
Most people mix their own SW in a garbage can or rubber maid tub or some such..with a heater and power head to keep water circulated, aerated and up to temp...always nice to have a decent amount of pre-mix on hand for emergencys...
Suppose you could do the same with the purchased water (PH/tub/heater) to keep some extra "at the ready"..
Power head placement is just something you need to keep playing with...alot depends on your rock work and and other surfaces for deflection and blockage..You set it up and give it give it some time ..you might find the front clears up but but behind the rocks is a dead zone... so you move one or two and then the rocks are good but there's sand building up in the front corner...maybe get another power head or switch to a couple bigger ones...
Or you get the new tank(bigger) have it drilled with a dozen holes for a closed loop and put so much flow through it there couldn't possibly any dead zones... :jumping:
Thanks again squidd, I'll mess with it and see what I can come up with as far as movement. And you're right, the next tank (hopefully next year) will be 150+ and certainly drilled, and then I'll use the 55 as the sump/fuge and have a cyclonic wave going through the entire tank!! lol

 

[woodymdt]

Update -
Ok, I think I have the skimmer under control...I left it running overnight and there is just about an 1/8 inch of foam in the collection cup.
We picked up a diamond back goby on Saturday (the Mrs. just loved the way she looked)...anyway...that little fish causes quite a sandstorm in the tank...lol.
This morning though the tank was almost crystal clear, and the salinity is down to 1.026, so I'm happy about that.

 

[woodymdt]

Good morning again all...
well things are settling down a bit now, the tank looks pretty good, the nitrates have gone down to around 10ppm, so another water change this weekend...
the skimmer is pushing foam bubbles into the collection cup at a very slow rate, so I might make an adjustment for a "little" more flow...see how that does this evening.

 

[carshark]

Originally Posted by woodymdt
Good morning again all...
well things are settling down a bit now, the tank looks pretty good, the nitrates have gone down to around 10ppm, so another water change this weekend...
the skimmer is pushing foam bubbles into the collection cup at a very slow rate, so I might make an adjustment for a "little" more flow...see how that does this evening.
not too much of an adjustment though, skimmers do take time to "settle" in.. at least HOB skimmers do... glad to hear you are progressing well. good luck...

 

[woodymdt]

Originally Posted by carshark
not too much of an adjustment though, skimmers do take time to "settle" in.. at least HOB skimmers do... glad to hear you are progressing well. good luck...
thanks carshark, no not a major adjustment at all...in fact, if it's still putting a "little" bit of foam in the cup, I probably won't adjust at all for the breaking period.

 

[woodymdt]

Wow, you don't stay on top of your threads, they get shoved to the back burners.
Quick question. My skimmer seems to have settled down, in respects that this morning I looked at the collection cup, and didn't see much difference in how it looked last night. Should I turn the flow up just a tad? Or continue to let it go as it is and see if it breaks in further?

 

[squidd]

I'll say, found this on page 3...

It really doesn't take "weeks" for a good skimmer to "break in" more like days..mor like 24 hrs or so...
The thing to remember also is, that with a new tank, you may not have a lot to skim out yet, hence the low output...
But, I'd say yeah, turn it up a tad...what's important is the "bubble action" rising in/to the neck of the collection cup...if there are DOCs to remove they'll collect and the sludge will go over the top...if there's nothing (relatively) in there..the bubbles will be clear but at least "in position" to work when needed...