Having some trouble with my Nitrates

bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishymomma http:///forum/thread/384372/having-some-trouble-with-my-nitrates#post_3366788
This is the kind of sand we have! Some of it is very fine and some have a little larger chunks.. But NOTHING HUGE!!
The sand you listed is fine but it's not live sand. There's nothing in the sand for the starfish to eat. It needs a rather large sandbed full of crustaceans, snails, etc.
It is possible the Purple Up caused harm but it's doubtful. If you managed to use enough Purple-Up to raise your calcium too high then it may have reduced your alkalinity to a dangerous level. The only way to know it to test Calcium and Alkalinity. I don't see those numbers posted anywhere.
Other numbers I would like to see is Salinity and temperature.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fishymomma http:///forum/thread/384372/having-some-trouble-with-my-nitrates#post_3366798
Okay.. Now I am getting confused, I just read that the sand is okay for her just doesn't have any nutrients for her in it.
And now I hear she on the glass because of the sand???????
What kind of scallops, Frozen and then thawed?
I would probably want to feed her at least 3 times in a day right?
If she is on the glass, do you think I will even be able to feed her?

Sorry to confuse you. The sand size and type is a good sand for a sifter, when you first said CC we feared that was the reason for the star not sifting. they feed on tiny little micro critters that live in the sand. What they sell in stores in a bag has been injected with "good bacteria" but no little living critters are it...they lable it LIVE sand but it really isn't. You can't feed a sand sifter enough to keep them alive.
If you had a more mature tank, the timy creatures would have enough time to populate the sand...your tank is too young. A refugium would replenish the tiny creatures as they are removed by the sifter. Again you don't have a mature refugium either. Live rock would seed your sand but you don't have enough live rock either. If you can, return the sea star and put it on a wish list to get later when your tank is a little more able to sustain it.
Sand sifting snails (Nassarius) to keep the sand stirred up and clean is your best choice for now.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I thought you said you had Crushed coral....sorry.....
frozen bay scallops from Walmart $5 a bag of 1-200
Thaw a small piece, and stick it in the sand.....I do not think I would do 3x a day though.....try 1x for now
 
S

smartorl

Guest
Meowzer, the original post said crushed seashells but it was later determined that it was live sand instead.
Fishymomma, how often do you feed your tank normally?
 
fishymomma

fishymomma

Member
I feed my fish twice a day. You would think if it was true that I was overfeeding them that there would be a lot of detritus
in the sand. I got some scallops and put 2 in the sand and put the star on the sand and it found it and ate it.
So I will either continue to do that or bring it back to the pet shop. Thank you for all of your help everyone.
I leave my tank at a temp of 76- 78. And salinity is at a good decent level. I have a friend who is going to
give us some chateo algae and that should help a lot with the Nitrate level (Hopefully).
But thank you everyone!!!
 
S

smartorl

Guest
Not to be rude but you came asking for advice which sound advice was given but you seem to shoot it all down.
The star really needs to go back, with your nitrate levels it is already dying. You will start to see the legs deteriorate and rot away. They really need an established tank with stable parameters to live.
Meowzer offered sound advice about the spot feeding but I don't think she realized that it appears that the overfeeding is the problem.
Most people feed once a day, some every other, some others every few days. Alot depends on the amounts and the numbers of fish. Myself I feed daily, using very special care not to overfeed.
If you have adequate live rock, your fish can graze and keep themselves occupied in the process.
The sound advice you were given was to reduce feedings, add live rock, and to boost the currents, including making sure the surface is aggitated.
If those essential things are not addressed, I hate to say it but all the chaeto in the world won't help the nitrate problem.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
The primary job of fireworms is to eat the detritus caused by overfeeding. The more you overfeed the more the worms will reproduce to handle the detritus.
If you have an abundance of these Bristleworms then I would not expect you to see a lot of detritus even when overfeeding.
 
fishymomma

fishymomma

Member
@ Smartorl.
How am I shooting down sound advice? I took advice and I even mentioned that I appreciate every ones input.
From all of my comments how am I shooting down?
If there is one thing I hate about this forum, it's how everyone is so dang uptight, always expecting
every new comer to be inexperienced (just because of their status which reads "Tang" by their name)
I have two power heads facing in different directions and they make waves on the top of the tank to ensure
that the fish are getting plenty of oxygen. By not stating that I had a power head or not, doesn't imply that
I don't have one. I never made a comment that would have implied I am shooting down what everyone is saying.
I may challenge or ask- because I am curious and want to know. I don't do it to make people feel I don't care
about their insight or opinion.
I am real sick and tired of having to explain where I am coming from & defend myself just because
people automatically assume I am either uneducated in this or shooting down their opinions.
I shouldn't have to do this, I should just be able to come on here and fellowship with some people
who enjoy the same thing I enjoy, which happens to be (fish keeping) instead, this kind of crap
has to happen. I don't appreciate it.
In fact, I wouldn't mind just coming on here, asking some questions, getting some answers
and going on my way. But instead, Someone assumes something, cuts down, judges etc.
I am going to find another forum... If at all..
BUT THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR INSIGHT!!!
 
S

smartorl

Guest
People don't judge per se, but understand, it's very hard to diagnose the issues alot of the time.
THe people here often giving advice give it based on their own experiences, often times, from their own failures in the hobby.
Having a forum where you can ask questions is a very useful tool.
In this hobby, doing your research is invaluable. There are certain things that come to people's mind as they get more and more information, again often based on their experiences or their research.
It is always extremely helpful to get all the basic information. Water parameters, including, especially specific gravity are very important in getting a feel for the problem. Tank information, size, filtration (biological and mechanical) are also a great help. It is always better to give as much information as you have. People are here to help.
When asked about rock, you had previously stated 4, myself, and it appears others assumed that four rocks wasn't that much rock, not expecting the poundage you just stated.
I did feel that you blew off advice because of two things primarily, you asked, I will answer. First insisting that Purple Up was causing the problems and then not thinking that you were overfeeding. Whether that was your intention, I don't know, it was how I felt. I truly feel that this is a husbandry issue, one easily remedied. A lesson learnt by most in the hobby at one time or another. There was no criticism, only offering experiences.
I felt, again stressing, this was how I felt and I could have been reading it wrong, I am human, that the answer was to throw some chaeto at it and that would fix it. As someone, along with others who took time out to help, it kind of felt like time wasted. Especially since as stated before this is an easy fix.
That was my opinion. Had you initially stated some of the information that was included in your last few posts, there may have been less confusion on the part of the members trying to help.
I am not being rude at all, just here to help like everyone else.
 
fishymomma

fishymomma

Member
Well, saying what you just said here would have helped me understand where u were coming from as well other
then just saying "You are shooting down sound advise".
I understand that we are all human and I don't mean to be rude, but I have had an issue with this forum before
where I asked some questions mainly because they were not stated in my research, and got blown off as not
doing my research and such. Presuming that someone is saying something to hurt another is rude as well.
I never meant to blow you guys all off... I just noticed that the star fish was eating and I have tried everything else
you guys had suggested, that's why I mentioned that the Chateo should help.
I know a lot more then what you guys think. Just because I didn't mention the temp,salinity, etc. doesn't mean I haven't
researched up to make sure I have it at the best level for my tank.
The thing that gets me the most is the fact that my words are always taken wrong.
I don't have the want to come on here and ask for help with certain things, when my words
are taken so wrong.
This is to my last post on here.
THANK YOU EVERYONE!!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
IDK how it came to this.....Fishymomma...wish you would re-think leaving :(
I think some info got misconstrued in the beginning posts, BUT I also think all is straightened out now...no
 
fishymomma

fishymomma

Member
I wanna quickly give everyone an update before I leave, I believe she is eating the scallops. Last night and even this morning
she was so energized and hard to feed because she was moving all around. When we bought her she wasn't like that.
So it was confirmed, she was hungry. I just place a small amount of thawed out scallop on the sand and place her over it.
Then she stays there for a long time (pretty much the whole day). Then when the lights go out, she comes out and climbs the walls.
She keeps climbing around all the next morning and then after I feed her in the a.m. she is back to just laying in the sand.
We did another water change and doing it a lot more. We even cleaned off our live rock (gently) because we may have thought
that the rock was coated and wasn't getting enough flow by it and we had die off on top of it.
Everything is in the process of coming together. Thank you to everyone for all your info again.
Sorry for this misunderstanding. But I will be moving on!!
-Have fun fish keeping everyone!!!
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
LOL....sandsifting stars dont generally climb the walls, if they are happy they STAY IN THE SAND (UNDER)
BYE....
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/384372/having-some-trouble-with-my-nitrates/20#post_3367790
LOL....sandsifting stars dont generally climb the walls, if they are happy they STAY IN THE SAND (UNDER)
BYE....
I wish I would have seen this post earlier, because I think she has a brittle star and not a sand sifting star. The behavior she is describing is the exact same behavior that my brittle exhibits. Also, brittles are nocturnal and active at night.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/384372/having-some-trouble-with-my-nitrates/20#post_3368058
I wish I would have seen this post earlier, because I think she has a brittle star and not a sand sifting star. The behavior she is describing is the exact same behavior that my brittle exhibits. Also, brittles are nocturnal and active at night.
LOL....well nothing would surprise me.....too many people buy things w/o knowing what they are, what their environement should be...etc....etc....it gets old fast
 
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