Help!

jawfish101

jawfish101

Member
Well, the surface of my water has been green for about a week now, and I can't get it to go away. Also, my corals have started dieing, and when I did a water test today these were my levels:
Nitrates: 30ppm
pH: 8.8-10
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0.25
Calcium: 1050
Here are some aspects of my tank:
24gl JBJ delux nano tank
Temp: 82
Skimmer: Fission nano skimmer
Lights: about 90 watts PC combo power compact 50/50 actinic and 12k white
Water: RO/DI water
25% water change once every week
The tank has been set up for about 8 months.
Water changes don't seem to make any difference, and I am not sure about what to do about those bad levels. If any other info. is needed, please let me know!
:help: :scared:
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
How long has your tank been up? You shouldn't have any nitrites in a tank that has already cycled. What is your ph? 8.8 to 10 is very broad.
 
steve24

steve24

Active Member
your water is way off, that or your test kits are !!!
should be ...
Trates - 0
Trites - 0
Amm - 0
Cal - 400 - 450
pH - 8.1 - 8.4
has your tank even cycled yet ???
 
jawfish101

jawfish101

Member
What should I do about the water? Do I need to put something in the water, or should I just do multiple water changes?
:help:
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
We also need to figure out why your parameters are so screwed up. Have you added any new livestock lately? Are you adding something to make your calcium so high?
 
threed240

threed240

Member
Originally Posted by steve24
IMO i would do a few water changes ...
I would do large water changes also, like around 75%. Also when mixing your salt and water let them mix for 48hrs with circulation from a powerhead, filter, or bubblestones and a airpump. It may sound rediculous to use airstones but they actually helped lower my calcium levels in my water changing tank. My calcium level was at 560-580, and in 24hrs it dropped back down to 450. I use oceanic salt.
 
jawfish101

jawfish101

Member
Originally Posted by alyssia
We also need to figure out why your parameters are so screwed up. Have you added any new livestock lately? Are you adding something to make your calcium so high?
I added a Hammer Coral and Frogspawn about two weeks ago...when my water was okay and my test were good. The Frogspawn has since died. I was adding calcium because my calcium was low, but I stopped about a month ago. Can that still be affecting my water?
Isn't a 75% water change too much?
 
threed240

threed240

Member
Not with parameters like that. I did it 2 weeks in a row, when I found out my nitrates were over 200! Their less than 5 now. It won't hurt it to change that much.
 
nudilove

nudilove

Member
75% is WAY too much, You endanger your fish and animals, do several 25% changes every few days.
I'm not saying nothing will survive but you're putting the system at risk of shock.
 
mikeyjer

mikeyjer

Active Member
75% or more is for extreme cases, I would suggest in doing 20-25% every other day until things calm down. How did your PH got up so high? Same with your Calcium. What is your salinity and alkaline level?? :happyfish
 
jawfish101

jawfish101

Member
OK, I did a 25% water change today and these were what my tests said:
Nitrate: 30
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Calcium: 825
Param's, are still really bad, but even that's a little bit better than before. I think that I will stick with 25% water changes every other day until this gets better, I don't think I want to risk a 75% unless I absolutely must. Any more suggestions?
Thank you very much for the replies and the advice
 
mikeyjer

mikeyjer

Active Member
Originally Posted by Jawfish101
OK, I did a 25% water change today and these were what my tests said:
Nitrate: 30
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Calcium: 825
Param's, are still really bad, but even that's a little bit better than before. I think that I will stick with 25% water changes every other day until this gets better, I don't think I want to risk a 75% unless I absolutely must. Any more suggestions?
Thank you very much for the replies and the advice
With your calcium being so high and PH being low, I bet your Alkaline is low as well. I would suggest to buffer your PH & Alkaline. I would say to do another 25% water change after tomorrow. Did you test the levels right after the water change? I would test again tomorrow, I find the testing isn't always correct after water change, give it a day. :happyfish
 
symon

symon

Member
I am wondering if you have overdosed calcium and it has saturated in your LR or LS? Leeching out into the system!
I am not sure if this is possible but it makes sense to me, you stopped dosing over a month ago and it's still that high!
You need to test for Alk , buffer as needed to help balance it out?! :notsure:
 
jawfish101

jawfish101

Member
AAAHHH!!! My fish are dieing!

My Tail Spot Blenny and my Pink Skunk Clown died this morning. The Skunk clown was slamming into the sides of the tank and the LR, and they all had labored breathing. My other two fish seem okay now- no labored breathing- but what happened?
I bought new test kits today, and this is what my params say:
Calcium: 345
Ammonia: 0.4
pH: 7.8
Nitrite: 0.2
Nitrate: 15
The two tests were so different (i.e. the calcium; one test said it was really high, the other said that it was low etc...) that I don't know which one to believe.
My corals don't seem to be doing anything different, and the surface of my water is still green. I have been doing 25% water changes every other day for several days now. What should I do next? Which test do I believe? :help:
Thanks
 
mikeyjer

mikeyjer

Active Member
Originally Posted by Jawfish101
AAAHHH!!! My fish are dieing!

My Tail Spot Blenny and my Pink Skunk Clown died this morning. The Skunk clown was slamming into the sides of the tank and the LR, and they all had labored breathing. My other two fish seem okay now- no labored breathing- but what happened?
I bought new test kits today, and this is what my params say:
Calcium: 345
Ammonia: 0.4
pH: 7.8
Nitrite: 0.2
Nitrate: 15
The two tests were so different (i.e. the calcium; one test said it was really high, the other said that it was low etc...) that I don't know which one to believe.
My corals don't seem to be doing anything different, and the surface of my water is still green. I have been doing 25% water changes every other day for several days now. What should I do next? Which test do I believe? :help:
Thanks
What test kits are you using?? How are you mixing your water?? Where are you getting your water from?? What is your salinity level?? I'm sorry about your loss....
 
jawfish101

jawfish101

Member
Okay, this is probably a really stupid question but here goes:
What is the difference between you high and low range nitrates/nitrites/phosphates?
 
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