need some help please!!!!

[kiddow]

i am having problems with keeping my nitrates down, i know my cc. and ug filter(it is blocked off) dont help but even water changes and more poly/carb filters and skimmer is not effecting it, also now i show nitrites of 1. and i dont know why. i have lost? a few of my hermits and my emerals lately, would this make the nitrites go up that much, all others in tank are doing ok.
i had problems with my salt levels and hair alge recently so i cut back on lights, feedings, got more cleanup crew and now it seems under control but not gone completely, and salt levels are in the correct range
thanks
claudia

 

[jonathon0883]

i would get rid of the UGF and cc...im no expert but i believe thats what they would tell you to do...Go with a dsb of about 4 inches....also on your water changes you probably dont want to do more then 25% at a time and just keep doing regular changes of about 10% a week...hope this helps and if any thinks there is something wrong with what i said let us know!

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by kiddow
i am having problems with keeping my nitrates down, i know my cc. and ug filter(it is blocked off) dont help but even water changes and more poly/carb filters and skimmer is not effecting it, also now i show nitrites of 1. and i dont know why. i have lost? a few of my hermits and my emerals lately, would this make the nitrites go up that much, all others in tank are doing ok.
i had problems with my salt levels and hair alge recently so i cut back on lights, feedings, got more cleanup crew and now it seems under control but not gone completely, and salt levels are in the correct range
thanks
claudia
First of all most fish will tolerate a fairly high level of nitrates. Aditionally, water changes will not bring nitrates down to 0.0. So attempting to get nitrAtes down to 0.0 is futile and not necessary.
One thing that will help not only nitrAtes but all aspects of your tank is algae or marine plants. You might try adding some macro algae. They will control the hair algae while still providing the benifits.

 

[broomer5]

I believe your nitrites have gone up because your ammonia has gone up - that's one way it could happen.
Or you lost some of your benificial bacteria to some cause - but I doubt this.
What are your nitrate readings ?
How long has the tank been set up ?
What fishload do you have ?
What and how often do you feed ?
Did you leave the dead crabs in the tank or remove them ?
Decaying crabs could create additional ammonia that the tank's not use to processing - and in theory could lead to measurable levels of nitrite.

 

[kiddow]

thanks for the help
i know i need to get rid of the ugf and cc, but it is not possible at this time, $$$ and room to do it in house right now
my tank has been up since jan 2003
i have the following: 1 false perc
1 royal gramma
1 green chormise
hermit crabs
2 emermals (mia)
3 snail
1 brittle star
hairy mushroom
xeine
few plain mushrooms
29 gal with w/d filter, hob filter only running poly filter and in filter skimmer, 1 power head for water movement, 5 30 inch lights in hood, 1 blue, 1 50/50, 1 10,000, 2 reg
i take any dead crab ect out as soon as i find it, but sometimes you cant find them
i will ck my levels tonight again

 

[nm reef]

All the comments above have been good...a likely source of your problems may be with the UGF and CC. Not much I can add to the help already offered...but I would suggest this link....Reefkeeping 101 ...it is full of information that may help you solve your problems and it can be a useful reference as you continue to develope your reef.
NMREEF website
Ka is the wheel that moves the world...and the man or woman that rages against it will be crushed under its rim.
NMREEF pics