nitrate is perfect nitrite is dreadful help!
- Thread starter nathanrudy9
- Start date
nathanrudy9
Member
45 lb's were added about 18 months ago and 40 lb's of fiji rock was added a month ago.
thanks
nathan
thanks
nathan
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by nathanrudy9
45 lb's were added about 18 months ago and 40 lb's of fiji rock was added a month ago.
thanks
nathan
That's your main problem right there!!! Newly added rocks NEEDS to be cured!!! That's the reason for ammonia and nitrite spike....You've got to leave the tank alone for at least a month until everything calms down, then do a water change. Test the water again, then add just a few fish. You can start with Green Chromis. Reef safe, hardy, and gets along with others. IF everything goes ok for one month, then you can add your Clowns again, with your size tank, just 2 at the most for clowns, not 3. You need to do some major research on fish!
45 lb's were added about 18 months ago and 40 lb's of fiji rock was added a month ago.
thanks
nathan
That's your main problem right there!!! Newly added rocks NEEDS to be cured!!! That's the reason for ammonia and nitrite spike....You've got to leave the tank alone for at least a month until everything calms down, then do a water change. Test the water again, then add just a few fish. You can start with Green Chromis. Reef safe, hardy, and gets along with others. IF everything goes ok for one month, then you can add your Clowns again, with your size tank, just 2 at the most for clowns, not 3. You need to do some major research on fish!
djcanis
Member
Originally Posted by LexLuethar
You cannot determine if there is enough lighting based off of the look of the lights. There is more to lighting then just "how bright it is." You are trying to mimic the sun's natural rays, something as we all know involves more than just bright lights. Read up and take our advise, YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIGHTING. Your corals may survive for a few weeks, but in the long run (4+ months) they will all die.
On a side note, the tank does look pretty with all of those colors. You should be mindful of placing anemones and corals in the same tank - anemones are not reef (coral) safe and can kill corals by stining them.
I never implied you could. You can however tell by his description in his posts and the picture that shows the ballast and bulb. There is no way that fixture is capable of housing a bulb that would suit the corals he has.
You cannot determine if there is enough lighting based off of the look of the lights. There is more to lighting then just "how bright it is." You are trying to mimic the sun's natural rays, something as we all know involves more than just bright lights. Read up and take our advise, YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIGHTING. Your corals may survive for a few weeks, but in the long run (4+ months) they will all die.
On a side note, the tank does look pretty with all of those colors. You should be mindful of placing anemones and corals in the same tank - anemones are not reef (coral) safe and can kill corals by stining them.
I never implied you could. You can however tell by his description in his posts and the picture that shows the ballast and bulb. There is no way that fixture is capable of housing a bulb that would suit the corals he has.
nathanrudy9
Member
i have a 55 gallon tank i want strong lighting to support corals im about to purchace a 760 watt oddesey mh lighting sysytem( 48" 760W Metal Halide System (Electronic Version)) for $379 is that worth it ? is the price good and is that lighting any good ? and would it be detremental to my tank ? or am i better of spending $79 on a 48" 216W (4-54 watt) Quad T6 Fluorescent Light Fixture (W/B) prob is the t6 doesnt come with fans and i have a glass top....
please advise asap
thanks
nathan
please advise asap
thanks
nathan
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by nathanrudy9
i have a 55 gallon tank i want strong lighting to support corals im about to purchace a 760 watt oddesey mh lighting sysytem( 48" 760W Metal Halide System (Electronic Version)) for $379 is that worth it ? is the price good and is that lighting any good ? and would it be detremental to my tank ? or am i better of spending $79 on a 48" 216W (4-54 watt) Quad T6 Fluorescent Light Fixture (W/B) prob is the t6 doesnt come with fans and i have a glass top....
please advise asap
thanks
nathan
I don't know if your listening to me on my previous advice on a lighting system or not. IF I remember right, oddesey system have issues, but don't quote me on it. Trust me, you want to yank that glass top off unless you want to cook your tank if your going to run MH's or multiple PC's.
i have a 55 gallon tank i want strong lighting to support corals im about to purchace a 760 watt oddesey mh lighting sysytem( 48" 760W Metal Halide System (Electronic Version)) for $379 is that worth it ? is the price good and is that lighting any good ? and would it be detremental to my tank ? or am i better of spending $79 on a 48" 216W (4-54 watt) Quad T6 Fluorescent Light Fixture (W/B) prob is the t6 doesnt come with fans and i have a glass top....
please advise asap
thanks
nathan
I don't know if your listening to me on my previous advice on a lighting system or not. IF I remember right, oddesey system have issues, but don't quote me on it. Trust me, you want to yank that glass top off unless you want to cook your tank if your going to run MH's or multiple PC's.
nathanrudy9
Member
thanks.
perfectdark
Active Member
Originally Posted by nathanrudy9
thanks.
Just remember with Metal Halide lighting you most likley will need a chiller. They run very hot and you will most likley need one. They are not cheap and will run the total cost of your lighting up.
T5's dont run nearly as hot (no need for a chiller) and are more economical IMO...
thanks.
Just remember with Metal Halide lighting you most likley will need a chiller. They run very hot and you will most likley need one. They are not cheap and will run the total cost of your lighting up.
T5's dont run nearly as hot (no need for a chiller) and are more economical IMO...
ameno
Active Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Just remember with Metal Halide lighting you most likley will need a chiller. They run very hot and you will most likley need one. They are not cheap and will run the total cost of your lighting up.
T5's dont run nearly as hot (no need for a chiller) and are more economical IMO...
agree
a good t-5 is what I would do, are that is what I did and very happy with it, if I went MH I would for sure be buying a chiller now.
Just remember with Metal Halide lighting you most likley will need a chiller. They run very hot and you will most likley need one. They are not cheap and will run the total cost of your lighting up.
T5's dont run nearly as hot (no need for a chiller) and are more economical IMO...
agree
danieljames
Member
Hey man...
I feel your pain....It's sooooo much easier to read about being patient than actually being patient! I have learned very very quickly that this hobby is filled with ups and downs, losses and gains, and varying opinions....just in the last 3 days I have lost a yellow watchman goby and a cleaner shrimp.....
I bought them after 4-5 weeks thinking my tank had fully cycled....now there is some argument on my half to say that my LFS had poor quality live stock...but people on this site are definately very experienced and help a lot....
I agree with the masses.....step back and wait!....I lost the cleaner shrimp I just purchased not realizing I had a bit of a Nitrite spike....And truthfully I could take him back for a credit...but i'm not going to...it will remind me to wait patiently for the tank to mature instead of blowing money....Ask a lot of questions....I also agree that your LFS could have poor quality livestock....find out how long the fish/corals/inverts have been in the store, ask to watch them eat, observe them for some time before buying them and taking them home....keep in mind they could have been stressed from the catch, or poorly acclimated at the store....look around the store for sick or dying livestock, ask what their water parameters are, (salinity, temp, pH etc etc.)
I have already marked one LFS off my list! It's amazing how some of these people working at the stores are some of the most un-qualified un-knowledgeable people you will meet....they just know the basics and how to net fish....
We are in the same boat my friend.....the excitement of having a brand new tank is entirely too tempting and stands in the way of being patient....
Best of luck!
I feel your pain....It's sooooo much easier to read about being patient than actually being patient! I have learned very very quickly that this hobby is filled with ups and downs, losses and gains, and varying opinions....just in the last 3 days I have lost a yellow watchman goby and a cleaner shrimp.....
I bought them after 4-5 weeks thinking my tank had fully cycled....now there is some argument on my half to say that my LFS had poor quality live stock...but people on this site are definately very experienced and help a lot....
I agree with the masses.....step back and wait!....I lost the cleaner shrimp I just purchased not realizing I had a bit of a Nitrite spike....And truthfully I could take him back for a credit...but i'm not going to...it will remind me to wait patiently for the tank to mature instead of blowing money....Ask a lot of questions....I also agree that your LFS could have poor quality livestock....find out how long the fish/corals/inverts have been in the store, ask to watch them eat, observe them for some time before buying them and taking them home....keep in mind they could have been stressed from the catch, or poorly acclimated at the store....look around the store for sick or dying livestock, ask what their water parameters are, (salinity, temp, pH etc etc.)
I have already marked one LFS off my list! It's amazing how some of these people working at the stores are some of the most un-qualified un-knowledgeable people you will meet....they just know the basics and how to net fish....
We are in the same boat my friend.....the excitement of having a brand new tank is entirely too tempting and stands in the way of being patient....
Best of luck!
nathanrudy9
Member
i can def relate thatnks for the support.
nathan
nathan
nathanrudy9
Member
i live in nyc and it gets a litle cold in the winter not that cold as it use to be but it can stay aroung 20 for a few months will i still need a chiller right now in the winter plus the mh's comes with a very intense fan....i know someone who runs the same system and for 4 months its bean great with no chiller...if it gets hot in the summer she puts 2 4 in. fan at both end s of the tank
lexluethar
Active Member
Just to clarify, that fan isn't going to cool off your tank, it is going to cool off your lights and power supply within the lights.
nathanrudy9
Member
it says the watts is total 760 but i think its not as powerful as a good name brand mh's...so lets see what happends if it gets too hot ill get a chiller or put fans on the sides...or something
Nathan
Nathan
lexluethar
Active Member
The easiest solution is just to put a fan or two blowing across the surface of the water. You have to deal with evaporation more, but it is a cheap and simple way of cooling off the tank. I've heard of people using computer fans too.
lexluethar
Active Member
You've got my vote ren!
On topic - how long should you run MH? I run mine for about 9 hours, too much, too little?
On topic - how long should you run MH? I run mine for about 9 hours, too much, too little?
nathanrudy9
Member
my tank has bean just filtering for almost 10 days now im pretty sure there are no dead animals in the tank unless smome snails burried themselves in the sand.. i have a 55 gal tank with about 75-80 lb's of live rock....most of it is PRE-CURED and HAND-PICKED LIVEROCK ...i have one cleaner clam alive in the tank...heres my problem the ammonia levels are way too high...the nitrite was originally 10 days ago off the charts but has recently came down gradually to .02 the nitrate was originaly at 20 but has come down to about 0 from day 10 untill day 1...im trying to get my water fully cycled i did a water changes about 14 days ago and 12 days ago both time 30 percent...since then its just been sitting there...i currently have water salt live cured rock a few tree sponges and 1 cleaner clam alive in the tank...the ammonia wont go down....i got pretty much the nitrites down and the nitrates were at 20 which imo is recommended for a reef tank but now it seems to be at 0. bottom line i need to get the ammonia down...can anyone help me out ?
Nathan
Nathan
grumpygils
Active Member
Originally Posted by nathanrudy9
my tank has bean just filtering for almost 10 days now im pretty sure there are no dead animals in the tank unless smome snails burried themselves in the sand.. i have a 55 gal tank with about 75-80 lb's of live rock....most of it is PRE-CURED and HAND-PICKED LIVEROCK ...i have one cleaner clam alive in the tank...heres my problem the ammonia levels are way too high...the nitrite was originally 10 days ago off the charts but has recently came down gradually to .02 the nitrate was originaly at 20 but has come down to about 0 from day 10 untill day 1...im trying to get my water fully cycled i did a water changes about 14 days ago and 12 days ago both time 30 percent...since then its just been sitting there...i currently have water salt live cured rock a few tree sponges and 1 cleaner clam alive in the tank...the ammonia wont go down....i got pretty much the nitrites down and the nitrates were at 20 which imo is recommended for a reef tank but now it seems to be at 0. bottom line i need to get the ammonia down...can anyone help me out ?
Nathan
The ammonia will not go down until your nitrites and ates build up. Ammonia is converted into ites and then ates during the cycle process. When Ammonia is near or at 0 and nitrites are 0, you have cycled. This can take as long as 5 weeks.
Mc
my tank has bean just filtering for almost 10 days now im pretty sure there are no dead animals in the tank unless smome snails burried themselves in the sand.. i have a 55 gal tank with about 75-80 lb's of live rock....most of it is PRE-CURED and HAND-PICKED LIVEROCK ...i have one cleaner clam alive in the tank...heres my problem the ammonia levels are way too high...the nitrite was originally 10 days ago off the charts but has recently came down gradually to .02 the nitrate was originaly at 20 but has come down to about 0 from day 10 untill day 1...im trying to get my water fully cycled i did a water changes about 14 days ago and 12 days ago both time 30 percent...since then its just been sitting there...i currently have water salt live cured rock a few tree sponges and 1 cleaner clam alive in the tank...the ammonia wont go down....i got pretty much the nitrites down and the nitrates were at 20 which imo is recommended for a reef tank but now it seems to be at 0. bottom line i need to get the ammonia down...can anyone help me out ?
Nathan
The ammonia will not go down until your nitrites and ates build up. Ammonia is converted into ites and then ates during the cycle process. When Ammonia is near or at 0 and nitrites are 0, you have cycled. This can take as long as 5 weeks.
Mc
nathanrudy9
Member
Originally Posted by grumpygils
The ammonia will not go down until your nitrites and ates build up. Ammonia is converted into ites and then ates during the cycle process. When Ammonia is near or at 0 and nitrites are 0, you have cycled. This can take as long as 5 weeks.
Mc
10 days ago my nitrites were off the charts and my ammonia was off the charts the only thing that was stable was the nitrates which were at 20 ...now the nitrites are back to 0.1-.02 but the ammonia is still high at 5.0 and the nitrates went dwon to 0..what should i do ?
Nathan
The ammonia will not go down until your nitrites and ates build up. Ammonia is converted into ites and then ates during the cycle process. When Ammonia is near or at 0 and nitrites are 0, you have cycled. This can take as long as 5 weeks.
Mc
10 days ago my nitrites were off the charts and my ammonia was off the charts the only thing that was stable was the nitrates which were at 20 ...now the nitrites are back to 0.1-.02 but the ammonia is still high at 5.0 and the nitrates went dwon to 0..what should i do ?
Nathan