nitrate is perfect nitrite is dreadful help!

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by nathanrudy9
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
Leave it this is common in the cycling stage, you will see spikes in amonia. Eventually your tests will show 0 trites and amonia, and there may be some trates. when that happens do a 15% water change and retest in a day. If all looks good 0 across the board with minimal trates then you are cycled.

 

[nathanrudy9]

shouldnt the nitrates be at 20 for a reef tank?
im getting to think its easier to just get a bunch of clown triggers lot less work.

 

[lexluethar]

Your nitrates will be high because your tank is new and your cycling. Once you know your done cycling then you can concentrate on reducing nitrates. Nitrates should be lower than 10 in a reef, preferrable 0.
It is difficult to keep nitrates low at first. Over time it usually becames easier to maintain.

 

[nathanrudy9]

what exactly is an aquapod and what is is used for mainly .. ? i see on swf.com they have one for $300 for a 12 gallon..
thanks
Nathan

 

[lexluethar]

Aquapod is a nano talk - all in one system. It comes with lights, a filtering system located in the back of the tank, and the actual tank.

 

[nathanrudy9]

why would someone want a 12g aquapod? whats it used for ?
and why is it $300 for a 12g tank ?
nano means all inclusive ?

 

[lexluethar]

B/c some people want a small aquarium, i don't know. Why do some poeple like wearing hats? Or why do some people like ranch dressing and others don't - its just preference. It's like asking why someone would want a cat - i don't know b/c they didn't want a dog.
It is used for holding water and fish There is no use, same use as your tank has.
Nano usually means less than 30 gallons and usually means that the tank includes a light (usually MH) and the filter is in the back of the tank. So other than some cords is is one uniform cube. 300 because it includes a light and filter system.

 

[nathanrudy9]

thanks,noted.

 

[nathanrudy9]

are power heads a must for reef tanks.. ? i have a 55 gal tank how many or should i have in it.. any recommendations?

 

[dchec2100]

Originally Posted by nathanrudy9
are power heads a must for reef tanks.. ? i have a 55 gal tank how many or should i have in it.. any recommendations?
Check out this thread, this is being talked about.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/297301/water-flow

 

[lexluethar]

I believe it is a must. Your filter will not provide enough water movement for your tank, especially sincey ou want a reef. Corals need water flow (most high water flow) in order to filter feed on the surrounding water and to clean out their system. You need around 30 times turnover rate in your tank. So if you have a 75 gallon system, you need 2250 gallons per hour produced - make sense? The idea of placement to have good flow near your corals and to ensure no dead spots in the tank - so that food and debris stay in the water and get sucked up through your filter.

 

[nathanrudy9]

i have a marinland c-160 i guess its a bad filter since it filters 160gph i also have a eheim filter in my 55 gal tank not sure on what the gph is but prob not more than 140 gph so u say 30x so i would need for a 55 gal tank about 1800 gph....so i need to buy a powerhead...any specific area to place it should i buy 2 of them at 750gph each or 1 at 1500gph or more ?? does an air pump count as any gph ? ?
thanks
Nathan

 

[lexluethar]

I'm sure your filter isn't bad, just not adequate. YOu should have multiple power heads, only using one will just mean that you create a rediculous amount of flow in one direction - remember the key is to have multiple flows going in all different directions. So you need about 1650 gph - and i would do this by using probably 3 or 4 power heads. Don't count your filter as gph, although it is pumping wat it probably isn't creating a great deal of flow. Do not use air pumps in a saltwater tank. I'm assuming you mean like an airstone. I've heard for saltwater fish the air will get stuck in their gills causing popeye.

 

[nathanrudy9]

hey are u familliar with swf.com, stock on pumps i have a credit with them and im trying to pick out the proper pumps for a 55 gal reef tank that im trying to setup again...assume i get 3 of them at around 600 gph and put them in the 2 corners and the middle...can u reccomend which one or model i should get..? and what the best place to put them...thyre so many of them wet/dry inside outside or connections to skimmers which i dont have at this point...or connections to a canister filter which i have a marinel;and c-160 canister filter...can u help me out here...
thanks
Nathan

 

[nathanrudy9]

where should the power heads be placed ? top middle or bottom third of the aquarium...? im getting 3 put them on the 2 corners and the middle ?
thanks

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by nathanrudy9
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
This is the part I don't get. IF it's a established tank that you used to run and you added cured live rocks like your saying. You shouldn't be cycling at all!!! I think there's something your leaving off.....When I added cured live rocks to my new tank, I only went through a minor cycle and it quickly went away. IF your Ammonia is up, that means there's die off from the rocks and it's not well cured at all. You need to just stop doing water changes and let the tank go through it's cycle if there's no live stock with in. Otherwise you just gonna keep the cycle going longer.

 

[nathanrudy9]

i bought premium live cured fiji rock from swf.com if it says cured doesnt it mean its cured..? the tank has bean filtering for over 2 years just with dif fish and they all died the fiji rock was 45lb outa 75lb in my 55 gal tank i added the fiji rock 3 weeks ago...then i bought 6 anemonies and 12 corals and went through about 12 fish all died...so that the story...im just leaving it alone waiting for the paramaters to be right..doubt thats gonna happen it feels like my tank is doomed.
can u help me with powerheads...check my post above
thanks
Nathan

 

[renogaw]

cured means it was cured when they shipped it. 2 days out of water means it is uncured when it hits your door.
ammonia of 5 is way too high, and probably killed off most of the bacteria that would reduce the ammonia into nitrites, and probably killed off almost all of the bacteria that eats trites. this is slowing down your cycle.
because of all the water changes and nothing being turned into nitrates, your nitrates have gone down.
yes you'd want powerheads. for a reef tank you want 20-30 gph x tank volume. and not only that, you want alternating currents. in a small tank this is done by putting power heads in both back corners and facing them towards the front middle.

 

[nathanrudy9]

i got some power heads and a wave maker there are 4 total power heads...3 of them are at 295 gph each im not sure what system they came with a package (Natural Wavemaker System Model 1200)
(885 gph - 295 gph x 3) and wave maker im expecting them tuesday.. and the other one is a Koralia Water Circulation Pumps Pump 3 i think thats around 800 gph are they any good ??? if not oh well theyll have to do...is it better to attached them with magnets or suction cups...and with the 4 power heads where is the best place to set them up on my 55 gal rectangle stand. tank... the rock arent in the way and i would place a picture of it but i have no idea how to its always to big....should they all be on the back wall evenely apart where should they point o they rotate 360 deg. ahould i put any on the side walls ? please advise... as far as the wave maker where should that be placed...and how to i get with these producta maximum water flow throughout my tank without the rocks shifting and without the corals dying due to the flow directly at them ? thanks for all the info.
Nathan

 

[nathanrudy9]

thanks ok major prob i was just informed by dad that he bought me some fish and inverts for my tank for the holidays and my tank is not ready and i dont think it will be ready in the next 3 days ...i will prob need a qt tank until my tank fully cycles..heres what he got me 2x false percs 1 in. 1 yellow tank small 1 in. 10 turbo snails 10 blue hermit crabs...all .5 in
i chili coral 3 in
i blue urchin 1 in.
2 questions im having an expert try and fix my tank tom...if he does can these items be introduced into 1 tank its 3 fish ..1 urchin, and some snials and crabs...or should i split them up in 2 tanks wait 2 weeks than intoduse the rest into my 55 gal tank ?
im planning on getting a qt tank setup tom...
thanks
nathan