nitrates
- Thread starter shobby
- Start date
coralreefer
Active Member
mine is always zero. i have xenia and caulerpa, it helps alot
shobby
Member
I have a 55 gal, one hippo tang, two clowns, and one of the cheap fish, don't remember the name. Two anenomoes. A bunck of crabs, and snail, and one brittle star. Sump with bio balls, cleaned half of them about three months ago, a seaclone skimmer, and two power heads.
I have tried having plants, but the fish eat them. I just changed out twlve gallons of water and yet it still is between 10 and 20.
Shelley
I have tried having plants, but the fish eat them. I just changed out twlve gallons of water and yet it still is between 10 and 20.
Shelley
fishstick4sale
Member
5 to 20??? those r kinda high jumps for 2 weeks, how many pounds of liverock do u have, whats ur fish status.. how big r they? size each one?
spanko
Active Member
Originally Posted by shobby
http:///forum/post/3092147
I have a 55 gal, one hippo tang, two clowns, and one of the cheap fish, don't remember the name. Two anenomoes. A bunck of crabs, and snail, and one brittle star. Sump with bio balls, cleaned half of them about three months ago, a seaclone skimmer, and two power heads.
I have tried having plants, but the fish eat them. I just changed out twlve gallons of water and yet it still is between 10 and 20.
Shelley
shobby
Member
Just out of curiosity, what would happen if I took out all of the balls and cleaned them at one time? I change about 6 to 12 gallons every other day to every three days. The fish are about abot two inches on the clownes and the biggest is roughly four inches long.
Will the chaeto die in the sump, there is no light there?
Shelley
Will the chaeto die in the sump, there is no light there?
Shelley
spanko
Active Member
Originally Posted by shobby
Just out of curiosity, what would happen if I took out all of the balls and cleaned them at one time? I change about 6 to 12 gallons every other day to every three days. The fish are about abot two inches on the clownes and the biggest is roughly four inches long.
Will the chaeto die in the sump, there is no light there?
Shelley
If you clean them all at one time you take a chance of upsetting your biofilter and having an ammonia spike. I think the most I would clean at one time would be 50%, but IMO 25 % would be less risk.
Yes the Chaetomorpha will probably die with no light. Remember back to biology class and the need for plants to have light to photosynthesize.
Just out of curiosity, what would happen if I took out all of the balls and cleaned them at one time? I change about 6 to 12 gallons every other day to every three days. The fish are about abot two inches on the clownes and the biggest is roughly four inches long.
Will the chaeto die in the sump, there is no light there?
Shelley
If you clean them all at one time you take a chance of upsetting your biofilter and having an ammonia spike. I think the most I would clean at one time would be 50%, but IMO 25 % would be less risk.
Yes the Chaetomorpha will probably die with no light. Remember back to biology class and the need for plants to have light to photosynthesize.
posiden
Active Member
The others have covered your husbandry of the tank but, what about your source water for the changes? Have you checked you water and have you checked your water change water after you have mixed in your salt and are have let it aireate and all that good stuff?
Do you use RO/DI water? If so, is it yours or are you buying it?
Do you use RO/DI water? If so, is it yours or are you buying it?
extinct 1ne
Member
My 55 stays at 0 to 5. But, I agree we need more info...
shobby
Member
I use public water, but I have mixed it and let it sit a little, then tested it, 0. I did buy RO water but did not see it come down then either. I just tested all of the other parameters and they are perfect, just the nitrates are either 5 or 10, can't reaslly see a difference on the chart so not quite sure which it is. Not sure what you mean by aeriating the water.
Not sure how much rock I have, the tank was given to me with several peices of rock, and I have bought more since I have had it. I am sure it could use more though.
In the process, natural world, of going from nitrites, ammonia, and nitrates, are the nitrates supposed to go down on their own? I know we do water changes to help off set them, but is the bacteria actually supposed to help with this?
Shelley
Not sure how much rock I have, the tank was given to me with several peices of rock, and I have bought more since I have had it. I am sure it could use more though.
In the process, natural world, of going from nitrites, ammonia, and nitrates, are the nitrates supposed to go down on their own? I know we do water changes to help off set them, but is the bacteria actually supposed to help with this?
Shelley
windlasher
Member
Originally Posted by Rdub62
http:///forum/post/3092173
regular water changes help more than anything. but many types of macro algae feed off nitrates. sometimes the cleaner clams help but...they get expensive when they don't last more than a couple weeks...
go to your local grocery store or fish mongers. buy clams. you can get 10 + for about 6 bucks. they will last about a year if your temps are less than 78 or 79. search the newbie section for info on this.
http:///forum/post/3092173
regular water changes help more than anything. but many types of macro algae feed off nitrates. sometimes the cleaner clams help but...they get expensive when they don't last more than a couple weeks...
go to your local grocery store or fish mongers. buy clams. you can get 10 + for about 6 bucks. they will last about a year if your temps are less than 78 or 79. search the newbie section for info on this.
flower
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by shobby
http:///forum/post/3092147
I have a 55 gal, one hippo tang, two clowns, and one of the cheap fish, don't remember the name. Two anenomoes. A bunck of crabs, and snail, and one brittle star. Sump with bio balls, cleaned half of them about three months ago, a seaclone skimmer, and two power heads.
I have tried having plants, but the fish eat them. I just changed out twlve gallons of water and yet it still is between 10 and 20.
Shelley
My test kit says 20 is still safe. Don't let it go beyond that.
http:///forum/post/3092147
I have a 55 gal, one hippo tang, two clowns, and one of the cheap fish, don't remember the name. Two anenomoes. A bunck of crabs, and snail, and one brittle star. Sump with bio balls, cleaned half of them about three months ago, a seaclone skimmer, and two power heads.
I have tried having plants, but the fish eat them. I just changed out twlve gallons of water and yet it still is between 10 and 20.
Shelley
My test kit says 20 is still safe. Don't let it go beyond that.
shobby
Member
Originally Posted by windlasher
http:///forum/post/3093901
go to your local grocery store or fish mongers. buy clams. you can get 10 + for about 6 bucks. they will last about a year if your temps are less than 78 or 79. search the newbie section for info on this.
You just buy regular clams out of the seafood department? They will live even though they have been on ice in a showcase? Is there a diffenece in clams?
Shelley
http:///forum/post/3093901
go to your local grocery store or fish mongers. buy clams. you can get 10 + for about 6 bucks. they will last about a year if your temps are less than 78 or 79. search the newbie section for info on this.
You just buy regular clams out of the seafood department? They will live even though they have been on ice in a showcase? Is there a diffenece in clams?
Shelley