Salinity and nitrites too high, best course of action?

[seecrabrun]

I plan to continue to test often until I've got the hang of all this. Then switch to testing as recommended.
In the meantime... how much am I supposed to feed 1 damselfish and 2 hermits? I know they are clean up crew but it's 2 crabs to 1 fish who doesn't eat much as it is.
I was absolutely overfeeding, I was following the instructions on the label that said feed small amount 3 times a day.

 

[silverado61]

Don't worry about the hermits. Let then fend for themselves. Its what they do.
Feeding your damsel enough three times a day would amount to one flake about the size of a dime or smaller at each feeding. Assuming its flakes that your feeding it of course.

 

[pegasus]

Quote: I was absolutely overfeeding, I was following the instructions on the label that said feed small amount 3 times a day.

Quote:
Originally Posted by SeeCrabRun http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547043
I was absolutely overfeeding, I was following the instructions on the label that said feed small amount 3 times a day.
You shouldn't feed more than once or twice a day, and only what the fish can consume in three minutes or less. If there is food floating around the tank after three minutes, you've overfed. Don't worry about the crabs, they're scavengers. Enough food will make it to the bottom for them to feed on. Once you get the live rock in the tank, and provided there's enough live sand, you shouldn't have to worry about Ammonia or Nitrite as the bacteria that breaks these down into Nitrate will colonize the substrate fairly quickly. Just be sure to test until they are undetectable. Once that happens, you shouldn't need to test for anything but Nitrate... unless there's a major change in the system such as a new addition to the tank.

 

[silverado61]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pegasus http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547047

you shouldn't need to test for anything but Nitrate... unless there's a major change in the system such as a new addition to the tank.
Actually, it ammonia you should test for first. That needs to stay at zero. If you get any readings, do a water change. Nitrates don't bother fish. If/when you start stocking corals or inverts like shrimp, then you need to be more worried about nitrates.

Just saying.

Always learning.

 

[pegasus]

Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547053
Actually, it ammonia you should test for first. That needs to stay at zero. If you get any readings, do a water change. Nitrates don't bother fish. If/when you start stocking corals or inverts like shrimp, then you need to be more worried about nitrates.

Just saying.

Always learning.
Not trying to point out the obvious, but if you re-read the post, you'll see I covered ammonia.

"Once you get the live rock in the tank, and provided there's enough live sand, you shouldn't have to worry about Ammonia or Nitrite as the bacteria that breaks these down into Nitrate will colonize the substrate fairly quickly. Just be sure to test until they are undetectable. Once that happens, you shouldn't need to test for anything but Nitrate..."

I suppose I should learn how to properly compose a comment. I don't always phrase things in the proper order, or I take for granted that people will be able to decipher my cryptic writings... LOL!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pegasus http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547061
Not trying to point out the obvious, but if you re-read the post, you'll see I covered ammonia.

"Once you get the live rock in the tank, and provided there's enough live sand, you shouldn't have to worry about Ammonia or Nitrite as the bacteria that breaks these down into Nitrate will colonize the substrate fairly quickly. Just be sure to test until they are undetectable. Once that happens, you shouldn't need to test for anything but Nitrate..."

I suppose I should learn how to properly compose a comment. I don't always phrase things in the proper order, or I take for granted that people will be able to decipher my cryptic writings... LOL!

Hi,

LOL...I so relate to your last sentence.
Anyway... It isn't true a person need only test for nitrates once ammonia and nitrites reach 0... One should always test for PH, phosphates, Alkalinity, and Calcium.

 

[pegasus]

I'd been doing yard work all day in 90F+ heat, and it was getting close to midnight, so I was pretty ragged at that time. I was referring only to the nitrogen cycle since all she has are test strips, but yes... it is important to test other parameters as well. It's normally the regulars that respond to my posts, so sometimes I forget that newbies read this stuff.

 

[silverado61]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547064

Hi,

LOL...I so relate to your last sentence.
Anyway... It isn't true a person need only test for nitrates once ammonia and nitrites reach 0... One should always test for PH, phosphates, Alkalinity, and Calcium.
And what is it your always telling us? Hmmm. Oh yes, now I remember, Always test for ammonia. Even if you use strips, test for ammonia. Any readings, do a water change.

I read it so often I have it emblazoned in my mind. LOL

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547082
And what is it your always telling us? Hmmm. Oh yes, now I remember, Always test for ammonia. Even if you use strips, test for ammonia. Any readings, do a water change.

I read it so often I have it emblazoned in my mind. LOL

LOL...Indeed, and I'm delighted you pay attention...an askhole you are not.

Here comes the correction...LOL..ready for it? I don't always test for ammonia, actually I hardly ever test for it unless I have some kind of issue or a missing fish. Testing ammonia is the only time IMO that using a test strip is acceptable, because the exact number isn't needed...any reading at all is cause for a water change. Aside from that, the lab type tests should always be used so we know the exact numbers.

 

[seecrabrun]

Well things are going pretty well now as far as readings are concerned. I just did the monthly water change despite the fact I've been adding and removing water often while getting things leveled.
I don't think my live rock or sand are alive... I'm still having a brown algae problem. Ive got 2 small filters, 2 crabs, and I'm stiring the sand and brushing the glass, but everything is covered in this muck.
Nitrates and trites are testing lowest on the strip, but the tank does get a lot of light as our days are 14 hours long.
Still I have a suspicion my rock and sand either died before moving in or were never actually alive.
Also when I can get a proper testing kit, any preferred ones here?

 

[pegasus]

If the rock was mature when you got it, it should still be live unless you did something dramatic to it. Normally all one needs to do to fully cured rock is to hyper-salinate it to remove pests, and short-cycle it with a power head and heater to make sure there's no die-off.
Are you sure that's brown algae? Often a new tank will get a brown powdery growth on the rocks and sand called Diatoms... which is typical of "new-tank syndrome". Regular water changes will help clear this up, but it may take some time to completely go away.

 

[pegasus]

Also when I can get a proper testing kit, any preferred ones here?I like Red Sea kit because the colorometer is easy to use and read. Salifert makes accurate kits, also, but Red Sea allows you to by refills instead of the entire kit(s).

 

[seecrabrun]

Oh right yeah its diatoms.
The rock was quarantined in a bucket with frequent water changes, heater, and brushing for 3 weeks.

 

[tur4k]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547064

One should always test for PH, phosphates, Alkalinity, and Calcium.


Why test for phosphates, Alk and Calcium if you don't have SPS, LPS or at the very least snails? Phosphate becomes apparent pretty quickly when hair algae starts growing like crazy and really isn't that harmful to fish. Calcium and bicarbonates are really only important for calcification.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by tur4k http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547370


Why test for phosphates, Alk and Calcium if you don't have SPS, LPS or at the very least snails? Phosphate becomes apparent pretty quickly when hair algae starts growing like crazy and really isn't that harmful to fish. Calcium and bicarbonates are really only important for calcification.

Hi,

Not "that" harmful to fish? Water quality is the fish tank, it's the life line for your fish. when water quality is bad, everything in the tank suffers.

Hair algae is natures way of controlling the nasty stuff in the water. When things are way out of whack, if it were not for the hair algae the fish would be in trouble. So hair algae controls the problem of water quality, but why spend thousands of dollars for an ugly fish tank?

Alkalinity is what stabilizes the PH, when Alkalinity is out of whack, so is the PH. I can't explain it in the proper terms like GeriDoc, but believe me, it's important even if you don't keep corals. Calcification...AKA Bone health. Calcium is needed for the snails, shrimp and other inverts...the critters in the live rock need it to grow, as well as the pretty purple coralline algae.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pegasus http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547368
I like Red Sea kit because the colorometer is easy to use and read. Salifert makes accurate kits, also, but Red Sea allows you to by refills instead of the entire kit(s).

Hi,

Of all the test kits out there...Red sea is the most ridiculed for inaccuracy. All tests can be purchased separately...the master kits are cheaper then buying them individually, so no matter the brand, you can always buy a single test "refill". I personally like SeaChem tests because they come with a regent to be able to double check the test results.

I keep the strip tests for ammonia ...any reading regardless of the number, means do a water change. I never use the nitrite test except when I am cycling a new tank. I go through the nitrate, alkalinity, calcium, PH and phosphate tests, and replace them often.

The only test I ever found with a good color comparison wheel is the Instant Ocean, that kit has a plastic chip that sits next to the test water, and is easy and accurate to read. All the others have a computer print out of the color for the test results, and they vary according to the ink level of the factory. I have purchased refills, LOL... the color charts have different variances of the color, and when you are looking at a test result and seeing a little bit more green then yellow, it's hard to really tell the readings sometimes.

 

[seecrabrun]

The fish died this morning.

 

[seecrabrun]

I went to petsmart and got the saltwater master kit they had. I've been using strips.
I got the same level of reading as my strips were giving me, just a number to coordinate.
High Range ph 8.0
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates was hard for me to determine as it looked like a split between the 40 and 80ppm
I took pictures of the tests and can post if needed.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SeeCrabRun http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action/20#post_3547445
I went to petsmart and got the saltwater master kit they had. I've been using strips.
I got the same level of reading as my strips were giving me, just a number to coordinate.
High Range ph 8.0
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates was hard for me to determine as it looked like a split between the 40 and 80ppm
I took pictures of the tests and can post if needed.

Hi,

What else is in the tank with the fish, and is anything else looking sick?

 

[seecrabrun]

2 hermits and they are lively