start tank again!!!

[segsig]

ok heres the situation and I have no one to blame but myself as I got a bit lazy over the summer. It seems my nitrates exploded and took off until the fish I had in my 50 gal tank with plenty of live rock all passed on-even the snails didnt make it. Anyway, its been a couple of weeks now and I have done numerous water changes and used "cycle" per the local dealers advice to try to get the nitrates back down to 0 but cant seem to be successful as they remain around 40. Does anyone have any advice ?
Thanks

 

[ezee]

segsig,
You should list the particulars about your setup so the more experienced (than I) can help you when they read this. Some things I would think are important to know about your setup are:
Substrate
Live Rock
Filtration
Water Movement
Maybe your tank is just cycling?
E

 

[thomas712]

Originally Posted by segsig
I have done numerous water changes and used "cycle" per the local dealers advice to try to get the nitrates back down to 0 but cant seem to be successful as they remain around 40.
Thanks
Cycle to get nitrates back down? and then numerous water changes? So much for using cycle. That was bad advice.
What is your water source, and are you using crushed coral substrate?
Is there a huge algea problem right now?
What about filtration?
Is this fish only or fowler or reef?
Give any other details about your tank and we will help fix things.
Thomas

 

[segsig]

It is a 50 gallon tank that has been up for 3 years or so and I'm not sure exactly how much live rock but there is a nice amount and has been there since day 1.
water source-sink through filter with water conditioner and ocean salt mixed in before going into tank
tank type-all fish-prior to this, yellow tang, goby's, clownfish, lionfish
algae-none present
salt level-1.022
filtration-besides for filter, I NOW added 2 powerheads-1 on each end of tank
water changes - would then add cycle.. havent done a change in a week or so
even though I had the tank for a while, sorry if I dont know exact terminology
Thanks

 

[sinner's girl]

sink through filter with water conditioner
BAD. You're using tap water? Never use tap water, never add anything to your tank you can't test for. bad idea.
any why would you add cycle? why not just cycle your tank the correct way and not add a chemical to your water. This time, if you need to cycle you tank, just a add a dead shrimp or a bit a fish food, or some uncured lr.
Never add anything to your tank you can't test for!
Let me see if I understand, you do a wc then add cycle? what on earth is cycle and why are you adding it?
how high were your nitrates when you started? each water change will only bring them now a certian percent.

 

[konrade]

Cycle contains the bacterial spores that you build up in your tank. However they will remain spores until they have something to feed off of(ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). It is not a chemical and it does no harm, but doesn't help all that much either. Also tap water isn't that bad as long as you treat it, I use it for topoffs and water changes and I have a Coral beauty that is thriving and I have hardly any algae at all. I really think people say it is worse than it is. Although you might want to test it to make sure as different areas have different watrer.

 

[flamehawk]

I have doubts that high nitrates wiped out your tank. need to know what the livestock symptoms were before they perished.
as far as tap water....test and if all parameters are good, make sure you filter before using and s/b fine. RO water is preffered but not necesary to have long term success.
would suggest, after all you have done to leave the tank fishless for about another 4 weeks or so. then do a 25% change and SLoWLY add fish after quarentine. good luck.

 

[segsig]

thanks for all the responses so far and to the last post, nothing wrong with the fish as they were swimming and eating an no signs of distress--unless I missed them Just a few questions... best way to cycle from her on as it has been fishless for about 2 weeks now..
-is LR still alive or to be sure should I put in another piece to regenerate them? I already have about 40 lbs but could take one piec out.
-continue to do water changes?
-add some hearty fish ?
thanks

 

[sinner's girl]

was the lr ever out of the tank? If not, then yes it's still alive. If you took it out of the tank and it was dry, then no, it's now base rock. You can add some lr and it will seed your base rock.

 

[flamehawk]

fishless for 4 more weeks and then 25% water change, then add fish slowly.......same as stated above..am I mi8ssing something?

 

[sinner's girl]

I'm missing something. His nitrates are at 40, he shouldn't add fish till he gets them 20 or under. The tank is cycled, why should he wait four weeks if he can get his nitrates down before then? (I'm just asking, not saying he shouldn't wait).
But ditto on adding fish slowly, a pair can be added at once, other than that wait 4-6 between adding new fish.

 

[unleashed]

ok im going to give you a realy off the wall comment.but concidering this tank is fishless it cant harm a thing .add macro algae right into your tank this will help use up the nitrates that are already present.if using crushed coral wash it in fw that will remove alot of the unwanted bacteria in your substrate.you are already using cycle so the good will be replentished.this process is time consuming and tedious But I have done it in the past do a 50% water change.if your worried about killing to many good bacteria and having a longer cycle keep about 10% of cc unwashed.check your water quality weekly to ensure spikes are done before restocking your tank.this is the proccess I use when ever setting up a new tank.

 

[unleashed]

Originally Posted by Sinner's Girl
I'm missing something. His nitrates are at 40, he shouldn't add fish till he gets them 20 or under. The tank is cycled, why should he wait four weeks if he can get his nitrates down before then? (I'm just asking, not saying he shouldn't wait).
But ditto on adding fish slowly, a pair can be added at once, other than that wait 4-6 between adding new fish.
his fish have all died which means he realy needs to clean this up before trying to restock it.

 

[flamehawk]

I suggest waiting 4 more weeks as a precaution. A total of 6 weeks will ensure no pathogons exist. nothing to do w/ nitrate level. Of course he can take the chance and add fish now....slowly but I'd air on the side of caution and patience......wish I had in the past.....do now.

 

[sinner's girl]

A total of 6 weeks will ensure no pathogons exist.
makes sense, thanks. and good point about the cc, that stuff can trap some crap! I've vauume it really well, that will help with the nitrates if you have cc.