Test results. help

[loopy]

okay here we go....
55 gallon tank
no live rock btw
clown fish
2 damsels
Yellow tang
scooter blenny
arrow crab
blue legged hermit crab, I think, don't see him...lol.
ammonia-0
ph-7.7-8.0 looks right in between
nitrite- (YIKES) so far above the 3.3 which is the last on the chart I can't tell you, maybe twice or more than that.
Emporer 400 filter
undergravel filter
no protein skimmer, getting one possibly tonight.
Also, salinity is fine.
So.....I have been told by a salt water guy, whom I am not sure I trust at this point....to let it go and it will 'cycle back'. I am getting more algae growth...the brown. This will turn into the green at some point right? I do need to clean some of it, the cc is starting to get it too.
Also, If I clean the cc will I be stirring up more nitrite? That's what I've been told. Clean or no?
So....I am leaving it alone and waiting for someone here to give me a clue as to what I should do.
All the fish are fine....that is a miracle, but who's to say they won't be belly up later....never know. Should I get rid of a fish? Would have to be a damsel....daughter won't be happy if it's the tang and anyway...good water conditions would shock these guys and kill them right? (If sold back to store)
I tested our tap water out of curiousity for nitrite...it was 0. Hmmmm. Thanks for your help in advance. Taking my human fish to swim team and will stop and buy salt, skimmer and other misc. junk I need, then will check back and see what I'm in for!!!! Everyone is welcome to put in their opinions. And for the record........yes, we did do things to0 fast. I know this now. But now I have to fix it and am getting weary trying.......thanks everyone.:sleepy:

 

[tizzo]

Your tank sounds like it is still cycling. Although since you do already have livestock, I would suggest a water change to ease the stress on them. Your tank will still cycle. I, like you, have CC and I have found a way to clean the gravel without stirring it up at all. Sick your syphon straight down into the CC til it hits the glass on the bottum. Be prepared to pinch of the line when it sucks up to much gravel. I keep sticking it straight in like that til I cover the bottum.
HTH

 

[jasonk]

if you tank is still new, ie 4-6 weeks, you're probably still in your cycle. it is normal, and will happen in every new tank. first your ammonia will spike and come down, then your nitrites, then your nitrates. The bad news is this is really bad for your fish. the damsels may be able to live through, but it's not good for them. also your tang is the one i would worry about the most. tangs are by nature suseptible to ick when stressed, and it will be stressed during the cycle. this could potientially be really bad for your other fish as well. IMO i would take back your tang until the cycle is over. if your tank isn't just in the cycle then you have other issues. you can vacuum out your crushed coral, but be careful, as many times there can be a build up of other bad stuff in there. good luck.

 

[dmc888]

Try some additives like cycle or stress zyme they contain bacteria to help the cycle go faster. They have better ones just for saltwater that need to be refridgerated but are more expensive. I used cycle, live sand , and 5 damsels to cycle my 55. It took about 10 days.

 

[loopy]

Already added stuff twice that was suppose to speed up the cycle and get the nitrite down. didn't help at all. Was expensive too. Will vacuum the gravel as I was told by Tizzo and will do a partial water change....what, maybe every other day? Or just one? Thinking 20% to start, every other day, was told or read it in one of my books, can't remember. One person told me to let it go and cycle. Fish still look good, but they probably can't stand much more. The thing is, if I keep spending money to try and fix this...and the fish die anyway...what's the point. Maybe should let it be and hope for the best. Gotta sleep on this one I guess. Anymore advice is more than welcome. Thanks to all.
L.

 

[thomas712]

For GOD's sake yank that undergravel filter out and throw it away. Trust me.

 

[tizzo]

Originally posted by Thomas712
For GOD's sake yank that undergravel filter out and throw it away. Trust me.
Yeah!! I didn't even see that you had that until Thomas posted it. With an undergravel filter AND CC, you may be better off in the long run to just tear it down and start over. You have no live rock to move out of the way yet?? Before it gets to late, I'd remove the CC and UF. Trust me, I wish I woulda started out with sand. You'd never hafta vacuum again. When I upgrade my tank size I will start right.

 

[loopy]

I can get the UG filter out, and personally, will be very happy to be rid of it. But...all the books I read and the two stores I went to....ug filter ug filter ug filter. maybe they would like to eat and ug filter for lunch today...ya think? I am not in a position to get rid of the cc yet....oh I don't even wanna go into that story, wish I could though. Takin the filter out, oh that's gonna be a mess. Will be changing a lot of water, probably screwing things up more...but hey, when ya got someone else knew and making MY mistakes....just tell them about me....I am the "Horror Story of Salt Water Fish"
going to work on the tank. geepers.
thanks btw.....appreciate the help very very much!

 

[loopy]

I took the ug filter out. cc still there. Is the emporer enough? I could not find a skimmer, have to drive an hour one way to get it and it's bad weather here. Will get one when I can. I lost the arrow crab during the 'work' on the tank, but expected I would lose him anyway due to the nitrite. Now I suppose I am starting the cycling over? I changed about 40%, maybe a bit less, of the water and vacuumed the cc really good. So where do I sit now....what's next? I think.....(which is rare) that I should just sit on this and let it do it's thing for several weeks. Live rock once everything is 'right'???

 

[dmc888]

I don't think that the 400 is made to handle a 4 foot tank. I had mine on my 55 and i wasn't happy with it. Some people say that it works good with 2 powerheads helping . It needs something to flow the debris near the intake. My 400 is on my 29g tank now.

 

[dmc888]

I'm not saying its not a great filter and it wouldn't work.
But with my previous setup with the 400 I had pretty much the same fish. Yellow tang, 2 clowns, 3 damsels FO. After cycle. I would just watch the yellow tangs feces just sit there for hours. On full flow. Some would say that its overstocked.
Whenever anything was out of reach of the filter it would just sit there. My tank was constantly cloudy.
I know it is rated at 30-80 gallons at 400gph , Thats why i bought it for my 55 gallon. It worked fine until i got my yellow tang. The bioload was to much. Too much ammonia.
I'm sure it would work with a powerhead or two. It would be worth a try since you should have one anyway. If you see that the filter is sucking up debris ok than it works fine.
That was my experience with my 400 on my 55.

 

[tizzo]

Lemme see if I can explain this easy like...
There are 3 types of filtration. Bio-logical, chemical, and mechanical.
Your bio-logical is that beneficial bacteria that you hear so much about. It is introduced into your tank through the cycle and survives on every possible suface that is in contact with water.
the mechanical is like taking a net and sweeping it through the water to collect what you can see, like excess food pieces etc...
And the chemical is usually your carbon. It adsorbs any tiny particles that are considered pollutants (and some that are beneficial, but the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.).
Now, that being said...
A canister filter is used for mechanical filtration, depending on the GPH, it's usually a good means of that filtration. But bio-logical is the most efficient. Your canister filter will provide a lot of that to, but as soon as you change out the filter media, you are starting over. That's why live rock is the most recommended means of filtration. Cloudy water or water with ammonia or nitrates is best prevented but having a good bio filter supplemented with the occasional chemical.
HTH

 

[promisetbg]

Please consider returning the scooter blenny.Not a blenny at all,it is actually a dragonet.Like a mandarin,it needs alot of LR in which it's food..{pods} will thrive.Devoid of any LR,I am afraid it will die.

 

[loopy]

well, the store tested my water for me as I wasn't sure my kit was good, they won't take him back because of the high nitrite level. He would die of shock due to the water change. He is fine right now and has been for a long time, so he is staying, there aren't any options. Thanks for the advice though.