[fczekalski]

I am having major difficulties with nitrates and I think it is due to over feading what is the correct amount of food for a 3-4 inch fish?

[mateo lopez]

Are you running a wet/dry with bio balls??? If so they are a niytare farm. I would get rid of the balls. it will help.

[dalamar96]

I wouldn't get rid of the balls, (of course this is another oppinion). I would clean the bio-balls after 6 months each, and get a pre-filter to stop detritus from getting in the bio-balls. This is what makes the nitrates in the bio-ball holder that everyone thinks they should get rid of. There are other ways of setting up a sump, but bio-balls work just as well.

To clean the balls, you have to get some salt water (either right after you siphon your water change, or some new salt water that is close to your tank, then put half of the bio balls into th bucket of water and swish them around getting all the clumpy stuff off of them. I would do this twice, but only do half of the balls a week or two, to not totally destroy your bacteria farm!

Again, just another oppinion on the bio-balls

[Rmorris24]

I would get rid of the bio balls as well. Everyone i have talked to excluding the last response have told me not to use bio balls, i respect the people that have told me mainly because they have the best tanks i have ever seen. Just my opinion, but the balls won't help your system so why keep them?

[ericwebster]

I read each fish should be fed about 2 x the size of his eye each day. Seems like a tiny ammount but you need to remember that a large ammount of food that we eat is used to keep our body temps up ... fish do not need to eat that much because the water is warm. Plus most fish graze all day off the live rock.

With that said. I'm pretty sure my Blue Hippo Tang could eat me under the table any day. He's a pig.

[fczekalski]

Yes I have bio balls and a wet dry I thought that is what I was suposed to have ? What am I missing I never heard this about the bio balls but you might be right I have a ehiem and never had an issue then I went to the sump and now I have nothing but issues. Then what do I do with the sump?

The eye rule is a good idea thanks I will try and as for the bio balls if I can have some more data that would be great!

[Delffs]

This is the first I have ever heard about a problem with the bio balls, but it is very interesting. I used to have a canister filte and had a big problem with nitrates......I've had my sump for about a year and the nitrates are under control and I never clean them (the bio balls). Do you use a bacteria supplement? (Cycle, stress zyme, etc).?

[SltwtrFan]

water change

[DMNCLNR]

This brings up a couple questions... I use the seaweed feeder for my tang, and it constantly has food. Is this a bad thing?
Also I have a Fluval 105 canister filter.. Does it require changing the internal elements? I have had this filter for about 6 months, and my nitrates are also a bit high..

[fczekalski]

Yes I have been using a booster it seems to cut them down consideribly I have started cutting back on the food I will let you all know today. I also will clean the tank tonight to make sure. When I say high nitrates I am talking in the 10 parts per millinion.

[CaseyH]

When feeding try and feed so no food touches the bottom of the tank (i.e. the fish get it before it hits the bottom). You might want to consider a denitrator. I ordered one online and it has been great at keeping the nitrate levels down. All you have to do is feed it with a little plain vodka (methanol) once a week.

[Steevo]

Nitrates, the end result of food and poo,not a good thing for a reef tank, bio balls,cannister filters,filter pads,crushed coral,live rock ,detrius,surplus food and frozen food that is nor rinsed with ro/di water all contribute to escalating levels. A filter sock well placed and washed every 3 to 4 days will catch more muck than you can imagine, regular water changes, a good protein skimmer, proper flow and good house keeping will contribute to lowering nitrate levels, now a tip for test kits, if you have algae problems and your test readings are low, guess what! there not, the algae is consuming the nitrates and only the surplus is showing, its just like testing for ammonia, you should never see it but its being produced constantly and consumed by.I dont mean to be longwinded but I Hate Trates lol.Steve

[DMNCLNR]

Long winded is fine, that was a very informative message, and much appreciated! Should be a sticky on nitrates!

[Big D]

I don't know, sticky nitrates are the worst!!! Just Kidding... The whole deal on wet/dries and Bio-Balls is they are not a good choice for a reef system as corals cannot (especially SPS) tolerate them very well, it effects the way they consume certain trace elements... If you have a "Fish Only" system, then a wet/dry may be fine as fish are not effected nearly as bad as corals by Nitrates... If you are keeping or planning on keeping a reef system, I would recommend converting the wet/dry into a usable sump which houses a GOOD protein skimmer and maybe even a refugium...


Big D

[fczekalski]

All have been helpfull I tested every part of the take and have isolated the issue: Poor circulation behind the rock allowed for gobs of icky stuff to build up. I moved half the rock cleaned and the other half and cleaned nitrates are now at zero. What and ordeal! Now I have inserted a water pump behind the rocks and the skimmer has gone nuts.


Thanks all

[DMNCLNR]

That is good to hear! I had to break my tank comletely down as well! There was a dead fish, and numerous things clogged in my filter. My nitrates were so out of whack that my water was starting to smell funky! I cleaned my entire filter, hoses etc... Then gave my live rock a freshwater bath. Did a drastic water change, and put my reef back together. Took about 3 hrs!!! After being back together my corals almost instantaneously started looking healthier! The worms are gone, and my rocks are free from the little orange feather dusters that grow white tubes all over my tank! Next step is a protien skimmer!

[Rmorris24]

the little feather dusters are not bad for your tank it just shows it is maturing. A good protein skimmer is a MUST. anyways hope all is going well for you.

[DMNCLNR]

Originally Posted by Rmorris24

the little feather dusters are not bad for your tank it just shows it is maturing. A good protein skimmer is a MUST. anyways hope all is going well for you.

The white feather dusters are not bad, but they get the little tubes all over, and begin to be an eyesore! They were everywhere, almost like they were taking over!

[fczekalski]

Question do you think adding a load of cleaner clams would be the ultimate cure for this nightmare ?

[Rmorris24]

cleaner clams? thats a new one for me. what are they really called and do you have a pic? i have heard of cleaner shrimp/fish.