An oldie, but a newbie with tank troubles

sailbuminsd · 07/11/2006, 02:50 PM

I had been considering getting back into a salt water tank for awhile, when a friend of mine mentioned that he wanted to get rid of his 55g. Two weeks before I picked it up his annularis angel died, then 3 days before his mag. foxface died (and may have been left in the tank for 2 days unnoticed). The only fish left when I picked it up on Sunday was a niger trigger.

I transported the old LS & LR (~30lbs) and added fresh salt-water to the tank. The tank has a Whisper 60 and a RedSea Protein Skimmer. The trigger appears happy, comfortable, and NOT AT ALL shy (which is what I expected for a few days). I took some water in for testing last night (at a major pet-store chain) and they said my Ph and Nitrates were high, but had no idea what to do about it. I will be dropping by my LFS tonight for better testing and a testing kit.

I know with a new tank you should just let it cycle, but I'm not sure what I should do in this situation. Usually, I'd do a water change when the nitrates got high. Does anyone know what is going on or where I am at in my cycle?

Please advise.

angelsj247 · 07/11/2006, 02:54 PM

if there is no ammonia and no nitrites i think your doing good.. but you do want to do a water change for the high nitrates..
you should have little or no cycle.

angelsj247 · 07/11/2006, 02:56 PM

To Reef Central

sailbuminsd · 07/11/2006, 03:09 PM

Thank you very much. And thanks everyone for not bitting my head off, I have to admit that I was apprehensive about posting. I know this was not an ideal tank set-up, but I wanted to give my little guy a fighting chance. I considering housing him at my LFS, but I deceided against it.

I'll do a 10-15% change when I get home. How many weeks do you think I should allow before adding other fish? Or how many weeks do you think it might take to stablize?

angelsj247 · 07/11/2006, 03:22 PM

nitrates wont nessesarily harm fish you just have to worry about ammonia and nitrites, so its ok if you add another one in a week or two.
good luck

Sk8r · 07/11/2006, 04:00 PM

FYI, I'd about double that live rock: normal is 2lb per gallon. You'll find that obviates any other filter. YOu don't want filters in the system, because they let nitrates loose. You're doing fine. Just start shooting for 0 for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia.

sailbuminsd · 07/11/2006, 04:21 PM

Thanks. Do you think I should add more LR now or wait a week?

Sk8r · 07/11/2006, 05:14 PM

I had live rock from the very beginning of my tank, with raw saltwater and raw dead sand, and it all cycled fine. In your case, with part good, part rough system, I'd tend to go ahead with it, just me, thinking a little extra filtration wouldn't hurt. But because it's somebody else's tank, I'd fly that choice past Bertoni and Waterkeeper, who are our resident experts.

07/11/2006, 02:50 PM	#1
sailbuminsd Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Upland, CA (formerly of San Diego) Posts: 67	An oldie, but a newbie with tank troubles I had been considering getting back into a salt water tank for awhile, when a friend of mine mentioned that he wanted to get rid of his 55g. Two weeks before I picked it up his annularis angel died, then 3 days before his mag. foxface died (and may have been left in the tank for 2 days unnoticed). The only fish left when I picked it up on Sunday was a niger trigger. I transported the old LS & LR (~30lbs) and added fresh salt-water to the tank. The tank has a Whisper 60 and a RedSea Protein Skimmer. The trigger appears happy, comfortable, and NOT AT ALL shy (which is what I expected for a few days). I took some water in for testing last night (at a major pet-store chain) and they said my Ph and Nitrates were high, but had no idea what to do about it. I will be dropping by my LFS tonight for better testing and a testing kit. I know with a new tank you should just let it cycle, but I'm not sure what I should do in this situation. Usually, I'd do a water change when the nitrates got high. Does anyone know what is going on or where I am at in my cycle? Please advise.

07/11/2006, 02:54 PM	#2
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	if there is no ammonia and no nitrites i think your doing good.. but you do want to do a water change for the high nitrates.. you should have little or no cycle. __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

07/11/2006, 02:56 PM	#3
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	*To Reef Central* __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

07/11/2006, 03:09 PM	#4
sailbuminsd Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Upland, CA (formerly of San Diego) Posts: 67	Thank you very much. And thanks everyone for not bitting my head off, I have to admit that I was apprehensive about posting. I know this was not an ideal tank set-up, but I wanted to give my little guy a fighting chance. I considering housing him at my LFS, but I deceided against it. I'll do a 10-15% change when I get home. How many weeks do you think I should allow before adding other fish? Or how many weeks do you think it might take to stablize? __________________ Heather Current Tank Info: 120g tall Reef

07/11/2006, 03:22 PM	#5
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	nitrates wont nessesarily harm fish you just have to worry about ammonia and nitrites, so its ok if you add another one in a week or two. good luck __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

07/11/2006, 04:00 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	FYI, I'd about double that live rock: normal is 2lb per gallon. You'll find that obviates any other filter. YOu don't want filters in the system, because they let nitrates loose. You're doing fine. Just start shooting for 0 for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/11/2006, 04:21 PM	#7
sailbuminsd Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Upland, CA (formerly of San Diego) Posts: 67	Thanks. Do you think I should add more LR now or wait a week? __________________ Heather Current Tank Info: 120g tall Reef

07/11/2006, 05:14 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I had live rock from the very beginning of my tank, with raw saltwater and raw dead sand, and it all cycled fine. In your case, with part good, part rough system, I'd tend to go ahead with it, just me, thinking a little extra filtration wouldn't hurt. But because it's somebody else's tank, I'd fly that choice past Bertoni and Waterkeeper, who are our resident experts. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.