Problems with no2/no3

Southern Boy · 05/22/2007, 07:24 PM

I can't seem to figure out why I'm still getting these high reedings.For a little history I just upgraded to a 180 from a 125 about 4-5 weeks ago.I figured I'd go through a short cycle but I'm getting a little conserened now.I notice all of 1 kind of my xenia is all closed up and has been tht way for several days now and I lost a perfectly good batch of glove polips last week.My #'s are no3-50-60ppm,no2-0.1-0.2 ppm,ph 8.3,alk- 3.2mepl,nh3/nh4-0.25ppm,sg-1.024. I added in a fuge on the last change out and have a small amount of chateo and calleripa that is growing rather nicely.Ther is a 3" sand bed and ruffly 25#'s of LR in it.Any help would be appretiated.I have not done a water change in about 2 weeks and plan on doing 30 gallons tommorrow.

szwab · 05/22/2007, 07:55 PM

sounds like you may be on the tail end of a cycle. A water change IMO is a good idea. I'd also mix up another fresh batch in case you need it. Doing water changes may prolomng the cycle, but if it saves livestock IMO it's worth it. I wouldn't add any live stock and keep the system as stable as possible.

Southern Boy · 05/22/2007, 08:02 PM

Yea if anything I'm deleting livestock.I'm fixin to make a long distance move so i've just started to sell off some corals.I put the fuge in so I could keep the levels under control and it just don't seem to be working.

szwab · 05/22/2007, 08:33 PM

try doing at least a 50% water change up to 75% that would be the most effective at getting the unwanted NO2 and NO3 out

Southern Boy · 05/22/2007, 08:36 PM

What would that do to my 40+ pieces of coral?I've hurd that much at once will shock alot of stuff.

szwab · 05/22/2007, 10:45 PM

as long as the temp, salinity, and ph are in line you should have no problems. I have done it many times with no issues.

bertoni · 05/22/2007, 10:54 PM

I wouldn't do a change that large to reduce nitrite or nitrate. They won't harm Xenia or soft corals in general. There's some articles in the chemistry forum that might help. I've run tanks that showed nitrite and nitrate for months and still had the usual overgrowth of Xenia. In addition, nitrite often interferes with nitrate test kits and causes the indicated level to be high.

I suspect there's some other issue. For example, there might have been an ammonia spike that caused some trouble. I'd run some carbon and do a 20% water change.

Southern Boy · 05/23/2007, 02:21 PM

I just did a 20 gallon water change and my nitrates haven't seemed to drop any.I'm gonna take a sample of the before and after water up to my lfs to see if there test show any difference.But they use the strips.I guess that should still show somthing.I've been useing red sea test kits.Anygood???

szwab · 05/23/2007, 03:44 PM

red sea tests are not the most accurate IME. Doing a 20 gallon water chancge would not create a big change in your levels. It's roughly 10% more for regular maint. IMO rather than trying to bring elevated levels down. Not a bad idea to check against another test.

bertoni · 05/23/2007, 04:57 PM

I had bad experiences with Red Sea test kits. In the end, I returned them.

Southern Boy · 05/23/2007, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the info guys,I gues i'll have to get some knew test kits.Salifert I here are one of the best?

bertoni · 05/23/2007, 06:29 PM

I've had good success with the Salifert and SeaTest-FasTest kits.

Southern Boy · 05/23/2007, 06:40 PM

Is that exactly how the last one is read on the label(sea test-fast test kits)?

bertoni · 05/23/2007, 06:44 PM

Well, some are (or were) SeaTest, and the others were FasTest. They were from Aquarium Systems, I think, and the names might have changed.

Southern Boy · 05/23/2007, 06:48 PM

Thanks again Johnathon! I'll work on getting some new one's!

bertoni · 05/23/2007, 10:25 PM

You're welcome! Good luck!

05/22/2007, 07:24 PM	#1
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	Problems with no2/no3 I can't seem to figure out why I'm still getting these high reedings.For a little history I just upgraded to a 180 from a 125 about 4-5 weeks ago.I figured I'd go through a short cycle but I'm getting a little conserened now.I notice all of 1 kind of my xenia is all closed up and has been tht way for several days now and I lost a perfectly good batch of glove polips last week.My #'s are no3-50-60ppm,no2-0.1-0.2 ppm,ph 8.3,alk- 3.2mepl,nh3/nh4-0.25ppm,sg-1.024. I added in a fuge on the last change out and have a small amount of chateo and calleripa that is growing rather nicely.Ther is a 3" sand bed and ruffly 25#'s of LR in it.Any help would be appretiated.I have not done a water change in about 2 weeks and plan on doing 30 gallons tommorrow.

05/22/2007, 07:55 PM	#2
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	sounds like you may be on the tail end of a cycle. A water change IMO is a good idea. I'd also mix up another fresh batch in case you need it. Doing water changes may prolomng the cycle, but if it saves livestock IMO it's worth it. I wouldn't add any live stock and keep the system as stable as possible. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

05/22/2007, 08:33 PM	#4
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	try doing at least a 50% water change up to 75% that would be the most effective at getting the unwanted NO2 and NO3 out __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

05/22/2007, 10:45 PM	#6
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	as long as the temp, salinity, and ph are in line you should have no problems. I have done it many times with no issues. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

05/22/2007, 10:54 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I wouldn't do a change that large to reduce nitrite or nitrate. They won't harm Xenia or soft corals in general. There's some articles in the chemistry forum that might help. I've run tanks that showed nitrite and nitrate for months and still had the usual overgrowth of Xenia. In addition, nitrite often interferes with nitrate test kits and causes the indicated level to be high. I suspect there's some other issue. For example, there might have been an ammonia spike that caused some trouble. I'd run some carbon and do a 20% water change. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/22/2007, 08:02 PM	#3
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	Yea if anything I'm deleting livestock.I'm fixin to make a long distance move so i've just started to sell off some corals.I put the fuge in so I could keep the levels under control and it just don't seem to be working.

05/22/2007, 08:36 PM	#5
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	What would that do to my 40+ pieces of coral?I've hurd that much at once will shock alot of stuff.

05/23/2007, 02:21 PM	#8
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	I just did a 20 gallon water change and my nitrates haven't seemed to drop any.I'm gonna take a sample of the before and after water up to my lfs to see if there test show any difference.But they use the strips.I guess that should still show somthing.I've been useing red sea test kits.Anygood???

05/23/2007, 03:44 PM	#9
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	red sea tests are not the most accurate IME. Doing a 20 gallon water chancge would not create a big change in your levels. It's roughly 10% more for regular maint. IMO rather than trying to bring elevated levels down. Not a bad idea to check against another test. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

05/23/2007, 04:57 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I had bad experiences with Red Sea test kits. In the end, I returned them. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/23/2007, 06:24 PM	#11
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	Thanks for the info guys,I gues i'll have to get some knew test kits.Salifert I here are one of the best?

05/23/2007, 06:29 PM	#12
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I've had good success with the Salifert and SeaTest-FasTest kits. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/23/2007, 06:40 PM	#13
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	Is that exactly how the last one is read on the label(sea test-fast test kits)?

05/23/2007, 06:44 PM	#14
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Well, some are (or were) SeaTest, and the others were FasTest. They were from Aquarium Systems, I think, and the names might have changed. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/23/2007, 06:48 PM	#15
Southern Boy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort pierce, Florida Posts: 671	Thanks again Johnathon! I'll work on getting some new one's!

05/23/2007, 10:25 PM	#16
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome! Good luck! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni