water couldn't be worse, coral's never better!

kware · 06/29/2008, 08:41 PM

The water quality of my tank has never been worse but all my corals have never been better. Nitrates are around 20 to 30 ppm. calcium and alkalinity are low. Both my heaters broke so the tank goes down to 75 at night and has gotten as high as 85 in the day. I lost a fish and didn't notice it for a few days. There was even a small amound of ammonia the other day(now it's gone). I have some green zoas that look great and are growing. Bullseye and red mushrooms that are growing . My green favite brain is good ,even my sebae and bubble tip anemones are growing. Should I neglect my tank all the time? Anybody with a similar experience?

useskaforevil · 06/29/2008, 08:44 PM

haha, 20-30ppm is nothing i've still noticed good growth from softies with nitrates as high as 150ppm. stonies didn't like it.

kware · 06/29/2008, 08:46 PM

wow whats high for softies? I thought 20 was too high.

Bambalam · 06/29/2008, 08:55 PM

You should buy some lottery tickets.

FWIW some people don't do water changes and have success. For long term success, regular water changes that lower nitrates and replenish trace elements is the road I'm drivin'. JMO

sh0tyme83 · 06/29/2008, 09:08 PM

You would see better results from your zoas and mushrooms. They like dirty water. Put an SPS in that tank and it would have been dead in a day. You can "neglect" your tank every now and then. I would think it would feel like a day in the ocean when everything is dead still and there isn't any movement.

06/29/2008, 08:41 PM	#1
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	water couldn't be worse, coral's never better! The water quality of my tank has never been worse but all my corals have never been better. Nitrates are around 20 to 30 ppm. calcium and alkalinity are low. Both my heaters broke so the tank goes down to 75 at night and has gotten as high as 85 in the day. I lost a fish and didn't notice it for a few days. There was even a small amound of ammonia the other day(now it's gone). I have some green zoas that look great and are growing. Bullseye and red mushrooms that are growing . My green favite brain is good ,even my sebae and bubble tip anemones are growing. Should I neglect my tank all the time? Anybody with a similar experience?

06/29/2008, 08:44 PM	#2
useskaforevil Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: kent, ohio Posts: 1,012	haha, 20-30ppm is nothing i've still noticed good growth from softies with nitrates as high as 150ppm. stonies didn't like it. __________________ "and the delicate mechanism stripped its gears" Current Tank Info: 80gallon bowfront

06/29/2008, 08:46 PM	#3
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	wow whats high for softies? I thought 20 was too high.

06/29/2008, 08:55 PM	#4
Bambalam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: OH Posts: 688	You should buy some lottery tickets. FWIW some people don't do water changes and have success. For long term success, regular water changes that lower nitrates and replenish trace elements is the road I'm drivin'. JMO

06/29/2008, 09:08 PM	#5
sh0tyme83 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Plainfield, IL Posts: 548	You would see better results from your zoas and mushrooms. They like dirty water. Put an SPS in that tank and it would have been dead in a day. You can "neglect" your tank every now and then. I would think it would feel like a day in the ocean when everything is dead still and there isn't any movement.