Stability

ayionna06 · 09/13/2014, 04:29 PM

I checked my tank parameters. Eventhough I've been in the hobby 3 years now I still get puzzled by my results. For those that don't know I have a 240 gallon display tank. Plumbed by a 125 gallon sump and a 75 gallon fuge. I am running a reef octopus 5000 internal. I have 4 fathom Pharos led lights. I have approximately 250-300 pounds of live rock. Maybe more.
Ammonia-0.25
Nitrate-40
Beleive these 2 are high due to a recent fish death in my tank. Didn't take the fish out. Just let the clean up crew do it's thing. Also I have another fish missing. A wrasse. Presumably dead also. Haven't seen him in a few days
Ph-8.2
Cal-508
Alk-130
Phosphate-2.0
Salinity-1.021
Temp-79
I am not running carbon or rowaphos. Took it offline a month ago. Plan on putting it back in rotation Wednesday
Now I know everyone is gonna say water change, water change, water change. I plan on doing this also Wednesday. I am looking for suggestions on how often I should do water changes and how big of a change? And what's the easiest most proficient way of keeping everything in check(stability) on a daily basis

Fibinotchi · 09/13/2014, 05:11 PM

Is it fowlr? How many fish and for how long has this tank been set up? How much of a clean up crew?

ayionna06 · 09/13/2014, 05:34 PM

No. It is a reef. Approximately 15 fish. Mostly small fish like gobies. Blennies. 5 inch blue hippo, 6 inch purple, 3 inch blue hippo, 4 inch naso, 4 inch sohal,4 inch sailfin. 3 inch harlequin tusk. Tank has been set up 3 years. Had to be broken down and restarted approximately almost a year now. Not much of a clean up crew thanks to my tusk. Have 2 large 3 inch hermits that are all over the place. A very large urchin. There are some snails amd blue legs in there but not too many

Fibinotchi · 09/13/2014, 05:56 PM

I would get more clean up crew. Bristle worms, snails, all that good stuff. Are your fish dying from disease or parasites?

ayionna06 · 09/13/2014, 06:34 PM

Neither. My fish bullied/harassed my mustard tang to death.

Fibinotchi · 09/13/2014, 06:51 PM

Well, a good reef is balanced. Has enough algae to absorb chemicals, (hopefully good algae), has enough bacteria to absorb waste, enough critters to eat any bad algae and uneaten food and sometimes fish poo. The salinity doesn't fluctuate, which means you monitor it, have an auto top off or regularly top it off, make sure to replenish the micro and macro nutrients by regular dosing and or water changes. Make sure the temp stays stable. Make sure the ph stays very stable. In a large tank you may need a calcium reactor to replenish the calcium that is used by corals and coraline algae. Make sure the lighting schedule remains constant. Plus a bunch of other stuff.

2_zoa · 09/13/2014, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayionna06

I am looking for suggestions on how often I should do water changes and how big of a change? And what's the easiest most proficient way of keeping everything in check(stability) on a daily basis

Imo, the second question is subjective. Keeping thing in check or how to do so is really up to you. Also, what are you reference too here? Alk, calcium, etc...or are you still asking about the nitrates and phosphates? As you know there are several different ways of tackling either. I'd say it's simply how you want to go about it based on your spare time or how deep your pockets are to spend dealing with the tank. Dosing kalkwasser for top off or doing two part for alk or calcium. Depends on the demand. Carbon dosing can be done by hand or with a pump. GFO in a reactor or dose the part your tank needs IF it should be deficient while carbon dosing. Simply running GFO and keeping things clean could work too etc.... Lots of options.

Water changes. Again. You kinda have to play with it and see what your system needs or wants. Some do an automated daily water change of like 1% or so. Some do weekly changes of 10% up. Some go 4 to 6 weeks between water changes. The standard answer is, 10% weekly.

ayionna06 · 09/14/2014, 07:58 AM

I plan on doing a water change today and bringing up,the salinity slowly. This will at least take care of 2 things. The ammonia, possibly some of the nitrate. It will also bring my salinity where I need it to be. Wednesday I will be putting gfo and carbon back online. I plan on checking my alk and cal after the water change. I will document what it is. Then check it again 2 days later to see if there is any difference. I will then check again 2 days later to give me some sort of idea what my corals are consuming if any. They should I would imagine

09/13/2014, 04:29 PM	#1
ayionna06 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 193	Stability I checked my tank parameters. Eventhough I've been in the hobby 3 years now I still get puzzled by my results. For those that don't know I have a 240 gallon display tank. Plumbed by a 125 gallon sump and a 75 gallon fuge. I am running a reef octopus 5000 internal. I have 4 fathom Pharos led lights. I have approximately 250-300 pounds of live rock. Maybe more. Ammonia-0.25 Nitrate-40 Beleive these 2 are high due to a recent fish death in my tank. Didn't take the fish out. Just let the clean up crew do it's thing. Also I have another fish missing. A wrasse. Presumably dead also. Haven't seen him in a few days Ph-8.2 Cal-508 Alk-130 Phosphate-2.0 Salinity-1.021 Temp-79 I am not running carbon or rowaphos. Took it offline a month ago. Plan on putting it back in rotation Wednesday Now I know everyone is gonna say water change, water change, water change. I plan on doing this also Wednesday. I am looking for suggestions on how often I should do water changes and how big of a change? And what's the easiest most proficient way of keeping everything in check(stability) on a daily basis

09/13/2014, 05:11 PM	#2
Fibinotchi Upstanding Citizen Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 650	Is it fowlr? How many fish and for how long has this tank been set up? How much of a clean up crew? __________________ Accepting donations for fish and coral food. PM me.

09/13/2014, 05:56 PM	#4
Fibinotchi Upstanding Citizen Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 650	I would get more clean up crew. Bristle worms, snails, all that good stuff. Are your fish dying from disease or parasites? __________________ Accepting donations for fish and coral food. PM me.

09/13/2014, 06:51 PM	#6
Fibinotchi Upstanding Citizen Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 650	Well, a good reef is balanced. Has enough algae to absorb chemicals, (hopefully good algae), has enough bacteria to absorb waste, enough critters to eat any bad algae and uneaten food and sometimes fish poo. The salinity doesn't fluctuate, which means you monitor it, have an auto top off or regularly top it off, make sure to replenish the micro and macro nutrients by regular dosing and or water changes. Make sure the temp stays stable. Make sure the ph stays very stable. In a large tank you may need a calcium reactor to replenish the calcium that is used by corals and coraline algae. Make sure the lighting schedule remains constant. Plus a bunch of other stuff. __________________ Accepting donations for fish and coral food. PM me.

09/13/2014, 05:34 PM	#3
ayionna06 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 193	No. It is a reef. Approximately 15 fish. Mostly small fish like gobies. Blennies. 5 inch blue hippo, 6 inch purple, 3 inch blue hippo, 4 inch naso, 4 inch sohal,4 inch sailfin. 3 inch harlequin tusk. Tank has been set up 3 years. Had to be broken down and restarted approximately almost a year now. Not much of a clean up crew thanks to my tusk. Have 2 large 3 inch hermits that are all over the place. A very large urchin. There are some snails amd blue legs in there but not too many

09/13/2014, 06:34 PM	#5
ayionna06 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 193	Neither. My fish bullied/harassed my mustard tang to death.

09/14/2014, 07:58 AM	#8
ayionna06 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 193	I plan on doing a water change today and bringing up,the salinity slowly. This will at least take care of 2 things. The ammonia, possibly some of the nitrate. It will also bring my salinity where I need it to be. Wednesday I will be putting gfo and carbon back online. I plan on checking my alk and cal after the water change. I will document what it is. Then check it again 2 days later to see if there is any difference. I will then check again 2 days later to give me some sort of idea what my corals are consuming if any. They should I would imagine