Exchange gravel for live sand, nitrate WAR

SharkMaster · 08/18/2009, 10:49 PM

Hello everybody,

My tank cycled 2 month ago, I installed home made refugium. Tank is 72 gal about 75lbs live rock, Gravel - which was wrong choice from the start, I have five fishes and some crabs, four shrimps one coral and anemone. Well tank is fine but the Nitrates wont go down below 20 ppm, i tried a lot of things even adding some vodka which effect on better quality of water and make my coral twice a size, nitrates not moved a bit. This was supprising.

Well recently I would like to change the gravel to live sand I bought already the carabean direct live sand about 120 lbs.

The question is how to make the change in the way it would be safe for all my live stock, my worries is that the tank will cycle again and my fish will be gone, not mention about other live forms. How long I can keep the live stock in QT if it's nessecery.

Please advice if you had that kind of experiance.

Thank you I will be aprreciate for any advice.

Regards
MasterShark

JLAURIA751 · 08/18/2009, 11:04 PM

Take it slower u should not have that many fish so soon. There are a ton of reasons for nitrates being high. the best solution is water changes that is by far the most effective way of getting rid of nitrates. Also what are your other readings, phosphate, calcium, ph, alk. What type of filtration are you using is also very important. do you have a skimmer, a sump, a fuge. What is your temperature at on average. also what is your specific gravity at?

Oh and nitrates of 20ppm is not bad. Its best to be low I wouldent worry unless they were between 40-60ppm. So just keep up with your water changes 10-15% a week and let us know if they get above 40ppm

SharkMaster · 08/18/2009, 11:10 PM

I have the follwing readings:
Ph 8.3 - 8.4
Calcium 500
alk 3.5
Filtation: Wet drt fillter, protein Skimmer, UV Sel., And refugium,
In refugium I have cheatomorpha algee
Average tem is 78,
Gravity 1,025

I'm doing the water change every week 10%...

Is it safe to exchange gravel to live sand in already cycled tank...

JLAURIA751 · 08/18/2009, 11:13 PM

I don't know if replacing your gravel with sand would cause another cycle I would say from experience you have a 50/50 chance I would suggest you find someone that is willing to hold your fish and coral for a few weeks just in case than go for it. Its better to do it now than 6 months or a year from now.

08/18/2009, 10:49 PM	#1
SharkMaster Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Posts: 17	Exchange gravel for live sand, nitrate WAR Hello everybody, My tank cycled 2 month ago, I installed home made refugium. Tank is 72 gal about 75lbs live rock, Gravel - which was wrong choice from the start, I have five fishes and some crabs, four shrimps one coral and anemone. Well tank is fine but the Nitrates wont go down below 20 ppm, i tried a lot of things even adding some vodka which effect on better quality of water and make my coral twice a size, nitrates not moved a bit. This was supprising. Well recently I would like to change the gravel to live sand I bought already the carabean direct live sand about 120 lbs. The question is how to make the change in the way it would be safe for all my live stock, my worries is that the tank will cycle again and my fish will be gone, not mention about other live forms. How long I can keep the live stock in QT if it's nessecery. Please advice if you had that kind of experiance. Thank you I will be aprreciate for any advice. Regards MasterShark

08/18/2009, 11:04 PM	#2
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	Take it slower u should not have that many fish so soon. There are a ton of reasons for nitrates being high. the best solution is water changes that is by far the most effective way of getting rid of nitrates. Also what are your other readings, phosphate, calcium, ph, alk. What type of filtration are you using is also very important. do you have a skimmer, a sump, a fuge. What is your temperature at on average. also what is your specific gravity at? Oh and nitrates of 20ppm is not bad. Its best to be low I wouldent worry unless they were between 40-60ppm. So just keep up with your water changes 10-15% a week and let us know if they get above 40ppm Last edited by JLAURIA751; 08/18/2009 at 11:09 PM.

08/18/2009, 11:13 PM	#4
JLAURIA751 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 517	I don't know if replacing your gravel with sand would cause another cycle I would say from experience you have a 50/50 chance I would suggest you find someone that is willing to hold your fish and coral for a few weeks just in case than go for it. Its better to do it now than 6 months or a year from now. Last edited by JLAURIA751; 08/18/2009 at 11:28 PM.

08/18/2009, 11:10 PM	#3
SharkMaster Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: New York Posts: 17	I have the follwing readings: Ph 8.3 - 8.4 Calcium 500 alk 3.5 Filtation: Wet drt fillter, protein Skimmer, UV Sel., And refugium, In refugium I have cheatomorpha algee Average tem is 78, Gravity 1,025 I'm doing the water change every week 10%... Is it safe to exchange gravel to live sand in already cycled tank...