nitrates? wait or water change.

sb62nova · 02/02/2010, 10:43 PM

we bought 50lbs of cured live rock from the lfs, let sit for 2 weeks with no substrate watched nitrates go to 10, didnt check for a few days then checked and it was closer to 0 so we added sand. waited a few days. then we tried a puffer died the next morn. then another and it lived 2 days.( i learned the hard way puffers are not good for a starter fish ) then we tried a firefish instead and its doing fine. A week later we added a gold rim tang witch is doing great. over the last 2 weeks we have added gsp,devils hand, toadstool, anthelia , xenia, and a kenya tree,and a coco worm,2 shrimp. All the corals are growing and looking great. today we tested nitrates and there at 20. i changed filter bags yesterday witch looked a little dirty. i am running a cpr 194 with the biomedia removed and 2 filter bags in place of it. There is also a ball of cheato sitting before the skimmer. should i wait to see what happens with the nitrates or do my first water change. It has been a total of 4 weeks since we added the live rock. It is a 135 gal. Thanks and sorry for the super post!:

Octoshark · 02/02/2010, 11:03 PM

Very bad idea to add a puffer as your first fish. It was also a bad idea to add corals so quickly before your bioload allowed for proper bacterial growth. The proof for that is the fact that your nitrates are now up to 20 which means your bacteria population has to play catch up. 20ppm for nitrates isn't horrible, but it is also not healthy. You should aim for less than 10ppm, or less than 5ppm for a reef. Best bet is to aim for zero.

Under normal cycling conditions, I would have said let the nitrate stay so the tank could finish cycling and bacteria could catch up, but since you already went ahead and added all of this livestock then you should just do a water change for their well being.

Too fast is always bad.

bertoni · 02/02/2010, 11:20 PM

The tank has been stocked fairly quickly. I'd cut back on feeding and wait.

Financial Panth · 02/02/2010, 11:34 PM

I think its the puffer fish that learned the hard way.

rob.mwpropane · 02/02/2010, 11:37 PM

I agree. With saltwater fish and corals we should be ever so careful. Please do a wc ASAP and research more before moving so quickly. I too have been guilty of impatience and ignorance, and have paid for it. It's better to read read read... then read more before buying. I hope your reef fares well, and please don't take my words personal, they were said to me once. Happy Reefing.

foodog · 02/02/2010, 11:38 PM

Def limit feeding. I've been a fan of special blend for new tanks if I can't get ahold of LR out of someones tank.

afernandez · 02/03/2010, 01:11 AM

my honest advise is let a friend hold all your live stock... all of it .or ask the lfs if they can hold it . and let the tank do its thing(cycle) 2 fast =2 bad. and another thing.. if your lfs is letting you buy this with a new tank... don't listen to them! they are sales men! no offense to any out there but they are in the business to sell you anything and everything ! very few stores will tell you no wait. if you need any advise feel free to pm ill answer a couple of questions for you. and i am sure all these guys would not mind.

02/02/2010, 10:43 PM	#1
sb62nova Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Third Lake IL Posts: 312	nitrates? wait or water change. we bought 50lbs of cured live rock from the lfs, let sit for 2 weeks with no substrate watched nitrates go to 10, didnt check for a few days then checked and it was closer to 0 so we added sand. waited a few days. then we tried a puffer died the next morn. then another and it lived 2 days.( i learned the hard way puffers are not good for a starter fish ) then we tried a firefish instead and its doing fine. A week later we added a gold rim tang witch is doing great. over the last 2 weeks we have added gsp,devils hand, toadstool, anthelia , xenia, and a kenya tree,and a coco worm,2 shrimp. All the corals are growing and looking great. today we tested nitrates and there at 20. i changed filter bags yesterday witch looked a little dirty. i am running a cpr 194 with the biomedia removed and 2 filter bags in place of it. There is also a ball of cheato sitting before the skimmer. should i wait to see what happens with the nitrates or do my first water change. It has been a total of 4 weeks since we added the live rock. It is a 135 gal. Thanks and sorry for the super post!: Last edited by sb62nova; 02/02/2010 at 10:57 PM.

02/02/2010, 11:03 PM	#2
Octoshark Marine Biology Student Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,366	Very bad idea to add a puffer as your first fish. It was also a bad idea to add corals so quickly before your bioload allowed for proper bacterial growth. The proof for that is the fact that your nitrates are now up to 20 which means your bacteria population has to play catch up. 20ppm for nitrates isn't horrible, but it is also not healthy. You should aim for less than 10ppm, or less than 5ppm for a reef. Best bet is to aim for zero. Under normal cycling conditions, I would have said let the nitrate stay so the tank could finish cycling and bacteria could catch up, but since you already went ahead and added all of this livestock then you should just do a water change for their well being. Too fast is always bad. __________________ "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

02/02/2010, 11:20 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The tank has been stocked fairly quickly. I'd cut back on feeding and wait. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/03/2010, 01:11 AM	#7
afernandez Never Quit!! Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: new york city! Posts: 1,505	my honest advise is let a friend hold all your live stock... all of it .or ask the lfs if they can hold it . and let the tank do its thing(cycle) 2 fast =2 bad. and another thing.. if your lfs is letting you buy this with a new tank... don't listen to them! they are sales men! no offense to any out there but they are in the business to sell you anything and everything ! very few stores will tell you no wait. if you need any advise feel free to pm ill answer a couple of questions for you. and i am sure all these guys would not mind. __________________ Arlin- Take your time and do it right. Current Tank Info: 120g Apex controller, (2) mp40w Es ,(3) Mp10W Es, Alfa vertex 170, 8 bulb ATI Dimable Sunpower,REEFOCTOPUS-BB-10000, Tunze Ato . 21G MINI-Reef, 250w MH, Mp10Wes

02/02/2010, 11:34 PM	#4
Financial Panth Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NW burbs of Chicago Posts: 209	I think its the puffer fish that learned the hard way.

02/02/2010, 11:37 PM	#5
rob.mwpropane Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 371	I agree. With saltwater fish and corals we should be ever so careful. Please do a wc ASAP and research more before moving so quickly. I too have been guilty of impatience and ignorance, and have paid for it. It's better to read read read... then read more before buying. I hope your reef fares well, and please don't take my words personal, they were said to me once. Happy Reefing.

02/02/2010, 11:38 PM	#6
foodog Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Alhambra, CA Posts: 170	Def limit feeding. I've been a fan of special blend for new tanks if I can't get ahold of LR out of someones tank.