new tank help

F

flanders

Small Fish
#1
Feb 19, 2005
21
0
0
#1
So I finished cycling my tank about 2 weeks ago and I have a few issues I was wondering if could get some help with.

1 Water testing. I can test for nitrites, ammonia, ph and nitates easily enough but im curious about how to test for phosphates. Any ideas?

2 Nitrates. So I did a 25% change last week and my nitrites are over 50 again. Im gonna change it weekly for now to try to combat it but as my tap water is 10-15ppm nitrates im hoping someone had another idea.. specific I was thinking of changing my substrate from coral to 3-4 inch sand and was wondering if anyone has had success with this.

3 alge brown and red. I have it all over my tank. I just upgraded to 220 wats of likte 50/50 blue and 10000k so and rearranged my only powerhead for better circulation. Other then getting a ton of snails crabs and shrimp is there is their any other way I should be attacking this problem.


Just a few questions I look forward to any help you could offer


cheers
 

1979camaro

1979camaro

Ultimate Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
5,862
2
0
42
San Ramon, CA
#2
1) they make phosphate test kits...check your LFS

2) assuming you want to keep inverts, 10-15ppm nitrate in your mix water is part of the problem...i would reccomend getting an RO/DI unit...as far as the deep sand bed i would not rely on that to fix the problem for two reasons: first, the value of DSBs is dubious and second you don't want to keep adding nitrates to the water every time you top off or water change anyway

3) more water flow will help with the algae problem: in a marine tank you want to turn over the water around 10x an hour minimum. Adding some algae eating crabs/snails will too, but ultimately you need to find its source of nutrients. probably is PO4 (see #1) and the nitrates so until you fix that problem, the snails and crabs won't help. shrimp won't help with the algae

how big is this tank? you are asking for trouble with the current stocking list you have unless it is really huge. damsels and clowns are extremely territorial and tangs grow quite large and territorial as well...im surprised a war has not already began...i am also concerned that you have put so many fish in your young tank...that is just asking for instability. that canister filter, though great for FW, is not really what you want on a SW system...relying on live rock for biological filtration and powerheads for water movement is a much better formula. furthermore, you do not indicate that you have a protein skimmer; that is one piece of equipment you will definitely need...especially with that high of a bioload
 

Last edited:
S.Reef

S.Reef

Superstar Fish
#3
Dec 1, 2003
1,830
0
0
36
Michigan
#3
Camaro basically covered all the bases...I am too curious to know the size of your tank. A newly cycled tank shouldnt have that many fish in it already...prettymuch regardless of size.
 

F

flanders

Small Fish
#4
Feb 19, 2005
21
0
0
#4
1 72 gallon with 40 lbs of live rock.. im adding more rock over time but it is slow going

no i dont have a protien skimmer yet... are they really that valuable to a tank

thanks for replies

cheers
 

F

flanders

Small Fish
#6
Feb 19, 2005
21
0
0
#6
1 72 gallon with 40 lbs of live rock.. im adding more rock over time but it is slow going

no i dont have a protien skimmer yet... are they really that valuable to a tank

thanks for replies

cheers
 

S.Reef

S.Reef

Superstar Fish
#14
Dec 1, 2003
1,830
0
0
36
Michigan
#14
Good...a skimmer is an excellent piece of equiptment. Too many fish...Tomatos get me and big. Be prepared to have a large pair and no other clowns in the tank...they will kill them.
 

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