12g cube nitrate problem

[hiltymj]

I bought this tank off someone that had let it get really bad. So I bought it and got all the algae off it. Then I took out most of the live rock out (only the pieces covered in hair algae) I then got new rock that was aquacultured and put it in so it was about 12 pounds new rock and one 2 pound rock was left. I have hermits and bumblebee snails

Ha long story short nitrates were at about 125 after I put the new rock in. After about 2 days it went to about 90 then I did a couple water changes and cleaned out the sand and stuff put a poly filter in it and got it down to 40. It's been steady at 40 for about a week now.

What do I do?!?!?

 

[mr_X]

keep doing water changes. that tank has been carelessly kept for a long while. it's not going to change in a few days or even a week. the algae on the rock was absorbing nutrients, not causing nitrates.

 

[hiltymj]

Ok. Ha ya it was really bad. But I shall play the waiting game! Do you think I should add more rock it's 14 pounds now.

 

[mr_X]

12 pounds will work if it is porous rock and looks good. it's a matter of aesthetics at this point.

 

[hiltymj]

Some of it is nice and porous.

Here it is

 

[hiltymj]

Ok got a new rock lol

 

[mr_X]

be careful when adding new rock- it can cause ammonia spikes and kill any critters you may have in there.

 

[hiltymj]

Ok I'll watch it carefully. I always forget the smallest things effect the smaller tanks more obviously but it's hard to remember

 

[hiltymj]

So it never crossed my mind that there were bio balls in the filter so I know those are nitrate traps so I took them out and put some chemipure elite in there