my tank has been establish for about a year I bought it about a 2 months ago since then I have been trying to get my Nitrate below 20. I can never seem to do it I change my water about every three days usually take about 10 gallons out of my 55 gallon hexagon tank. of course I am cleaning the bottom debree. right now I have a box fish 2 clowns 3 damsels and 2 starfish everybody seems happy I am running a fluval 304 with a protien skimmer any ideas
trying to get my Nitrate below 20
- Thread starter labman
- Start date
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Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
Tell us more about your tank.
Sand or CC
Tap water or RO or RO/DI
Any other information you can provide will help.
Mike
Sand or CC
Tap water or RO or RO/DI
Any other information you can provide will help.
Mike
I have about 2" of crusher coral just added about 10# of live sand have a few pounds of live rock I am getting 50# of live rock latter this week I am running a Fluval 304 with a Skatter protien skimmer. the water I add is from a local fish stores RO system I am also getting a RO system for the house so I don't have to buy it from the fish store I am hoping the live rock will drop it down for me.. not sure what other info you might need
austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Maybe look at the crushed coral or feeding too much. How often do you feed and what are you feeding? Boxfish eat snails and hermits, right? Having no cleanup crew (I presume) wouldn't help either. ALong with water changes, you'll probably need to vacuum agressively also with that crushed coral.
I usually feed the fish every other day usually feed them Phytoplankton which the box fish and everybody has no problem with I buy it frozen and just give them a very small piece about the size of the very end part of a paper clip i bough 2oz about a month ago and have well over a 1 1/2 oz left I stick the syphon far onto the crushed rocks. let me ask this am I better of with sand? I am asking this because I will be setting up my second tank as well and if sand is better I will defiantly get that
austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
I heard a lot of folks on this forum say so, and that crushed coral can be a nitrate factory. Search for related threads. Can probably find quite a bit of discussion on crushed coral vs. sand.
No cleanup crew, right? And doesn' that boxfish eat crabs, snails, and shrimp?
I will have to check on it the box fish that is I had a fire shrimp he never bothered him and he has been happly eating the Phytoplankton that is what the store recomended I feed them they are a pretty well known Saltwater store in the area have a great reputation. I might have to concider changing the coral overe to sand of course that will be a while before I can do that since I will have to get my other tank cycled and move them into there, oh what a paon no cleaners other then the starfish I have a red starfish and a chocolate chip I know people have said they can be bad for the tank but so far he has not been dustructive I was concidering getting a crab and some turbo's
update went to my local Fishstore today I went to the closest of the two talk to them about the problem well the most knowlagble there. he had a couple of ideas to add he said I might be over changing the water abit and to slow it down and also we decided to add 5 Nassarius Snails to the mix to hopefully shift though the sand and coral hopefully the boxfish will not bother them 4 of them or already happy and busy at work one I am not sure he made the trip home he is moving a little but not burring yet. hopefully this will help
Changing the water too often isn't going to be your problem. I can't even begin to guess what would make them say that. I would still look towards feeding. Cyclopeeze (is that what you're feeding?) is pretty potent stuff and can foul a tank fast. When I feed this (once a week at most) I just shave a paper thin slice off of the end of it. What's in the Fluval? How long has it been there? Do you run any carbon? Test the water you get from your LFS for nitrates, just to make sure you aren't adding to your problem with the water changes.
Your fish would probably appreciate you changing up their diet a little bit. I feed a rotation of Formula 1, formula 2, mysis, prime reef (all frozen foods) and feed a little cyclopeeze/liquid life more for the corals once a week.
Sand is definitely considered better than crushed coral as it does not hold onto the gunk as well.
Adding to your live rock is going to help tremendously.
Your fish would probably appreciate you changing up their diet a little bit. I feed a rotation of Formula 1, formula 2, mysis, prime reef (all frozen foods) and feed a little cyclopeeze/liquid life more for the corals once a week.
Sand is definitely considered better than crushed coral as it does not hold onto the gunk as well.
Adding to your live rock is going to help tremendously.
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