Help

[be-be815]

8O
i added new lights to my tank i think they are compacts daylights, so now i have 110 blue atinic and 110 daylight. i suddenly had this horrible algae bloom, that killed everything. so i started over with two new clarkii clowns. I removed the crush coral and added play sand the kind that you recommended. now i have a problem with the ammonia and nitrites.
i changed the water by 50% on friday. i checked after the water change and my ammonia was 0, my nitrites were .1. ok yesterday saturday i did another water change and replaced about 50%. put this time my nitrites are off the charts after that water change. the ammonia is still 0.
i will do another 50% change today.

Setup: live rock, playsand, protein skimmer, 3 power heads, 2 filters, and two clarkii clowns.
please help

 

[steve-s]

How old is the tank?

Cheers
Steve

 

[be-be815]

help

my tank is 12 months old and it was doing ok until upgraded the lights from 110 to 220. please help why did my nitrites double after 50% water change? what am i doing wrong?

 

[steve-s]

I removed the crush coral and added play sand the kind that you recommended. now i have a problem with the ammonia and nitrites.

I think this may have something to do with it. Although with enough LR you should have still had enough dentrifying bacteria to keep the levels in line.

How long after the CC change did you notice the increased levels?
Has the algae bloom subsided?
Have you tested the source water for your change water?

Any additional info you can provide about your maintenace routine as well as feeding schedule and food types used will help. I would also suggest getting the test for your NO2 confirmed. How are the nitrates?

Cheers
Steve

 

[be-be815]

i tested for nitrites right after completing the water change. i tank is 12 months old, phosphate level is 0. i all the algae is gone just the normal on glass.
no i have never tested for nitrates and i will get a new NO2 and nitrate tested kit today.

thanks

 

[steve-s]

I would not suggest getting a new NO2 test yet. Instead, take a sample of your water with you to the LFS when you get the NO3 test kit and have them verify the results against what you have measured with the current NO2 tests you have done. You may also wish to take the test kit as well.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kribbz]

i think what is happening is that once you put the new lights on the algae bloom is very normal because what was happening is that your tank wasn't used to having that much light so the tank is going to go through about a one month period where it will get "used" to having all that new light.
As far as the adding the new substrate, your tank is probably going through a new cycle. I think it would be best if you could just pull the inhabitants of the tank out and let it go through the cycle if you can. becuase doing the water changes is only go to prolong the cycleing process.

 

[be-be815]

thanks for your advice, i think you are right. i think the high nitrite and nitrate levels i am getting are false because i am putting additives into the water to cycle tank. i changed the water again by 50% last night. the nitrite levels were so high after changing the water but that was after adding PRIME, i also added calcuim and other additives. i think that is what is causing my high readings. the ammonia is still 0. my two clarkii clowns are doing great swiming all over the tank, eating good, they do not look stressed. i am getting more live rock on wednesday but i will hold off adding fish or clean-up crew until later in august.
thanks for the great advice.

 

[steve-s]

i am getting more live rock on wednesday but i will hold off adding fish or clean-up crew until later in august.
thanks for the great advice.

Make sure you re-cure the LR prior to placing it in the tank, it is more than possible you are getting "skewed" readings from the the use of the water conditioner but the addition of the LR will definately cause problems if you add it without properly allowing for some additional die off.

Place it in a large plastic bin/bucket with a heavy amount of circulation for a week or so. Test the water occasionally for NH4, NO2 and NO3. Once these levels are undetectable, then the LR can be placed in the tank. You may need to do a few water changes on the LR QT to remove DOC build up.

As kribbz suggested, I would discontinue such large water changes on the chance the tank is doing a bit of a cycle with regard to the recent changes, it will only prolong the issue.

Keep tabs on the readings to be sure and keep us informed.

Cheers
Steve