Changing substrate

[nikki_kaiser]

So I've been battling nitrates for a little bit and I've done everything including checking equipment etc. I really think its my substrate! For over a week now I've only had one clown and 3 shrimp in my tank that is over two years old. It has live rock as well. I've changed all filter pads and cleaned all equipment (tank is 56 gallons). I use RO water and I've only been feeding my clown 1x every other day. I do have a protein skimmer that works. I really have been wanting to change my sand out for a while anyway. Will it cycle again? How can I do this and make sure my live rock, clown, and shrimp are ok?

 

[Pryzz]

I'd say remove fish and shrimp, put in a bucket or something, same with live rock, power heads and heaters depending on how long it will take to change. You don't clean your substrate? Not sure about if it will cycle again.

 

[Schism]

So I've been battling nitrates for a little bit and I've done everything including checking equipment etc. I really think its my substrate! For over a week now I've only had one clown and 3 shrimp in my tank that is over two years old. It has live rock as well. I've changed all filter pads and cleaned all equipment (tank is 56 gallons). I use RO water and I've only been feeding my clown 1x every other day. I do have a protein skimmer that works. I really have been wanting to change my sand out for a while anyway. Will it cycle again? How can I do this and make sure my live rock, clown, and shrimp are ok?

Unsure why you think your sand is the problem, but do not replace with live sand, doing so probably would cause a significant ammonia spike and cause problems.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

What are your trates testing at? How often are you doing PWC's and how much?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I do clean it but it's fairly deep and I had read that this can harbor things that can hurt your water quality if you stir it up to much. I really want a lot less...like maybe an inch thick. Right now I think I have close to 3.5 inches! My hubby put in the sand initially and went a little overboard. I'm just afraid that it will cycle again. I may set up my 20 gallon and put my shrimp and fish, some of the live rock in just incase. If I get a large tub and put the rest of the live rock in there with a power head for a week will it die off?

 

[Convict2161]

I hope you solve the issue. I'll be following along as I have a 3" and in some places 4" sand bed in my bio cube 29 that's almost 9 months old and I haven't had issues as of yet.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I do a 15-20% water change a week. I need to look at my log and see what it was two nights ago when I did a water change. My phosphates were up a little as well. It's been like this for about 5 weeks. I've cut down on feeding and I almost feel like I'm starving them. I've never had this issue in this tank or the larger tank I had years ago. Since I've done most everything that I've read up on and read here, this is the only thing I can think of that might be the issue.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

What are your nitrates testing at? And how much do they decrease after a pwc?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I sound like someone who has just recently decided to have a SW tank. I've had tanks on and off since I was in college but I've never had the issues I've had with this one. I'm about to have a freakin priest come and bless this thing! I feel like its cursed! LOL!

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Ok, before the last water change, nitrates tested at 5.0 my phosphates were .25 . After I did the water change (did about 25%) they looked to be 0. Problem is, in another day, they wont be 0. It's a pattern and I don't know what else it could be.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

How long does it take to get to 5? Also, not to
sound obvious here, but are you checking the test tube under the same lighting around the same time of day? The colors between 0 and 5 on my trate chart are pretty close and could easily be mistaken depending on comparative light sources... What is the livestock in your tank?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I usually test at night when I do. I only have my one clown right now as I got rid of my yellow tang and coral beauty (they were gifts and my tank is to small for them). I have three shrimp and cured live rock. At first before there was an issue I tested once a week before and after water changes. Now I'm testing about every 4 days. Also, I've taken out all of my equipment and cleaned them twice. I'm completely stumped.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I would bring a sample to a LFS for your next test, maybe something screwy with your text kit...?

 

[nikki_kaiser]

My colors are similar to but by the next Saturday, when I test, I'm clearly not at a 0 and I'm probably more in between the 5.0 and the next color not to mention that my phosphates are up some.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I think I will do that on Friday. I'm going to give it a few more days. I just want my tank water to be good again. I can't really consider putting anything else in until I get it figured out.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I just don't see your sand being the issue. The BB that consumes the ammonia in the tank yields the nitrates, so if anything, it seems like a healthy tank, and the water changes keep the nitrates low. I would bring the sample in and pick their brain. My LFS said that it's hard keeping the nitrates at "0", which is why you would do water changes. And he wasn't even too concerned when I was at 10, but he was surprised that it didn't take long to get to 10 in my tank. Point being, is that it may just be how everything goes in your tank, and maybe 5 isn't as bad as you think??

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I hope you are right. I just wanted to add a bubble tip and a few things to the tank and I know my water needs to be great quality to maintain those things properly.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Also how long has the tank been set up for? And how long ago did it cycle?

 

[Ingy]

Personally I don't think 5 is that bad. The ONLY way to get to 0 without chemical filtration is by plant life and algae consuming the nitrates. So if you don't have a lot of plants in the fuge and you don't have a lot of fast growing nuisance algae like hair algae, you will have some nitrates. That's why we have to do the water changes.

 

[bskerrichard27]

My reef runs at 5 all the time rarely does it run 0