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I just tested my nitrates and I'd say they're up around 80 ....... I realize water changes will fix this.... but is there any thing else i can do ???????
Chemicals are really not the answer. Start with the water changes right away.
What do you have in your tank now?
What size tank do you have?
Information like this will help people here be able to help you better.
Protein skimmer IMO is a must.
First start with the water changes immediately.
Post back with the rest of your water parameters
Ammonia
Nitrites
That is funny that your nitrates spiked with that kinda cleanup crew... any chance that something died off in your tank and is rotting? Def do some water changes. Your inverts will be hit the hardest... everythign else should live because nitrates are the least harmful of the three. Def not good for a longer time period though.
Why would the bio-wheels hurt anything??? thought they'd be good for the bio-filter.... as for die off.... I had an anemone I wasn't sure if he was dying the last few days but this morning I had a huge blow up of diatoms and the anemone's tentacles were almost nil ...... I wonder if he's been dying off and jacking up my water...
I don't understand though.... how would the clean up crew help the nitrates??? by taking care of the loose food???? breaking it down further than if it just floated around????
Diatomes are a side effect of high nitrates. Def don't want an anenome dying in yoru tank because it can create mass havock. The biowheels have to be cleaned off every once in a while (or ditched if that is teh case).... they are meant to keep vital bacteria but still have to be cleaned/removed when they get old. Anenomies can be very sensitive to water changes. Be careful because you could lose the entire tank if he croakes. Maybe someone else knows if an anenome die off results in a nitrate problem because I don't.
The clean up crew would basically do just that. Clean up any left over food and waste. Therefore ridding the tank of material that the nitrifying bacteria need to break down which eventually turns into nitrate.
A good cleanup crew is valuable, but I am inclined to wonder if its not your biowheel that is the problem, or a dead animal somewhere.
Well I got rid of the anemone... is was only a condy... cost me six bux..... but I'm not risking my tank for that sucker.... will get rid of the bio-wheel asap.... should I replace it ??????
O and another question.... I got a hitchhiker starfish on a snail I recently picked up.... not sure of what it is... it's still pretty small... it's got six legs though and is a sandy/yellowish/brownish color.... right now it's no bigger than a dime...