Filling Up My Tank

[teklabs]

Ammonia has been between 0-0.25ppm the past 4 days. Nitrite 0ppm, and Nitrate between 10-20ppm the past 4 days. Is that too high for Nitrate? Should I do a water change?

 

[Brilliant_Barbs_21]

Ammonia has been between 0-0.25ppm the past 4 days. Nitrite 0ppm, and Nitrate between 10-20ppm the past 4 days. Is that too high for Nitrate? Should I do a water change?

You shouldn't have any ammonia at all. And I like to keep my nitrates around 5 or less for my coral. Just fish can stand up to 20 ppm.

 

[teklabs]

Right now all I have are 3 blue green Chromis. I have one 3lb live rock and 50lbs dry rock which is starting to show some algae growth.

 

[teklabs]

Should I do a 5 % water change to try and lower my nitrates?

 

[Bectan01]

A 5% won't do much. I would do a larger one, at least 20% - you have detectable ammonia with fish in there!

 

[teklabs]

So let me clarify for learning purposes. Regular water changes are to lower nitrates. Is this correct?

 

[Rmckoy]

So let me clarify for learning purposes. Regular water changes are to lower nitrates. Is this correct?

1( Lower nitrates by removing them .
2) Replenish calcium , magnesium , iron and essential elements .
A new tank is harder to keep everything from fluctuating .

 

[Grizz]

I'd add some macro algae also it will help lower those trates and slow the unwanted algae growth

 

[Rmckoy]

I picked up Purigen yesterday to use as a filter media .
And rowa Phos .
Another filter media to eliminate phosphates .
Even though they are testing 0 red algae is there and so is phosphates ?

 

[teklabs]

Is bio spira considered macro algae?

 

[Grizz]

No bio spira is a bio active additive that is used to aid in starting the nitrogen cycle, macro algae are plants that use phosphates and nitrates to grow there buy removing them from you're system MacroAlgae : LA Reefs - Specializing in Live Coral, Macroalgae, and Inverts for Reef Aquariums

 

[teklabs]

Is this light brown stuff good?

 

[carey]

Diatoms, they will burn themselves out in a couple weeks.
Very common in new tanks

 

[Rmckoy]

Is this light brown stuff good?

Craigbooker :
Were you planning on adding sand ?
I noticed all your rocks on the plastic egg crate .
Why wouldn't you add the sand and cycle everything together ?

 

[teklabs]

Trying to spread my expenses out a bit.

 

[teklabs]

How much sand would I need for a 55 gallon tank? Maybe 1-2 inches deep.

 

[Grizz]

60 lbs will give you a 1.90 inch sand bed

 

[teklabs]

So this week I changed 30 gallons of my 55 gallon tank water. This brought my nitrates down between 0-5ppm. Ammonia and nitrates at 0ppm.

 

[carey]

Nice. Sometimes you just need a huge water change to catch up on the parameters.

 

[teklabs]

So now I need to add calcium or purple up stuff to increase coralean algae growth before introducing corals?