Ammonia Spike

you have more than 15 lbs. But i still dont think its enough. When has the last time you have changed your matrix filter. Those can leads to nitrates and such build up, not so much ammonia but more water quality problems. I would be curious to see the LFS test results
 
i have a purple yellow and sohal tang, golden heart trigger
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Message from my lfs on water test. PH 8.0 Alkalinity 9.8dkh no ammonia no nitrite but nitrates and phosphates are way high and salinity at 1.025
 
So how are the inhabitants doing?

They seem to be doing fine. they don't look stressed they have a big appetite as usual and they are very active.

This was from my lfs today on a water test. PH 8.0 Alkalinity 9.8dkh no ammonia no nitrite but nitrates and phosphates are way high and salinity at 1.025

Sent me over some seachem sea gel told me to put that into my sump with everything else that i have in there ie matrix and purigen. also suggested i dose with stability for the next 7 days.

Big lessons learnt from this. i am also going to add more live rock to my tank on the weekend and give it a shuffle around.

I did another water change again this morning and again i will send another sample off to lfs tomorrow to be tested again.
 
Do you have the test kits? It might be easier to just test your self.

The liquid/drop test kits are pretty easy to use.

Just a thought to help you figure out quicker what is wrong or what is doing good.

Any updated pictures?
 
DO NOT SHUFFLE AROUND YOUR EXISTING LIVE ROCK

Your tank is extremely fragile right now and moving the rock could hurt your very fragile nitrobactor population. If you add rock to the trank, only add fresh from LFS very well cured live rock, NO ONLINE SHIPPED TO YOU ROCK and only add 10% of your current total rock weight. IE: looks like you have about 30-40 lbs, so do not add more than 5lbs per week or you may get NTS New Tank Syndrom or a recycleing of your tank. This would mean trouble flor your live stock.

Have been monitoiring conversation waiting for final parameters to come out.
Numbers don't look too bad except your Nitrates and Phosphates are high. Not that unusual for a new tank. You need to control these by three methods:

(1) 10 % water changes weekly or X2 weekly if needed
(2) Proper skimming - You should be pulling lots of gunk out with the load you have on such a small filtration system, if your skimmer is properly set and adequate for your tank
(3) Exportation thru media use such as carbon and your Purigen for Nitrates and Phos-ban or guard for phosphates and I frown on Bio-balls as they can be quite a source for Nitrates and Phosphates if not properly maintained
(4) Test your water parameters daily to see whats working

Also as a footnote be prepared for the onslought of nuseance algea coming your way. First diatoms, then possibly cyano with a sandbed and thirdly hair. Three months is not an established tank. Six months is the norm.
 
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Do you have the test kits? It might be easier to just test your self.

The liquid/drop test kits are pretty easy to use.

Just a thought to help you figure out quicker what is wrong or what is doing good.

Any updated pictures?

Will post tonight. tank is looking a lot better since treated and i also added matrix seagel in a filter sock.

I have alos ordered a full test kit so i can keep tabs on my tank.
 
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DO NOT SHUFFLE AROUND YOUR EXISTING LIVE ROCK

Your tank is extremely fragile right now and moving the rock could hurt your very fragile nitrobactor population. If you add rock to the trank, only add fresh from LFS very well cured live rock, NO ONLINE SHIPPED TO YOU ROCK and only add 10% of your current total rock weight. IE: looks like you have about 30-40 lbs, so do not add more than 5lbs per week or you may get NTS New Tank Syndrom or a recycleing of your tank. This would mean trouble flor your live stock.

Have been monitoiring conversation waiting for final parameters to come out.
Numbers don't look too bad except your Nitrates and Phosphates are high. Not that unusual for a new tank. You need to control these by three methods:

(1) 10 % water changes weekly or X2 weekly if needed
(2) Proper skimming - You should be pulling lots of gunk out with the load you have on such a small filtration system, if your skimmer is properly set and adequate for your tank
(3) Exportation thru media use such as carbon and your Purigen for Nitrates and Phos-ban or guard for phosphates and I frown on Bio-balls as they can be quite a source for Nitrates and Phosphates if not properly maintained
(4) Test your water parameters daily to see whats working

Also as a footnote be prepared for the onslought of nuseance algea coming your way. First diatoms, then possibly cyano with a sandbed and thirdly hair. Three months is not an established tank. Six months is the norm.

Thanks for the advice i will follow it. I will hold off on any new live rock for now

i have a large enough sump under my tank first compartment has about 10 liters of crushed corals on top of that is 10 liters of seachem matrix on that is 3 bags of perigen and last night i added a liter of seachem seagel into an eheim sock(made a diffrence today very clear water) and on top of that some filter floss the second compartment has more filter floss the 3rd one has bioballs with some more filter floss 4th compartment has the return pump and the skimmer. i will take a photo and upload it tonight.

I also changed my wave makers last night they were not doing anything for me TOO MANY dead spots.... i i added 2 sicce voyage 8 wave makers and WOW what a difference it made my whole tank gets it. random waves look kool too

again thanks
 
I'm going to suggest that you not only come to the forum for emergency help. Go back and read the threads on basic tank cycling, adding fish, proper filtration etc.

Learn first or burn later. I don't mean that as a curse, it's the life in your tank and your wallet that will suffer unless you get the information first. You wouldn't learn to fly a plane this way. But you do have passengers aboard.

Just so you know, there prolly isn't a person on this forum (who actually has a tank set up) that hasn't killed a few fish.
 
So everything seems to be getting better in my tank now. a lot has been learnt from you guys and i wanted to say thank you fo your support...
 
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