Can Live Rock get to old

[bigreefnutt]

I have had this tank setup for approx 10 years in the early years it was a fish only mainly with a few corals but now I want to add more corals but when I do after a few weeks the corals slowly wilt away. The only ones that seem to do well is mushrooms and zoas. But LPS and SPS done last long.

Tank info

84 x 32 x 38
2 - 400 watt DE 14k
4 - 48" VHO Actintics
30 gallon sump with a large SWE external Skimmer
300lbs of mixed live rock

3 - Ocolarus Clowns
1 - Blue Tang
1 - Yellow Tang
1- Purple Tang
1 - 6line wrasse
2 - royal grammas
1 - 8 line wrasse




There was more fish in the aquarium over the years. But my question is that can the rock get to old to where it can not process any more waste and possibly be causing a toxic reaction to the corals.

Current water specks

35 ppt
8.2 ph
420 Calcium
1350 magnesium
9.3 dkh Alk
100 Nitrate

 

[Joe]

I've had most of my rock for over fifteen years, with no ill effects. Rock covered in coralline algae can lose some effectiveness (discussed by Shimek many years ago), but a couple small urchins can correct this.

Joe

 

[Mr. Fish]

Your nitrate is crazy high. That will kill sps and most lps coral. Sps coral really need 0 nitrates to be happy.

 

[bigreefnutt]

So what would you all recamend to aid in lowering Nitrates along with large water changes

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Agreed, your elevated nitrate is what is killing the corals. Live rock, over time, can accumulate trapped detritus in the nooks and crannies which will lead to elevated nitrates. Aiming a powerhead at the rockwork periodically and blasting that settled detritus will help get it up into the water column for removal via skimmer, filters.

Can you elaborate on your routine maintenence?

 

[bigreefnutt]

Lately I have been doing much better I have been doing every two weeks approx 30 gallons a crack.

 

[Mr. Fish]

According to your dimensions your tank is 442 gallons, is that right? Your tank is really lightly stocked for 442 gallons, so the fish shouldn't be causing the really high nitrates, unless you haven't done a water change in months. Are you using tap water for water changes? How much do you feed and what are you feeding?

 

[bigreefnutt]

That is correct on the size. I feed the tank with a mixture of flakes cuz I am gone alot and that is easier for me to do. But now I have more time to get it in better shape. I used to do it only once a month for the longest times.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Your infrequent water changes have definitely contributed to your elevated nitrates. Get back into the habit of doing 10-15% weekly water changes to bring your nitrate level down into the acceptable range. Zero would be the aim.

 

[bigreefnutt]

That is my plan but would I be able to use BRS Bio Pellets to aid in the Nitrate Removal

 

[vwtanker]

The nitrates could have built up slowly over the year when you didn't maintain it as well. Some larger water changes for a while will help. You could also you a brush and a siphon hose to suck detritus off of and out of the rock. I have also taken rock out and rinsed it in a bucket of saltwater before when redoing tanks. Its crazy how much junk gets trapped in it. Although this may open up the pores and make anaerobic bacteria less efficient, their the kind that use nitrates.

I've started a solid carbon dose reactor on my tanks, I'm to new at that to give you advise on it. In a year I can tell you how it went.

 

[bigreefnutt]

I was thinking that it may be possible that the rocks are cloged. That may be an option that I would remove the rock and rince it off to clean it up. But I am trying to come up with the best possible plan to get it done. Basically what way would benifit me the most

 

[vwtanker]

Rinsing is a pain. But a 35gal brute garbage can full of old salt water works. I just dunk and swish it around. By the time I'm done the water is brown.
I've only done it when I was rescaping the rocks in one of my tanks. Usually is time consuming.

 

[noahm]

This ^^ will help a lot. Just do a portion every water change to make it less of a pain. also remember you may make a mess in the tank if you move too much stuff at once. Move a few rocks, rinse, and vacuum up the crud where they were. You might think about changing out your sand in stages as well if it is pretty clogged.

 

[bigreefnutt]

The tank I think needs to be reaquascaped anyways hmm

 

[hugo209]

read into vodka dosing... it really helped me alot in lowering my nitrate...when i started dosing my nitrates were at 25ppm, and within 3months nitrates dropped to 0ppm testing with salifert and API test kits.. i still dose my tank with no ill effects. I can now feed my tank very heavy now and my sps and lps love it... much more color and growth now.

 

[bigreefnutt]

Vodka dosing is that helpful

 

[vwtanker]

Sand!
Yea I didn't think about that. It can build up a lot of waste under the rocks. Changing out sand and adding fresh into the mix helps keep the microbes healthy.
There is a thread about deep sand beds that is full of information about keeping the substrate healthy. Its sticky in the new to the hobby section and very long.

 

[vwtanker]

vodka is similar to the bio pellets. They are both carbon sources to feed bacterial growth. the bacteria use the nitrates and phosphates and get skimmed out or eaten by corals. From what I know the theory is that lack of carbon is the limiting factor on the bacterial growth. So add more and you get more bacteria. Lots of people have had success with it and I'm currently testing it out myself.

 

[Mr. Fish]

Vodka dosing is that helpful

I wouldn't do anything but basic water changes and cleaning the rock right now.