Help with levels in tank

[kita_katan]

Hi everyone I have a question. I am running a 150 reef, 55g fuge system. Went to the frag swap and brought home some really nice pieces but am seeing some die off. Got a really nice monti piece which at this point is basically gone, a green candy cane that isn't doing to good and a war coral which is 80% gone. This prompted me and my husband to test all levels in the tank. I'm sorry to say that our ammonia is at .25, phosphate is at .3, nitrte is at 30. the tank has been up and running for 18 months now, all other corals are doing just fine and thriving have a bubble that his huge, a different monti which is doing just fine, birdsnest doing just fine. any suggestions on how to get these levels under control. we have already done 2 25% water changes over the weekend.

 

[laskopyre]

I'm guessing they haven't dropped after the water change. You can always try some Amquel or Prime to get the ammonia to drop, and of course water changes. Have you added any new fish, or had anything larger die in the tank that went unnoticed, or stirred a large section of the sand up?

 

[kita_katan]

correct levels still high after the water changes. nothing has died that we know off did a complete inventory yesterday. can some of the coral die off cause a spike?

 

[Jeff Trout]

Dieing corals could but thats a big tank for a few small corals to die and affect the water quality.I would keep doing water changes,but also look for something else missing like a big star fish?
Are you using R.O. water?
skimmer?what kind?
lights?

 

[kita_katan]

Kent Marine RO unit with a reef octupus skimmer , lighting is the outer orbit, 4 T5's, 2 halides. we keep the halides on for 6 hrs a day and the T5's for I believe 9 hrs. also have a uv sterilizer running in tank.

 

[laskopyre]

It's for a tank setup for 18 months to go through a cycle. The nitrite level is the one I'd be worried about. It sounds like something is definately decaying in the tank, and your good bacteria cannot keep up with it. It would have to be something big to cause a 150 gallon to spike. I would go through your livestock check again and make sure. Also, I would run out and get something to lower your ammonia/nitrite levels. Might want to run some new carbon as well.