I need help!

[hollister]

If your tank cant remove nitrate it turns into ammonia. A lid will do this.


http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

 

[Chicabee]

So not having a lid is better?

 

[Frogmanx82]

If your tank cant remove nitrate it turns into ammonia. A lid will do this.


http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Nitrogen_Cycle.html

ummm, this just sounds wrong to me. Nitrate does not turn into ammonia, its the other way around. Nitrate will just sit there and accumulate unless you have plants to consume it or live rock that have low oxygen zones where anaerobic bacteria can turn it into nitrogen gas. A lid has nothing to do with it.

 

[theRook]

Send a pic of the fish!

 

[hollister]

Sorry i was in a hurry. IF nitrates get to high these can ecellerate your ammonia levels. There are a few good ways to reduce nitrate and i think good water movement and little to no air restriction at the surface would be high my list.

Then minimum amount of LR and SB ,but with good water movement to get the water through , in and around them . Can also be your best bio filter.

Then stocking and feeding habits in check .

Then proper maintance from water changes to clean added equipment.

I wouold say if these are in check then low to no ammonia should raise enough to care.

These would be the basic's, and great for startups and learning.

 

[Frogmanx82]

Hollister, you are flat out wrong in your idea that nitrates will somehow gas off. Nitrate is not a gas, its a salt. The lid thing makes no sense either. A sump and protein skimmer will offer plenty of gas exchange and having a lid isn't as big a factor on the suface gas exchange as having some surface movement from good water flow.

Minimum LR, high flow, this is a bad recipe for nitrate reduction. You need low flow and lots of rock for low oxygen zones to develop. You need to go back and study that link you posted.

 

[freetareef]

Hollister, you are flat out wrong in your idea that nitrates will somehow gas off. Nitrate is not a gas, its a salt. The lid thing makes no sense either. A sump and protein skimmer will offer plenty of gas exchange and having a lid isn't as big a factor on the suface gas exchange as having some surface movement from good water flow.

Minimum LR, high flow, this is a bad recipe for nitrate reduction. You need low flow and lots of rock for low oxygen zones to develop. You need to go back and study that link you posted.

+1

if you are serious about keeping your fish alive i would buy a bigger tank. that aside i would suggest large water changes every week till your tank is done cycling, normally we don't have much livestock when we cycle. preferably none as it is stressful.

Please read the stickies at the top of the "new to the hobby" forum. it will save you tons of grief.

 

[Frogmanx82]

+1

if you are serious about keeping your fish alive i would buy a bigger tank. that aside i would suggest large water changes every week till your tank is done cycling, normally we don't have much livestock when we cycle. preferably none as it is stressful.

Please read the stickies at the top of the "new to the hobby" forum. it will save you tons of grief.

+1 on that. I missed this was a 20 gallon tank. Way too many fish added all at once and a boxfish is a horrible choice for a beginner. Why would they sell you a fish that could poison your whole tank? Oh yeah, so they can sell you more fish. You can't trust the person that sold you these fish to give you any good advice.

Another way to save some grief. Do some research, make a list, and don't buy stuff that's not on the list. Impulse purchases of something that looks cool most often doesn't turn out well. Most people learn that the hard way.

You can't stock a salt tank like a freshwater tank. You put 4 fish in a 20 and that's about it.

 

[hollister]

The high nitrates will cause ammonia levels to raise faster , the nitrates will still rise , i miss typed.

And im just saying that the better air flow the betters the gas exchange. In a newier setup the size difference between the tanks wouldn't matter as much but if your asking a ( for example) a 20 gallon fuge to maintain a 60 gallon tank (not to mention the fuge is hidden in lower Un open areas) then you can. I wouldn't.

If you want many reefers use a egg crate type lid and fans to draw in fresh air.
Many problems go unseen for awhile and creep up fast. When i can ,i try and go over recommended tank size. Just a little extra insurance.

 

[Frogmanx82]

High nitrates don't affect ammonia, gas exchange has nothing to do with the nitrogen cycle, and high flow around your live rock doesn't make the best biological system. You're just giving wrong advice Hollister.

 

[Sk8r]

Read the sticky titled: "You asked for it."
Compare your setup.
That will give you some useful information.