If i have a larger system (around 110 gallons total) with great parameters, can i steal water from it do do do the water change in a 10g nano? The nano has no corals, but does have a tiger pistol and small cuc. Fish are a pair of small clowns, small watchman and a small starry blenny. (blenny is going to be moved to the larger system soon as the one in there died recently)
Nano water changes: education
- Thread starter ponyboyt
- Start date
I actually had some nitrite showing in the nano, so that was the thought. Its always had a bit of nitrate. Im wondering if its storing up in the sponge i have in the filter. As for trace elements, i tested calc in the bigger tank and it never goes under 500. Last night though i did notice alk only took 4 drops in my tester, this morning 5, so i guess i have some work to do there.
Should the nano water be discarded? Or will the larger system chew up the nutrients if i just "trade" the water?
Should the nano water be discarded? Or will the larger system chew up the nutrients if i just "trade" the water?
If you have trouble dialing in your Calc and/or Alk....make sure your MG is between 1260 and 1360 give or take, MG is the stabilizer between these two. If your MG is already dialed in perhaps your corals are using up Alk....it's the one that is used up by corals the fastest. In this case you need to dose.
Ok to use Water in another tank, however you run the small risk of transferring something you don't ant to the smaller tank....Ick while rare would be an example....
Ok to use Water in another tank, however you run the small risk of transferring something you don't ant to the smaller tank....Ick while rare would be an example....
im disease free. Lost the blenny to *i believe* a sting from a nem or maybe aptaisia. Ive never tested mag. I lost all my lps a while ago but was only testing calc so didnt see an issue. I just figured my lights were getting old as the polyps just bailed. its all paly's, leather and kenya's in there now (a lot and all very large) and my nems. I know i have a lot of work ahead of me, just waiting for the christmas spending to pass 
I do have a pair of half full jugs of B-ionic 2 part calc/alk that ive never used and am in the process of reading whether to dose alch. Seems to be swaying more to the side of adding baking soda, but ill wait to get a mag test tomorrow.
I do have a pair of half full jugs of B-ionic 2 part calc/alk that ive never used and am in the process of reading whether to dose alch. Seems to be swaying more to the side of adding baking soda, but ill wait to get a mag test tomorrow.
sde1500
Active member
How old is it? There should be no nitrite in a cycled tank, do you mean nitrate?
Based on what you've said here, I would say there is very little value in using the large tank water, considering your parameters in it aren't balanced in any way. Was the great parameters comment hypothetical? It would do the nano no good. Its a nano, just mix an extra gallon and use that when changing water on the big tank.
Based on what you've said here, I would say there is very little value in using the large tank water, considering your parameters in it aren't balanced in any way. Was the great parameters comment hypothetical? It would do the nano no good. Its a nano, just mix an extra gallon and use that when changing water on the big tank.
yes hypothetical. I was getting ready to do so and started testing and seeing odd results.
The nano has been up around a year. Rocks were seeded at least a year before that. Large tank has been up a year and also had rocks seeded some 1 year some 2 years.
The nano was showing .25ish nitrite. I tested the large system just to be sure the kit was ok, it shows 0. Nothing in the nano has died but i added a couple snails 3 days ago and pulled them out that night as it was obvious something was up cause they werent moving. There is a small sponge in the back chamber filter thingy that hasnt been cleaned in a while and it collects food. Or maybe the tiger pistol is stirring up crap from the sand.
Oh now i remember... one of my kids was in the nano tank last week. she was grabbing handfulls of sand and actually knocked over a large rock. This could have stirred something up? I have a small carbon bag running, and have added prime since my first post.
The nano has been up around a year. Rocks were seeded at least a year before that. Large tank has been up a year and also had rocks seeded some 1 year some 2 years.
The nano was showing .25ish nitrite. I tested the large system just to be sure the kit was ok, it shows 0. Nothing in the nano has died but i added a couple snails 3 days ago and pulled them out that night as it was obvious something was up cause they werent moving. There is a small sponge in the back chamber filter thingy that hasnt been cleaned in a while and it collects food. Or maybe the tiger pistol is stirring up crap from the sand.
Oh now i remember... one of my kids was in the nano tank last week. she was grabbing handfulls of sand and actually knocked over a large rock. This could have stirred something up? I have a small carbon bag running, and have added prime since my first post.
