I've had my 12 gallon nano cube running with crushed coral and clean up crew for about 7 weeks now. My friend set up the tank for me, and somehow misplaced the ceramic ring bag and the bio balls. My nitrates are off the scale (250) and have been that way for 4 weeks now. Someone told me that until I get the ceramic ring bag and bio balls the nitrates will not come down. Will I have to wait another 4-6 weeks for the bacteria to grow on the bio balls and ceramic ring bag. This is frustrating (it's my fault for not reading the owner's book). Any suggestions?
New Tank-Frustrated Already
- Thread starter ebess
- Start date
hmello@bermexin
New member
What do you have in teh tank? LR LS water etc.
hmello@bermexin
New member
Okay so you must have gone through the cycle to get to the point you have so much nitrate. Was the rock cured or uncured? If it was not cured you probably have a lot of die-off from it and are seeing it in the nitrate buildup. How about algae, getting any of that? You can start to do some water changes in this case very agressively. Probably 20% every three or four days until you get the nitrate under control. Don't get frustrated it will come around with some agressive management on you part. Got any pics?
hmello@bermexin
New member
No the bacteria resides in your LR and LS. Doing water changes gets rid of accumulated toxins. Plus it will help to lower your nitrates. You need to get them in check before adding any livestock. I'm sorry but I have to ask did you have a cycle where you saw ammonia and nitrites rise and fall?
Randall_James
Premium Member
hate to do this but the CC substrate needs to go....
What kind of lighting are you running? the live rock should take care of the nitrate issue for you (that is the reason for it in the first place)
Normally when nitrates start to go up like this, you can turn off the pumps with the lights on and the rock will form tons of bubbles (nitrogen) as the bacteria convert the nitrates to gas.
What kind of lighting are you running? the live rock should take care of the nitrate issue for you (that is the reason for it in the first place)
Normally when nitrates start to go up like this, you can turn off the pumps with the lights on and the rock will form tons of bubbles (nitrogen) as the bacteria convert the nitrates to gas.
It is the lighting that came in the deluxe nano cube (sorry, don't know what it is). The lighting is supposed to be good enough for corals.
Can I possibly take out a cup of cc at a time or maybe even in fourths to keep the bacteria? (I know stupid question, but I growing impatient).
Can I do the water changes as sepeku suggested?
Can I possibly take out a cup of cc at a time or maybe even in fourths to keep the bacteria? (I know stupid question, but I growing impatient).
Can I do the water changes as sepeku suggested?
Randall_James
Premium Member
And where are our manners?
[welcome]
It should not affect the cycle much at all. The benefits exceed any issues of the cycle. CC just has issues with nitrates is all (not your problem yet)
[welcome]
It should not affect the cycle much at all. The benefits exceed any issues of the cycle. CC just has issues with nitrates is all (not your problem yet)
Being you only have snails and hermits in there, I would remove all the crushed coral at once. Then add an aragonite sand.
CC is "old school". Thats what we used to use when we didnt know any better and is still recomended by a lot of pet shops that are not up with the times. It will become a sewer over time. It traps detritus and can cause problems with nitrates in the long run.
Its hard to belive your Nitrates are at 250 with no fish load. I would look into picking up another test kit just in case the one you have is bad/old. What brand test kits are you using?
Also, whoever told you that the bio media you are missing will lower your Nitrates is dead wrong. In fact, it will raise the Nitrates. Its fine for fish only tanks but has no place in a reef tank. All you need is live rock and water flow, thats it.
CC is "old school". Thats what we used to use when we didnt know any better and is still recomended by a lot of pet shops that are not up with the times. It will become a sewer over time. It traps detritus and can cause problems with nitrates in the long run.
Its hard to belive your Nitrates are at 250 with no fish load. I would look into picking up another test kit just in case the one you have is bad/old. What brand test kits are you using?
Also, whoever told you that the bio media you are missing will lower your Nitrates is dead wrong. In fact, it will raise the Nitrates. Its fine for fish only tanks but has no place in a reef tank. All you need is live rock and water flow, thats it.
hmello@bermexin
New member
Sepeku are you saying 5 gallons a day? I just thought 1.5 to 2 gals every three or four days would give the tank time to settle in between changes. The he could check his nitrates just before the change to see if it was needed.
Randall_James
Premium Member
My favorite system for removing CC is to vacuum it out. 1/2 siphon hose works wonders. After the gunk and silt settle out, you can put the water back in the tank or you can just use new salt water to replace it.
People, it is a 12 gallon nano cube. Just stick your hands in it a scoop out the CC. You should be able to slowly lower cups of sand to the bottom to replace the CC. Just turn off the pump while you are putting in the new sand. Don't worry about the bacteria loss. Your nitrates are very high and your tank will probably re-establish the lost bacteria while you are reducing the nitrates. Just test the water often and don't panic.
Reach in the back compartments and pull out all of the sponge filters. They come stuffed down in the back compartments so make sure you get all of them. Don't throw the spong filters away. You can use them as algae scrubbers on your glass for years to come. You can put small bags of carbon in the back compartments later on (when you get the nitrates lowered) to polish your water. Your live rock and sand is your filter. Live rock does not filter nitrates like someone else here stated. Water changes are what you do to reduce nitrates.
Do water changes of about 3-4 gallons every other day and test your water before you do the next change. If you start seeing an ammonia spike, lay off of the water changes for a couple of days to allow the cycle to re-establish. TEST TEST TEST. You can pick up the water changes when the ammonia, nitrite readings go back down.
You can do this. Just don't give up. Patience will be rewarded. Once you get that little baby just right and start adding little critters, you will be filled with pride. Next, your tank will start looking great and your neighbors will become jealous. You will get a tank of the month award, and inspire others to get into this wonderful hobby. Then you will buy a bigger second tank, and an even bigger third tank, and you will know exactly how to get a new tank started! By then, you will have to start selling off your show piece corals to pay your mortgage because you are having cash flow problems. But, you will never get to that day where you are broke, if you give up now. just keep your chin up.
Reach in the back compartments and pull out all of the sponge filters. They come stuffed down in the back compartments so make sure you get all of them. Don't throw the spong filters away. You can use them as algae scrubbers on your glass for years to come. You can put small bags of carbon in the back compartments later on (when you get the nitrates lowered) to polish your water. Your live rock and sand is your filter. Live rock does not filter nitrates like someone else here stated. Water changes are what you do to reduce nitrates.
Do water changes of about 3-4 gallons every other day and test your water before you do the next change. If you start seeing an ammonia spike, lay off of the water changes for a couple of days to allow the cycle to re-establish. TEST TEST TEST. You can pick up the water changes when the ammonia, nitrite readings go back down.
You can do this. Just don't give up. Patience will be rewarded. Once you get that little baby just right and start adding little critters, you will be filled with pride. Next, your tank will start looking great and your neighbors will become jealous. You will get a tank of the month award, and inspire others to get into this wonderful hobby. Then you will buy a bigger second tank, and an even bigger third tank, and you will know exactly how to get a new tank started! By then, you will have to start selling off your show piece corals to pay your mortgage because you are having cash flow problems. But, you will never get to that day where you are broke, if you give up now. just keep your chin up.
GoingPostal
Active member
If it's cured live rock and just hermits in there I would dump all the water into a bucket, put your live rock and hermits in there, remove the crushed coral, rinse out the back compartments, add sand, add all new water, let it settle down for a few hours and add the rock and hermits back in. Worst thing to happen is you have a small recycle but I doubt it with 15 pounds of rock, double check your levels for the next two weeks to make sure, just don't add anything else right away.
Village Idiot
New member
Are you sure it's nitrAtes, and not nitrItes you're talking about? I can't believe either that nitrate would have gotten that high, so fast.
All bio-balls do is help convert ammonia and nitrites into nitrates -- hence they will do you no good in this situation.
All bio-balls do is help convert ammonia and nitrites into nitrates -- hence they will do you no good in this situation.
