Nitrite levels
- Thread starter JMregan
- Start date
Chiefsurfer
New member
yeah, those 3 fish will have to go to the bigger tank. The clarkii and angel will become some pretty big mothers.
If you are in the process of setting up the 55, I would look at 75-80lbs of LR. The general rule of thumb is 1-2lbs/gal. I think the rock might have been one of your biggest issues. I also disagree with Randy. The OP is 2 months into this hobby, and has obviously gotten some pretty bad advice from their LFS. Being a beginner, understanding your reef, testing, and why we test, I would NEVER skip testing anything. Nitrite is important, even if not lethal.
Also, you are using tap water? Ditch that for the 55 gallon tank. You want Reverse Osmose, De-Ionized water(RO/DI). This is the purest of the pure water.
Because we generally do NOT know what is in our tap water, it is looked down upon to use it. It may contain many bad things in it, all of which will add a question mark to the tank, and what's going on inside it. Considering the cost of this hobby, spending $150 on a good RO/DI unit is nothing, IMO. A great insurance policy. I think that might have a LOT to do with why your CUC has died. Much more so than 1-2ppm nitrite.
PS, if your LFS is telling you to go without a skimmer, and use tap water, AND that you can keep an angel with a clarki in a 29, go smack him in the face and tell him that you will not be so naiive anymore.
If you are in the process of setting up the 55, I would look at 75-80lbs of LR. The general rule of thumb is 1-2lbs/gal. I think the rock might have been one of your biggest issues. I also disagree with Randy. The OP is 2 months into this hobby, and has obviously gotten some pretty bad advice from their LFS. Being a beginner, understanding your reef, testing, and why we test, I would NEVER skip testing anything. Nitrite is important, even if not lethal.
Also, you are using tap water? Ditch that for the 55 gallon tank. You want Reverse Osmose, De-Ionized water(RO/DI). This is the purest of the pure water.
Because we generally do NOT know what is in our tap water, it is looked down upon to use it. It may contain many bad things in it, all of which will add a question mark to the tank, and what's going on inside it. Considering the cost of this hobby, spending $150 on a good RO/DI unit is nothing, IMO. A great insurance policy. I think that might have a LOT to do with why your CUC has died. Much more so than 1-2ppm nitrite.
PS, if your LFS is telling you to go without a skimmer, and use tap water, AND that you can keep an angel with a clarki in a 29, go smack him in the face and tell him that you will not be so naiive anymore.
stingythingy45
New member
Just a simple API test kit will do.
And as stated above get ro/di water for the 55 gallon.
Even if you have to purchase it from a local chain store or LFS.
You are going to have massive algae blooms if you don't.
Chiefsurfer
New member
Alk of 14 is high. That is likely a direct result of the PH suppliment, and the reason most do not reccomend using PH buffers, because it raises alk. I am not sure how to lower Alk. It might lower on its own over time without the PH suppliments.
ro/di units work in a number of ways.
Usually they have what are called stages. The first stage, or two(depending on total # of stages) will be particulate filters. These will filter out larger particles of stuff. Like metals, calcium precipitate, etc. Then after that will be either charcoal or carbon(or both) which are to filter out chlorine and chloramine(chlorine is carbon, chloramine is charcoal). Then it goes to a "membrane" this is a ton of slightly porous sheets of paper rolled VERY tightly, and the water is forced through all these membranes at a pretty high pressure. On smaller units, you can use whatever your house pressure is, although up to about 80 psi, the higher the better. Some houses have very low water-pressure and need a booster pump. The membrane removes 90%(or more) of the particulate from the water. This includes flouride, nitrates, phosphates, silicates, etc. Then the water goes to the last stage, which is your de-ionizing media. DI resin looks like teeny tiny little plastic pellets in a big canister. They are supposed to be ionically charged so that ANY particles that managed to pass through the membrane are attracted to the little plastic balls, giving you water that has NOTHING!!! but Hydrogen and Oxygen(H2O).
ro/di units work in a number of ways.
Usually they have what are called stages. The first stage, or two(depending on total # of stages) will be particulate filters. These will filter out larger particles of stuff. Like metals, calcium precipitate, etc. Then after that will be either charcoal or carbon(or both) which are to filter out chlorine and chloramine(chlorine is carbon, chloramine is charcoal). Then it goes to a "membrane" this is a ton of slightly porous sheets of paper rolled VERY tightly, and the water is forced through all these membranes at a pretty high pressure. On smaller units, you can use whatever your house pressure is, although up to about 80 psi, the higher the better. Some houses have very low water-pressure and need a booster pump. The membrane removes 90%(or more) of the particulate from the water. This includes flouride, nitrates, phosphates, silicates, etc. Then the water goes to the last stage, which is your de-ionizing media. DI resin looks like teeny tiny little plastic pellets in a big canister. They are supposed to be ionically charged so that ANY particles that managed to pass through the membrane are attracted to the little plastic balls, giving you water that has NOTHING!!! but Hydrogen and Oxygen(H2O).
stingythingy45
New member
That's quite high,but sometimes it's best to let it drop naturally.
I'm just glad that you have stopped the PH buffer or it could have been VERY bad.Cudos,that you went and got an alk kit to find where it was.You could do a slight water change of like 10% to drop the alk.
BTW Chiefsurfer,
Excellent explanation of the ro/di filter.
I agree that I'd just let the alk fall on its own and not add anything to boost it, while continuing normal water changes. This has more:
Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
This has more details on what an RO/DI does and how:
Reverse Osmosis/Deionization Systems to Purify Tap Water for Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.htm
Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
This has more details on what an RO/DI does and how:
Reverse Osmosis/Deionization Systems to Purify Tap Water for Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.htm
Chiefsurfer
New member
I personally wouldn't want it to filter all my water. Most of what you can drink can be pretty contaiminated(in terms of what WE are trying to filter out) and be FINE for us. Also, I am a firm believer in drinking tap because of the flouride. I have been drinking tap for as long as I can remember(3-4 yrs old) and to this day I have not had a single cavity, and I do brush my teeth, but only 2x a day, and have not flossed, or gargled with mouthwash a day in my life.
Some people "hard-wire" it into a pipe in their "fish room", but being in an un-alterable apartment, I use a "quick-connect" fitting on my bathroom sink. You take out the screen part of your faucet, screw in like 3 pieces, then stick a tube into it.
Let me see if I can find a good pic of it set-up.
Here is one that looks mounted in the basement, which is probably their "fish room" and probably hard-wired in.
And here is one that is set-up to be "storeable" and is not connected all the time.
There is also a simple adapter you can get so that you can plug it into your hose faucet outside.
Some people "hard-wire" it into a pipe in their "fish room", but being in an un-alterable apartment, I use a "quick-connect" fitting on my bathroom sink. You take out the screen part of your faucet, screw in like 3 pieces, then stick a tube into it.
Let me see if I can find a good pic of it set-up.
Here is one that looks mounted in the basement, which is probably their "fish room" and probably hard-wired in.
And here is one that is set-up to be "storeable" and is not connected all the time.
There is also a simple adapter you can get so that you can plug it into your hose faucet outside.
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