NO2 and NO3 spike?

[kksaito]

This is in regards to my 300g SW setup that will have Japanese Dragon and Tesselata Eels when shipping permits.

It has been running for over 3 months and has Tangs, Angel fish and a Grouper in it for the lat 2.

I did a 25% water change during a siphoning into the gravel last week.

The current reading (and has been this way for over a week)

PH 8.2
Ammonia .25
No2 +2 ppm
N03 160 ppm

And now Ick is setting in.

I plan to do another water change today while adding a new pump. I also plan to clean out the sump and reduce the amount of bio balls thinking that they may be the cause of the spike.

Can anyone advise how to get this under control before the eels come? Is there a product that helps maintain levels, bio balls a no no in SW set ups, etc?

Thanks
Kenny

 

[billsreef]

You've stocked too much, too fast for the development of your biological filtration to keep pace. Pending on your filtration, there might or might not be enough filtration for long term. Give us a description of what you have going so far, and we can advise if changes are needed, beyond simply taking time for the biofilter to fully cycle to the fish load.