Peacock Paradise Buildup!

[sjmantis]

Everything that is in my test kit. Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph

 

[FLMantis]

That sucks... Do you know how old your test kits are? I read some where that they only have a year shelf life. I could be wrong, maybe take your water to LFS and do a comparison.

Good luck on your hunt and search.

BTW... Awesome setup...

 

[sjmantis]

That sucks... Do you know how old your test kits are? I read some where that they only have a year shelf life. I could be wrong, maybe take your water to LFS and do a comparison.

Good luck on your hunt and search.

BTW... Awesome setup...

Well I can check when I got home, I bought these when I started this tank up in July so I guess if it sat at the lfs for a while that could be true.

 

[twiggyb]

How often do you do water changes? I would think if you kept up with your maintenance then your params would be fine. Unless if something else died and it went unnoticed.

 

[sjmantis]

Water changes are 5g every week. I have a very low bioload as well

 

[Nyghtfire]

mate i'm sure you've done amazing, and after new years my mantis gets an upgrade, and i think i'll immatate you, unless i decide to go reef.
but one thing i've never understood how do you guys deal with algae, scrape or are there any creatures that will help along?
should add, my peacock is just a baby, not even an inch yet, active feeder though

 

[sjmantis]

Well first off are you sure it's a peacock, it's very rare to find them that small.

 

[ritter6788]

Well first off are you sure it's a peacock, it's very rare to find them that small.

Agreed. If it is truly a O. scyllarus I would love to see pics of it.

 

[Nyghtfire]

i think so, and i'm an aussie mate, my store just found him in there live rock...
i have to go to work now, but will definetly have pictures when i get home, with any luck, my marine creature picture taking skills are horrible.

 

[sjmantis]

So I think I've been making huge mistakes. I got a hold of a different test kit and found out my nitrates are pretty high, around 30-40ppm. Guess my tests were bad. Everything else tested really good, no nitrites or ammonia, just nitrates. I do have a skimmer, although it is very under rated for the size tank. I also do weekly 5gal water changes, any ideas as to what could be causing this?

 

[Nyghtfire]

So I think I've been making huge mistakes. I got a hold of a different test kit and found out my nitrates are pretty high, around 30-40ppm. Guess my tests were bad. Everything else tested really good, no nitrites or ammonia, just nitrates. I do have a skimmer, although it is very under rated for the size tank. I also do weekly 5gal water changes, any ideas as to what could be causing this?

Any Chance somethings dead and rotting in your tank, i had a similar problem, had a dead snail buried in the sand, remvoed it, and been fine ever since

 

[sjmantis]

No but I think I found the problem. The eggcrate I had put on the bottom had been somehow trapping a lot of detritus under it. I think Im also gonna re-tool my sump next month when I get taxes and put in a nice skimmer

 

[Luckedout]

I've actually wondered about this quite a bit because it seems eggcrate is popular to put down in mantis tanks..... Maybe using the acrylic sheet is a better option.

 

[slosht]

I'd skip the egg crate buried under the sand, you would run into the same problems that people run into with those undergravel filters.

 

[Darth Chingas]

So I think I've been making huge mistakes. I got a hold of a different test kit and found out my nitrates are pretty high, around 30-40ppm. Guess my tests were bad. Everything else tested really good, no nitrites or ammonia, just nitrates. I do have a skimmer, although it is very under rated for the size tank. I also do weekly 5gal water changes, any ideas as to what could be causing this?

What kind of test kit were you using and what are you using now? I've had a similar issue with nitrates. If I use Salifert or Instant Ocean (powders), I get sub 10ppm. I use Tetra or API (liquids), I get readings of 20-80ppm. From what I understand, Saliferts are the gold standard so I go by that....

BTW, I've had egg crate in my mantis tank (20L) for the last 5 months and am not seeing any issues. Could it be something contaminating the tank or that the mantis are eating? Might be worth a try to pull out all the live stock and see how your next guy holds out.

Pickles says hang in there......

 

[ritter6788]

What kind of test kit were you using and what are you using now? I've had a similar issue with nitrates. If I use Salifert or Instant Ocean (powders), I get sub 10ppm. I use Tetra or API (liquids), I get readings of 20-80ppm. From what I understand, Saliferts are the gold standard so I go by that....

......

I use the API and get 0-5. It is a touchy test though. If you don't do it exactly as the instructions say the numbers will be off.

 

[sjmantis]

It was two different API test kits, the newer one read nitrates. Do either of you guys run sumps? I think my problem also is I'm getting stuff built up down there because I'm not running a filte sock or skimmer or anything.

 

[ritter6788]

It was two different API test kits, the newer one read nitrates. Do either of you guys run sumps? I think my problem also is I'm getting stuff built up down there because I'm not running a filte sock or skimmer or anything.

You know, I run a sump on my 75 gallon and I had this problem too. I didn't have a sump for a long time and my tank was fine. After adding a refugium I started to get higher nitrates and cyano came along with it. The detritus on the bottom was building up a lot and I had to vacuum it out often. I had a huge wad of chaeto in there and I took it out one day and the junk that was trapped in there was rediculous. I removed all the chaeto and sand so now all I have is a bare bottom sump with a few pieces of live rock. I also added a filter sock and a power head to circulate the detritus so it didn't just sit on the bottom. My nitrates have been much better since. Chaeto is supposed to help a tank but it made mine worse.

 

[Darth Chingas]

It was two different API test kits, the newer one read nitrates. Do either of you guys run sumps? I think my problem also is I'm getting stuff built up down there because I'm not running a filte sock or skimmer or anything.

I have 4 tanks and none of they with sumps. A 75 gal. reef with two power heads, a protien skimmer and a penguin HOB running just the filter pads with carbon. Pickles (Peacock) is currently in a 20L with a biowheel HOB and powerhead. Murderface (Purple Spot) is in a 29 gal with a biowheel HOB and powerhead. And my baby G. Viridis, President Camacho, is in a 5 gal. with powerhead only. All my systems have Live Rock and faily deep sandbeds and I do water changes as needed but at least monthly. Love to run sumps but they are so damn expensive......

 

[sjmantis]

Yea I keep having small cyano outbreaks too but I can always keep that in check. I think I'm going to remove all the sand and just keep LR. Im planning on getting a reef octo or magus next month and I've heard those work great. Anyways I went and installed a filter sock today and that came out great. The only thing is I accidently crushed my porcelain crab when I was pulling out my overflow from my sump. Real freak accident . Ive had him since I setup my original 20L ten months ago.