Should I start adding clean up crew yet? Conflicting Test Readings

[JusJim]

I've had my 65 Gal. setup for about 3 weeks now with 100# of "pre-cured" live rock. Taking test readings every couple of days, and because of very high nitrates was doing some 15 to 20 Gal. water changes. About 4 in 5 or 6 days.

A few days after the live rock was added I started to see the spikes in everything.

Ammonia .5
Nitrites 5
Nitrates 50+

Temperature has been kept at 80 Degrees, SG has stayed at 1.023 to 1.025, and Alkalinity has always been normal. PH has mostly been at 7.8 but did get up to 8.0 and 8.2 at one point. It is now at 7.8.

Within 10 days or so Ammo, and Nitrites have fallen to 0, but the Nitrates continued to rise until they were at least 160 or more. That is when I started the water changes.

Last water change was I believe on the 14th and the nitrates has been 40 or under since then.

This is where I get a conflict though. I've been using two different test kits at different time, usually with the same results. I have an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Kit and a Red Sea Marine Kit.

Tonight my first reading for nitrates was with the Red Sea Kit and it read 0, so I tested with the Aq. Pharm Kit and it registered 40. So I did both tests again with the same results.

I also conducted all tests tonight using both kits and everything came out the same except for the nitrates.

Anyhow all readings for trites, and ammonia have been 0 for 4 days now, and nitrates under 40 somewhere.

PH seems low????? at 7.8, and alkalinity is reading normal.

Should I start adding any clean up crew yet?

What about the low PH?

My SG reading tonight was 1.023, probably because I topped off the tank VERY FULL tonight. Should I get it up some or is this ok, since it will rise as some of the water evaporates.

TIA

 

[malintner]

What are you using for a filter? It sounds like you might have a canister filter which will cause the nitrates to stay too high.

 

[JusJim]

I have an aquaclear 110, which filters 500 GPH, (or so they say). Initially it was set up with a sponge, carbon, and biological media. At the suggestion of a marine biologist I have taken everything out except for the carbon, and am using it mainly for water flow.

I also have a coralife 125 skimmer, and am using two aquaclear 50 powerheads which are rated at 275 GPH.

 

[malintner]

I use my canister filter for the exact same thing . . . a closed circuit flow system. I don't keep any carbon in it though. Its just plain empty. A macroalgae refugium would help to reduce the nitrates. Other than that water changes are exactly the right recipe for nitrate reduction.

 

[JusJim]

So with everything else good, but nitrates still at 40, should I be thinking of adding anything (clean up crew) yet. Have no desire to add fish for a while yet.

Also, any ideas why two different test kits could be giving different readings all of a sudden?

 

[bjonesjr1]

I would get your ph up alittle bit to around 8.0- 8.3 I have mine at 8.3 The clean up crew, start at with a few then add some more don't add to many at one time.

 

[malintner]

I would take a jar of water down to your LFS and ask them to run a full test on it. I would also test my water right before or right after the LFS test it. Then you can compare your test kit results to theirs.

I have two hydrometers from different companies that gave a wide variance in salinity readings. I took them to my LFS and had them compare with his refractometer. Both were off but at least now I know what reading on one of the hydrometers gives me 1.25 salinity.

As to adding cleaners, I would start with a few snails or hermit crabs . . . BUT NOT BOTH! Your hermits will sometimes eat your snails if the new house looks particularly attractive. You don't want this natural attrition to ruin you scientific study as to whether your water quality causes you inverts to die.

 

[malintner]

I also agree with bjones on the PH and adding in small amounts.

 

[JusJim]

In regards to PH...I'm using Instant Ocean salt. I've also been told that adding the instant PH buffer stuff that will set your PH to 8.2 or 8.3 is not really so good to be adding to your tank.

How else is there to get your PH up?

 

[bjonesjr1]

I wouldn't really use that stuff, I'm not a big fan of it, I only used it once when I first set up my tank, but if you do use it follow th directions on the stuff, mix it out of the tank in a glass of your aquarium water and then add all over the tank... I tryed kent marine Ph buffer seemed to do fine...

 

[malintner]

At this stage adding buffer probably would be a good idea. It will have a tendency to raise your alk so once you have corals I would be careful. Of course, my alk stays around 17 and I can't get it to drop any lower. I'm keeping LPS and mushrooms mainly and the high alk doesn't seem to bother them.

 

[Mariner]

What kind of water are you using for top off? Is it RO/DI? If the top off water is from the tap, it may also contain high nitrates (my tapwater tests at 20 using the AP test).

Adding a lot of freshwater at once can not only lower SG too quickly, it can also lower alkalinity and result in lower pH. Adding the "pH buffer stuff" with your top off is usually a good move if you have low pH. You'll need to go over to the reef chemistry forum and read some of Randy Holmes-Farley's articles on maintaining alkalinity, calcium and pH in order to understand what you are trying to accomplish.
HTH,
Mariner

 

[JusJim]

I'm using tap water at this time. No RO/DI. Tapwater nitrates are 0.