Please Help: My Son's Tank

[Brent Wilson]

Folks,

We have a 55gal tank that we slowly built up to 25 lbs of live rock and
approx 11 species over the first 7 months. All was good until 4 months ago,
we lost 7 species within 2 days (a crushing blow to my 12 yr old marine
biologist!). Our nitrates were off the chart!(100+ ppm) We took emergency
procedures to save the remaining species (cleaner shrip, niger trigger, 2-
hermit crabs).
The bottom line is this, besides water changes we were told to take out the
bio-balls from our sump and in their place put algae (not sure what type it
is), some more live sand, and place a 24/7 bright light next to the sump...
and wait it out. It's now been 4 months with waterchanges and waiting and we
are down to only 40 ppm. Will we ever get down to 0 as I have read we should
be?

Thanx
-Brent (& Kyle)

[Billy]

"Brent Wilson" > wrote in message
...
| Folks,
|
| We have a 55gal tank that we slowly built up to 25 lbs of live rock
and
| approx 11 species over the first 7 months. All was good until 4
months ago,
| we lost 7 species within 2 days (a crushing blow to my 12 yr old
marine
| biologist!). Our nitrates were off the chart!(100+ ppm) We took
emergency
| procedures to save the remaining species (cleaner shrip, niger
trigger, 2-
| hermit crabs).
| The bottom line is this, besides water changes we were told to take
out the
| bio-balls from our sump and in their place put algae (not sure what
type it
| is), some more live sand, and place a 24/7 bright light next to the
sump...
| and wait it out. It's now been 4 months with waterchanges and
waiting and we
| are down to only 40 ppm. Will we ever get down to 0 as I have read
we should
| be?

Can you tell us more about the bio-load? (number and size of
inhabitats etc) In a 55 gallon tank, chances are good that 25 lbs of
liverock is insufficient to process away ammonia in the quantities
that your tank is producing it. That assumed, you will need more
liverock, or "artificial" bio-filtration.

Liverock: Expensive. Takes up space in the tank that you might not
want taken up with rock. However, it is by far the best way to
process ammonia all the way to harmlessness. Plus it looks great, and
brings in all kinds of hitchhikers that add to the general diversity
of your little ecosystem.

Artificial: Bio-balls, filter-floss, bio-wheels, etc. These work
great, too! However, they will not de-toxify nitrate, so this will
need to be removed in one of two ways: Water changes, or macro-algaes
like caulerpa. A sump or refugium, with proper lighting, (I just use
of of those compact flourescent bulbs) will make a good home for one
of the various types of macro-algaes, which utilize nitrogen. In
sufficient quatities, water changes may be a rarely needed event.

billy

[J.S.]

I have also heard that bio balls can cause nitrates to be high. It seems
that as time goes on they become too efficient and start pouring nitrates
back into the system. It was a good thing to remove and replace them with
the macro algae. Is the macro growing well? I too had a problem with high
nitrates until I added macro (chaeto) to my system.
I would definitely recommend doubling your live rock. What kind of fresh
water source are you using? If it is medicated tap water that may be the
cause. Only use RO (reverse osmosis) water or distilled.



"Brent Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> Folks,
>
> We have a 55gal tank that we slowly built up to 25 lbs of live rock and
> approx 11 species over the first 7 months. All was good until 4 months
> ago, we lost 7 species within 2 days (a crushing blow to my 12 yr old
> marine biologist!). Our nitrates were off the chart!(100+ ppm) We took
> emergency procedures to save the remaining species (cleaner shrip, niger
> trigger, 2- hermit crabs).
> The bottom line is this, besides water changes we were told to take out
> the bio-balls from our sump and in their place put algae (not sure what
> type it is), some more live sand, and place a 24/7 bright light next to
> the sump... and wait it out. It's now been 4 months with waterchanges and
> waiting and we are down to only 40 ppm. Will we ever get down to 0 as I
> have read we should be?
>
> Thanx
> -Brent (& Kyle)
>

[david]

How big were the fish? Did you introduce them all at once? The tank may
have been over populated.
"Brent Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> Folks,
>
> We have a 55gal tank that we slowly built up to 25 lbs of live rock and
> approx 11 species over the first 7 months. All was good until 4 months
ago,
> we lost 7 species within 2 days (a crushing blow to my 12 yr old marine
> biologist!). Our nitrates were off the chart!(100+ ppm) We took emergency
> procedures to save the remaining species (cleaner shrip, niger trigger, 2-
> hermit crabs).
> The bottom line is this, besides water changes we were told to take out
the
> bio-balls from our sump and in their place put algae (not sure what type
it
> is), some more live sand, and place a 24/7 bright light next to the
sump...
> and wait it out. It's now been 4 months with waterchanges and waiting and
we
> are down to only 40 ppm. Will we ever get down to 0 as I have read we
should
> be?
>
> Thanx
> -Brent (& Kyle)
>
>

[PaulB]

I think the first order of business is water changes. This will bring your
nitrates down. Test for nitrates and change the water before it gets that
high.

Also, a deep sand bed is cheaper than live rock and possible more effective
for lowering nitrates. A good skimmer will also help.





"Brent Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> Folks,
>
> We have a 55gal tank that we slowly built up to 25 lbs of live rock and
> approx 11 species over the first 7 months. All was good until 4 months
> ago, we lost 7 species within 2 days (a crushing blow to my 12 yr old
> marine biologist!). Our nitrates were off the chart!(100+ ppm) We took
> emergency procedures to save the remaining species (cleaner shrip, niger
> trigger, 2- hermit crabs).
> The bottom line is this, besides water changes we were told to take out
> the bio-balls from our sump and in their place put algae (not sure what
> type it is), some more live sand, and place a 24/7 bright light next to
> the sump... and wait it out. It's now been 4 months with waterchanges and
> waiting and we are down to only 40 ppm. Will we ever get down to 0 as I
> have read we should be?
>
> Thanx
> -Brent (& Kyle)
>

[PaulB]

"Brent Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> Folks,
>
> We have a 55gal tank that we slowly built up to 25 lbs of live rock and
> approx 11 species over the first 7 months. All was good until 4 months
> ago, we lost 7 species within 2 days (a crushing blow to my 12 yr old
> marine biologist!). Our nitrates were off the chart!(100+ ppm) We took
> emergency procedures to save the remaining species (cleaner shrip, niger
> trigger, 2- hermit crabs).
> The bottom line is this, besides water changes we were told to take out
> the bio-balls from our sump and in their place put algae (not sure what
> type it is), some more live sand, and place a 24/7 bright light next to
> the sump... and wait it out. It's now been 4 months with waterchanges and
> waiting and we are down to only 40 ppm. Will we ever get down to 0 as I
> have read we should be?
>
> Thanx
> -Brent (& Kyle)
>