Hello from Kailua, HI!

Hello everyone! I live in Kailua, Hawaii. I went to university here (majored in marine biology) and now work at a public aquarium (mostly open systems). I've been working at the aquarium since last July. We keep corals, plenty of fish, and, my favorites: large sharks (white tips, black tips and galapagos), predatory fish (jacks and groupers) and broad sting rays.

I'm new to the hobby, I started my first salt water aquarium last May, but I'm learning fast, and hope to continue learning more here! Since I live in Hawaii, I haven't had the opportunity to keep corals. Hawaii does have some advantages though: cheap collector permits and cheap fish. Some people also take advantage of the local seawater, but I prefer to mix my own since I find it easier to mix my water, than to transport the amount needed from my work to my house.

Heres some info on my modest setup:

29 gallons (glass, not including wet/dry)
Hang-on Prizm protein skimmer
Eshopps wet/dry filter and overflow (17 gallons) with 500gph return pump (more like 250 gph due to height difference).
AA submersible UV sterilizer
1 Koralia nano 240gph
T8 flourescent lighting fixture (1 bulb, forget wattage but its not high).
10 gallon quaranteen tank with hang-on power filter
About 35 pounds of sand
About 25 pounds of rock

Fish: 1 juvenile yellow tang (temporary-holding for friend), 2 false percula clown fish, 1 domino damsel, 1 4-stripe damsel and 1 yellow watchman goby.

Inverts: 1 marbled shrimp, 1 snakehead cowry, 1 spotted linkia, 1 spiny brittle star, 1 cone snail hermit crab, 1 Hawaiian elegant hermit crab and 1 unidentified hermit crab (it is pastel-green in color and inhabits a textile cone shell- I'll post a picture later. It is a local hermit crab and none of my books can identify it).

Some problems I've been having:
1) Nitrates -common problem, but I can't get nitrates below 20mg/L.
I'm not overfeeding, I do a 5 gallon water change and siphon the sand once per week, I have a bag of denitrate by Seachem in my sump and skimmer, I clean the pre-filters in overflow and pump every day and I've tested my tap water for nitrate. I've got a few ideas as to what could be causing the problem: overstocked tank, overly efficient bio-filter, or maybe my test kit is not accurate. I test using cheap API colormetric tests. I'd like to try some more delicate inverts, but need to fix this problem first.

2) Diatoms - I do not have a silicate test kit so silicate could be coming in via the tap water. The brown diatoms cover my rocks quickly. I know I should use a reverse osmosis water filter, but I'm on a tight budget. I use stress coat to neutralize any chlorines/amines in the tap water and aerate it for at least 24 hours before I put it in my aquarium.

Thanks everyone! Especially if you have some insight on these problems that have been driving me nuts!

Some pics:













Can't identify this hermit crab

 

awesome welcome to 3reef, my sis lives in Hawaii

 

welcome to 3reef!!!!!!!!!;D

 

Welcome to 3reef, it sounds like you know where to head on your nitrate problem. Keep attacking you will succeed. The rodi will probably be your biggest allie at the start of your quest.

 

Hey Jake I was working all day, so I didnt see the news. Did you get any big waves from the the chili earthquake?
Oh and welcome to 3 reef.

 

aloha! can't wait to see pics plenty of helpful info and people on here to help you out

 

Welcome to 3Reef>>>>>>

 

Hi welcome!

To address your problem how long has your tank been setup and running? If it's a recent setup your bio-filter might not be well established and could make nitrate a issue. Also if your not using RO/DI water then it might be comming in through your water source?? I use API test kits and find the quite reliable for the basic tests ( ammonia, pH, nitrate, nitrite) If it's been setup for awhile you could have added something new like a piece of LR that made your tank cycle. Personally i think it will cost you much more in the long run not using RO/DI water because of the problems it can cause. unless you have a excellent water quality from the tap. Are you running any carbon and if so how old is it??


anymore info would help diagnose issues

 

welcome to 3reef.. Im so glad to see that today was not bad for you in HI.. You live in my favorite place in the world I have been to. I have half of my family living there, but on the north shore of kauai. I dont know if you surf or know Kauai, but she lives on beach at kalihiwai hui. I wish I could move in. Good luck with the tank, and dont be afraid to ask anything..

 

Welcome to 3reef Jake I am sure you will enjoy your time here.

Your sister may have heard my brother in law on the radio. He was the DJ for the radio station on Kauai and now he is the program director.