4 months need help,ideas,info..where to go from here?

44 gal corner, DIY skimmer, bio-wheel 200 hob filter, maxi-jet 600 pointed at top, hydor koralia #2 half way down,300 watt heater.

2 scarlet reef hermits
Scooter dragonette
Pair perclua clownfish

My tank has been up and running now for about 4 months. No problems so far
After a 1 month fishles cycle with live rock,deadrock,and live sand, I had reading of
SG 1.024-1.025 , PH 8.2,ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10ppm+. I preformed a small water change and added 3 scarlet reef hermits. After about 2 weeks I added a scooter dragonette( I added this fish first do to its shy nature)during the next 2 months i trained and got the scooter plump.then I added the 2 clownfish( im in good with my local slatwater specialty shop down the street, so he helped me get a pair that would have the best chances of pairing up). That’s about were I am now ive had the clowns for lil over 2 wks, the big one nipped at the other a lil but he surrenderd quickly, now they swim and sleep together.My future plans are to add some easier corals like mushrooms, ive already diy a custom hood, after Christmas ill get some T-5s probably to go in it.but lets not get ahead of my self this is were my problem comes in. MY recent readings 2 wks after the clowns are ammonia 0, nitrite0, nitrate 20ppm . I just did a 45% water change a few days ago that droped it down to 10ppm but back right up it goes. I really don’t think I overstocked my tank, and I feed every other day. What could the cause be?, whats the best way to keep them down naturally?,besides water change every 4 days. I don’t have a sump no room for it.IM a good diy’er. Ive read a bunch of posts on fuges and such but a just want to know what you all think my setups best options are.

 

Hey!

One of the solutions is DIY coil denitrator: Reef Show - Coil Denitrator DIY 2

Alternatively, you could invest/or built small throughput canister filter. I was facing the same problem of nitrate buildup in my 75gal (sumpless) and the solution in my case was Eheim 2213 (only 100gph flow) with very porous denitrification media (in my case Seachem DeNitrate). Denitrification is an anaerobic process. It requires small water flow. The smaller the water flow, the better the filtration!

I hope that helps!

 

Hey BluePhish, dont feel bad, I have the same problem and I've had my tank up in running for over 8 yrs. Im in the process of getting a coil denitrator cycled. Even though my LPS has told me that, that thing doesnt work. My no3 doesnt move from 20ppm even after a 30gal water change. I on the other hand, am over stocked. I have about 10 fishes and alot of corals. My best guess is that your having this problem b/c you dont have a good filter system like a, wet/dry, refuge, sump, algae filter or even a good canister filter. Try to implement one and you'll see the difference. Hope this helps, Luna

 

That DIY skimmer of yours may not be doing the job it needs to.

Tank still young, give it time. Don't add any more fish for a while and keep up those water changes.

 

hey lunatik, you say your no3 is 20 ppm , and you have corals? how does this work, i thought most corals need 5ppm-0.

 

Well, thats what I dont understand either. All my corals are doing fine, infact, my monti's and my acro's are growing fine. The only coral that I cant/couldnt have in my tank have been mushrooms, with the exception of one kind. When I bought it($5), it was the size of a quarter and now its the size of a reg. cd and reproducing. According to my LFS, the reading of 20ppm should be divided by 4, which would make the reading at 5ppm. He explained it to me but he might as well have spoken chinese b/c all I heard was blah blah blah. Like Charlie Brown's teacher:yelrotflm. Maybe some of the experts read this and can explain it so a 6th grader can understand it.

 

it may be high just cause you added new fish and may just take some time to adjust.

 

Thats whats wrong with my set up. I have too much flow going throu my wet/dry and its not giving the bact. enough time to convert the no3 into the harmless nitro gas. Thanks Camilsky, let me see if I can come up with something to bring down the no3 or the flow or something else. BTW my return pump is a Magdrive 18.

 

I wish, its been like that for a while now. It always reads at 20ppm, never higher or lower.

 

How much LR do you have in the Tank.

NO3 @ 20ppm isn't that bad. Certainly not cause to freak. I would watch it. Do 10% water changes weekly. Not 45% as that might slow down the maturing of your LR.
If it's stable at 20ppm and not going higher, I would just monitor it.

J