Beginning of a serious problem??

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to this & still getting the hang of things, but I think I'm starting to have a problem. My 29g bio has been running now for almost a year problem free..... 3 weeks ago my pulsing xenia melted..... but hey, that happens sometimes, all parameters were still normal.... the last 2 weeks all of a sudden my nitrates are 40ppm & I have lots of algae on my substrate & it looks like a few of my corals are struggling, namely my green star polyps & my little patch of zoos... they are shrivling, shrinking & just not happy.... I've been doing weekly water changes, added some "stability" & added a phos sock to the filter area two days ago.... but my nitrates are still high.... (yes I tend to over feed:-[... but I'm trying to reform)... The real question is ...how do I fix this??
Thanks in advance.....

 

some ideas off top of my head

stop over feeding

switch to RO/DI water

install a denitrator (it will take weeks to kick in)

remove the algae by hand

get some snails

get more live rock (how much do you have? around 60lbs?)

do you have a refugium?

edit:
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i would recommend lots of little waterchanges, or getting a good skimmer

either way i think your nutrients have built up, giving you a pretty early old tank syndrome

 

good one sostoudt - it being a bio, I assumed she was already running a descent skimmer. I shouldn't assume though.

 

i dont even know if it comes with a skimmer but i have noticed a trend that people that lightly stock fish or do coral only have good luck with these.
the fact that its a year old with nitrate problems that there werent before, makes me think the filtration isnt good enough for a heavy feeder

 

Hi again...

I have 10 turbos.....& 4 hermits.. & a massive brittle star, I figured that was enough of a cleaning crew....
Yeah 65ish lbs of rock....
I JUST asked the guy at my lfs about a skimmer.... he said not to worry about it unless I start doing harder corals.... but you guys are the experts....
too much "crap" eh.... damn
a denitrator??? (still new @ this...)
right now I just have the bio balls, filter cartridge & the phos-sock that I put in 2 days ago.... any recommendations as to what I should add??

 

you should rinse your bioballs of once a month with saltwater. or they will also contribute to nitrate problems.


as far as the skimmer you can make it work with water changes, frequent and religous water changes. but a skimmer will make your life so much easier.

i think the skimmer would make the biggest difference of anything you could add, but you would have to figure out how you can set it up since you have a back full of equipment.

 

skimmer will make the world of diffrence. I am a big fan I tryed it awhile back w/o skimmer and when I got one that is what made this hobbie fun. Live is better after skimmer. good luck

 

Check for any build up of slime in your filter tray or housings--clean your pump impeller and housing--you would be surprised where nitrates can build up.

 

I agree totally.
You could also get a hang in tank thing for some chateo. But, the feeding has to slow. You trying to put out a fire with fire. But try what sostoudt said first.