Nitrates followup plans and help

Well the anemone didn't make it through the soap cleaning and the nitrate explosion.

So after some advice from everyone I have some answers, question and the start of a plan.

I reinstalled the skimmer and have that running and it seems to have started doing its job again but the nitrates are still rising and high. I did get a new nitrate kit, same brand and the first one consistently measure twice the amount of the new one. I also checked the tap water and R/O water and seem to have a problem with the RO unit. Tap water had about 2.5/ppm while the RO has about 5/ppm. Does this mean that the filters and membranes are done? Another strange thing is that I have done water changes of 5% 10% and 25% on consecutive days and the level has not dropped, guess it is rising and I have offset that some. Only about 6 months old.

Anyway I think I found some issues and addressed some and have more to address. Everyone mentioned the substrate collecting organics and I think that my live rock may be as big a culprit. 250 pounds and it is a wall! Think the flow is blocked too much. I also found a power head was not functioning behind the rocks. So I replaced the power head with a modded maxijet...WOW. Moves a lot of water. Next step is I plan to break up the wall to allow better water flow and place some of that rock in the Tidepool. I'll pst some pics to help explain that one. So that leads me to the next question about the wheel in the Tidepool. Tangster had mentioned that it had been known to be a nitrate factory over time, anyone else know anything about that? Sounds logical, no offense Tang, but I'd like to get a little more input. Worried that the biological being removed may cause a mini crash.

Last question is the Ehiem wet/dry in the tank. No one thought that it may cause any problems but the filter is filled with a glass substrate that is very porous. Wouldn't that cause the same problems as the crushed coral collection organic crap?

I also removed the sponges from the power head; anemone is safe from me in anemone heaven. Should I remove the sponge in the overflow box and allow the skimmer to pull more out?

So the plan is;
Break down the wall, and rebuild to allow better flow
Put the live rock in the sump to replace the wheel - still in debate.
Will mod the front side maxijets to get more water flow...less dead spots.
Figure out the Ehiem.
Keep changing the water till it STOPS!

And anything else you all may come up with, other then getting naked and getting in the tank.

 

I will gotta leave town and haven't had the time. The wall is just 250 pounds of rock piled tightly together. My thinking was with taking the rocks out if it and adding to the sump I can make this more "swiss cheese" like.

Establisehed that I am over feeding the tank, normally do that when I introduce fish to help keep them less territorial. Have 4 clowns, 2 angels, 1 dwarf angel, six line wrasse, leopard wrasse, 4 starfish and too many snails and hermit crabs to count. At work right now so I think that covers them all.

Reef Crystal salt, and the nitrates are between 50-100/ppm they finally did stop rising though!!

The RO unit is 2-3 years old. Little lesser model from pinnacle then the one that they are giving away. Everything was changed about 6 months ago.

Also thanks for the bump, never new what all the posts with just "bump" were....and now I do!

 

If I did this right then you should be able to see the "wall" I am talking about. I think that it is restricting the water flow too much and causing a lot of organic materil to collect in/on and around it. The one shows the whole of it and the close up shows how compact it is.

Apologize in advance about the poor quality pics and the dirty tank, but it was after my daughter "cleaned" it.

 

The filters in a R/O unit should be change every 6 months or so, with the exception of the membrane, they typically last 1.6 to 2 yrs. Test your R/O water. Luna

 

Did that Luna and the tap water was at 2.5 ppm while the R/O water was 5/ppm. I did get a new Nitrate test kit and plan on testing both again.

Think it is time to change them.

 

Ok, so the maxi-jets are fixed, eheim cleaned and the nitrates have at least leveled out. Skimmer seems to be slowing down but the ppm is not going below 50.

So now I'll try taking the bio wheel out but have a question first. I've seen how Otty set up his sump and the rock was out above the water level using the the light difuser.

My question is what is the advantage or reason for putting the rock above the water level in the sump?

 

None to my knowledge, I think that it just happened that way for him. But to be 100% sure, we can ask him. Luna

 

I bet you the only problem that wall is causing is the nitrates its absorbed and is holding .. Using the reason of though about circulation in and through theses wall is all B/S shot and simply put. I have over 300 lbs of a wall in a 180 all dead base rock 2 yrs ago. heavy load and never a NO3 to find once . I guess you can break it down if you want but its not the problem causing the NO3's . As for the soap ? I did not read that but I had a little pump bottle of the dial liquid stuff to be added per a Grandson 8 yrs ago .. skimmer went crazy and carbon was changed several times in as many days but no harm no foul. system was not harmed in any way , just like when the same little SH** poured some white latex wall paint in there I was painting the fish room and he and his daddy came in I was talking to my son about a Job we where doing and Alex wanted to play painter.. Fast little bugger he was..

Take this for what its worth but its not the wall causing the problem.. I'll bet you that.. and I can get them totally removed guaranteed simply easly .. if you use a sump then its so simple if not a small pump will be required maybe ?it may take 3 months ? But they will never be back. P/M if need be.