Water Parameter Questions

B

Bubble Brain

Ok, I finaly went out and got my own water test kit insted of having my LFS do my test for me. So now I have a few questions, I have a 30 gal hex tank with about 30 lbs of live sand and 30lbs of live rock 2 percs, 1 target goby, 2 chromis and a yellow tang, some zoas, hammer coral, some frog spawn, a few mushrooms, and 1 LTA. I am running a 60gal filter and a CPR skimmer with bio bale. I just did a 20% water change and am still having a few Water Parameter issues.

temp=80^
PH=8.3
Ammonia=.1 ppm (I am still working on getting this down with water changes)
Nitrite=0 ppm
Nitrate= 80 pmm (way to high, and my be higher than this)

I guess I should do a few more water changes. But I was wondering if pulling the bio bale out and cleaning it, or should I take it out alltogher and not put it back
 
Allen, remove the wheel and the bale. You know what wheel I'm talking about. You do not need these things with the LR/LS you have in your tank.
 
Yep, the bio wheel & bale are your nitrate source. Remove them and watch your nitrates fall to near zero in a couple weeks.
 
How long have you have set up, how did you cycle?? You shouldn't have any ammonia if you have already cycled. The nitrates are usually high after cycle and you can reduce with a 50% water change(s) prior to stocking. Agree that bio wheels or anything that can trap detrius can be a nitrate factory, but that usually take a while. Nitrates shouldn't be a problem unless you have heavy bioload or you are overfeeding or are still cycling. JMO
 
ok just retested the water. This is after a 20% wc 2 days back to back.
ph=8.3---same
nitrite=0---same
nitrate=60----lower
ammonia=.25---higher
calcium=320

I pulled the bio bale & wheel before the wc.
I also added a HQI light (nothing to do with above just happy I got it)
 
@scokill wrote:
How long have you have set up said:
tanks been up for about 7month's. I may have been over feeding (2x a day) last 2 weeks only one time a day. As far as heavy bioload I dont think so, (livestock listed in first post) but you folks tell me.
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I am a newbie, but it seems to me that a 30 Gal aquarium with 30# of Live rock would most likely be closer to a 25 gallon tank? There is 6 fish in that tank and 1 of them is a
Prolific eater / pooper said:
to me it seems like a heavy bio load. If you do the math it is like keeping 19 fish in a 75 Gal tank? That to me seems like a lot of fish???

I personally think if you must keep the Tang you should consider selling or trading off 2 fish.

But again I am just a newbie but I was told by 2 LFS that 4 fish should be about the maximum in a Biocube 29?????
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