Nitrates through the roof...

[mason90]

So I did the wrong thing and have a wet/dry.... I need to switch it over to LR ASAP how fast should I do this change over? Can I do it all at once of do I need to do it gradually?.... Help corals are fading fish are fine just started using a new rodi the past couple weeks and thought it was my new AI sol blues that where creating the problem though I onl have em at 30% at there max through out the day and had 250w mh before... Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks mason

 

[mason90]

Thought my hippo tang would be real bad with this problem but happy as a clam

 

[JohnK]

Start removing the bio balls a little each day, spread it out over a couple of weeks.

I'd also suggest starting to do frequent water changes with that nice new RODI water, this will bring down the nitrate and whatever other nastiness that accumulated from using non-RODI in the past.

 

[delta]

While the wet/dry may be lacking, unless the system is overloaded it should take care of the nitrates. I would slowly switch over but I am doubting this is your only problem.

Start changing water 25-30% twice a week for 2-4 weeks or until things improve then once a we there on out.

Fish can handle nitrates corals not so much.

Corals will react to lighting changes but hard to tell not a lot of info to go on but the advice for more water changes still stands

 

[Ford625]

Definite water changes to start for sure! Good luck!

 

[mason90]

Alright so how would I go about it would I get to the point where there was nothing at all in there than put the LR or like put the rock in as I take it out?

 

[mordibv]

What is being suggested is to leave the bio balls alone and just do water changes over the next few weeks to get the levels down .
After the levels are acceptable , u can pick up some cured live rock and start adding it to the tank unless they already is some in there . ( just a guess )
When u feel there is enough rock in there you can start removing the balls .

 

[mason90]

I mean the display is full of LR I only have one piece in by the return and the wet/dry to the left... Was going to take all the bio balls out and replace that whole area with LR rubble to basically make it a sump... Part of the issue is I can't get the w/d out and switch it completely with out taking the whole tank down because I can't get it out through the front...

 

[mordibv]

U do not need lr in the sump or wet-dry . You may have to add some to the sump to quiet down the over flow water but if the drain is set up right , all should be reasonably quiet . The rock in the tank should be enough to support ur bio-load . As far as bio ball removal revisit posts 3,4 and 5 ... plus the wc .

 

[willray]

Where you using ro/di from the start? If not that's where your a lot of the trates came from.I think it's a good idea that you put rocks/rubble in place of the bio-balls.Depending on your stand if you want to get the wet/dry out you may be able to cut the center brace out and replace it.I have done it and have done for others.

 

[mordibv]

Where you using ro/di from the start? If not that's where your a lot of the trates came from.I think it's a good idea that you put rocks/rubble in place of the bio-balls.Depending on your stand if you want to get the wet/dry out you may be able to cut the center brace out and replace it.I have done it and have done for others.

Everyone does things differently. To me out of site means out of mind. Mine became a.detritus trap. So no more rock in the sump for me.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

 

[delta]

Where you using ro/di from the start? If not that's where your a lot of the trates came from.I think it's a good idea that you put rocks/rubble in place of the bio-balls.Depending on your stand if you want to get the wet/dry out you may be able to cut the center brace out and replace it.I have done it and have done for others.

+1
The ultimate goal would be to remove the bio balls and add a sump w/LR and possibly a refugium.

 

[mason90]

Ok yea iv done that no more bio balls and I did a big water change it seemed to help how often should I do another one to drop it? Did it yesterday bought a reactor going to get that soon and start using it any suggestions on medea?

 

[mason90]

My coral seems to be deteriorating and it's frustrating because they were doing so well all other parameters are normal besides the nitrates

 

[mason90]

And o yea i made the bad mistake of using tap water with an additive for the first 8 mo.... :-/

 

[smile57]

10% water change on a weekly basis should do the trick. Make sure you get rid of the bio balls. Slowly though as jimmyj7090 said!

Good luck!