New Tank ?

[XJXAXYX]

Hello can anyone help i have set up a new tank, to mature the filters live rock was added and some live bacteria. 8 weeks on the ammonia is zero, but the nitrites and nitrates are both high. Any suggestions?

 

[HappyGeorge]

Firstly welcome, secondly we would be happy to help but could we have a bit more info please. Size of tank, did you use RO water, when you say filter what equipment are you running (skimmer, pumps, cannister filter) and how much live rock do you have, also what is the circulation do you have powerheads? What do you mean by Live bacteria?

Cheers

 

[XJXAXYX]

It a 55gal tank filled with RO water. It has a trickle filter with a Weipro skimmer,Eheim pump to a spray bar and one power head 6000l/h. It's only a small amount of live rock. The live bacteria was suggested by a pet shop, Marine Live Filter Bacteria. As i said before it has been running for 8 weeks but readings are high.

 

[HappyGeorge]

Well your Live rock is all the filter you need, the organisms living in the rock will filter the water as it is pushed over, round and through the rock by your pumps/powerheads. If it was fully cured Live rock, or from an established system then it would need no help to get started although most people see a small cycle. When you say high what are the readings on Nitrate and Nitrite? Obviously the only way to remove nitrate is to water change or to otherwise convert it i.e use of chaeto grown in a sump. Next question would be have you added anything except the bacteria additive and where was the rock from i.e was it supposedly fully cured, when you say small amount how much approx? A tank your size would need around 40 kilos.

 

[XJXAXYX]

Nitrate NO3 low range 10 p.p.m. Nitrites NO2 0.2 p.p.m. i defo don't have that much live rock. Will try adding more to see how it goes thank you for the tips.

 

[seffieuk]

to the forum

As HG said,(edited, because its been a looooong day and it was HG who said it not Woody!) if you are going for a tank which is filtered by live rock, you will need a fair amount more Some people do only use a mechanical filter, but we dont see it very often anymore.

So lets think about what might be going on:

I am surprised that after all this time you are still getting a nitrIte spike, how old are your test kits and have you had a second opinion from your lfs?

You say that you intend buying more live rock, which is great, so lets not even worry about the nitrIte for the moment and concentrate on the cycle you may or may not get when you add the next lot of live rock, ok? When do you intend getting it?

I would remove the trickle filter, you dont need it.

Keep us updated

Seffie x

 

[HappyGeorge]

Erm I'm not Woody Seffie, I don't know first he is credited with my cake making efforts and now he is my ghost writer.

 

[fishy55599]

As Woody says

hard day at work?

 

[seffieuk]

Erm I'm not Woody Seffie, I don't know first he is credited with my cake making efforts and now he is my ghost writer.

As Woody says

hard day at work?

Oh................. what am I like!