High Nitrate, 0 nitrite and 0-0.25ppm ammonia

[AKreef14]

Hi reef people!

I'm very new to the hobby and could use some advice.

So I have my 75 gal tank as seen in the pic. I have two oscarella clowns right now in there.

-I'm doing once a month 20% water changes.
- once a month fluval 307 filter cleaning
- have the protein skimmer seen there
- have the lights but I haven't been using them yet because I wanted to get my next fish (yellow tang) and get him acclimated before turning them on -> this is the advice of the brs tv videos.

these two have been living solo for about 3 months (just the 1 before that for a month). The tank has developed many many green spots on the dry rock in the last month and a half.

My ammonia appears to be 0, Nitrite 0, and nitrate somewhere in the 20-40 range. I want to get my next fish friend but think I should reduce my nitrate first?? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[blaxsun]

Canister filter, yes? How often are you cleaning it? You will probably be further with a HOB filter system where you can change the media out much more frequently (once a week).

 

[Lavey29]

Should be doing weekly water changes in a new tank not monthly. Wise to keep lights off the first months to allow your tank to develop biodiversity and microfauna. It will make your ugly stages more manageable. I would hold off on the tang until you have a good amount of green algae on the rocks after lights on so he has a food source to graze on but you can add other colorful fish now.

At this point, you should be testing alk, phosphate, nitrates and salinity weekly and cal and magnesium monthly.

 

[Garf]

Hi reef people!

I'm very new to the hobby and could use some advice.

So I have my 75 gal tank as seen in the pic. I have two oscarella clowns right now in there.

-I'm doing once a month 20% water changes.
- once a month fluval 307 filter cleaning
- have the protein skimmer seen there
- have the lights but I haven't been using them yet because I wanted to get my next fish (yellow tang) and get him acclimated before turning them on -> this is the advice of the brs tv videos.

these two have been living solo for about 3 months (just the 1 before that for a month). The tank has developed many many green spots on the dry rock in the last month and a half.

My ammonia appears to be 0, Nitrite 0, and nitrate somewhere in the 20-40 range. I want to get my next fish friend but think I should reduce my nitrate first?? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

Buy a Salifert nitrate test kit and it’ll probably read about 10ppm, problem over, lol

 

[AKreef14]

Canister filter, yes? How often are you cleaning it? You will probably be further with a HOB filter system where you can change the media out much more frequently (once a week).

Yeah the Fluval is a cannister. So far when I've cleaned the sponges are dang clean. This month there was a bit of gunk but last month she was near clean. Thank you for the advice

 

[Garf]

Yeah the Fluval is a cannister. So far when I've cleaned the sponges are dang clean. This month there was a bit of gunk but last month she was near clean. Thank you for the advice

You got loads of potential, have you got loads of patience?

 

[AKreef14]

Should be doing weekly water changes in a new tank not monthly. Wise to keep lights off the first months to allow your tank to develop biodiversity and microfauna. It will make your ugly stages more manageable. I would hold off on the tang until you have a good amount of green algae on the rocks after lights on so he has a food source to graze on but you can add other colorful fish now.

At this point, you should be testing alk, phosphate, nitrates and salinity weekly and cal and magnesium monthly.

Thanks for the advice, all!!

Thanks Lavey. Copy that maybe I'll skip the tang for now and snag another buddy. I'm gonna ook into the other test kits too. I'll probably try a bit more water changes too.

Any advice out there about either a higher % water or just the 20% but increase frequency?

Cheers

 

[Katherine Corals]

Personally, I think your method of 20% is just fine for now. The first 6 months of the tank "phases" are normal, and as others have mentioned, you have plenty of patience!
Pertaining to your question of nitrates being too high, I personally keep my nitrates at 50ppm and I think right now they're about 80 lol
What is more important, is the Red Field Ratio. So, if your Nitrate are 20-40ppm you would want your phosphates at 0.20-0.40 respectably. (My phosphates are 0.80 and nitrate 80.. I do want to know my goals are 0.40 phosphate and 40ppm nitrate however)
I advice on holding off on the Tang for now, and maybe consider a lawn mower blenny. Those little fellas are cute and put in some work!