Just got finished taking my saltwater test results. Could use some advice!

[deaniscool]

So this is my first time testing water from this tank that I've had running at my house for approximately 4 days. The person I bought it from had it running for ~1 month or so. Unfortunately my Nitrate is really high, but the pH, Ammonia and Nitrite look O.K. to me. Was wondering what you guys think, and wondering about any recommendations for next steps. The tank came with one damselfish, not sure the breed, and he seems to still be doing fine. There is some algae growth starting which I'm assuming is from my high Nitrate levels. Salt is at 1.025.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What size is this tank? What living is in it?

 

[Diesel]

Just one damsel I believe he mentioned that.
The numbers are not bad but I would concentrate on getting ammonia and the Nitrate under control a bit more.
Can you post a picture from your setup?
It will give us a better idea how it all looks like.
Thank you.

 

[deaniscool]

@Diesel Sorry for the delayed response, 20 Gallon. Living in it is a Damsel, clown, green emerald crab, 4 nasarius snails and two chromi's that were just added. I did a 20% water change today, I am going to do a 20% change each day this week I think hoping to get phosphates down. I am running a filter, a NS-80 Reef octopus HOB Skimmer, Aqua Clear filter, hydor 240 gph on the left side, on the right side I'm not sure what size power head, it's significantly bigger. Here is a picture I took earlier:

 

[Diesel]

I think you doing great so far.
Hold off on everyday a water change.
IMO you tank isn't cycled all the way through.
Keep a eye out on the ammonia and nitrite for now.
If you start seeing some diatoms you can do a water change of 1 or 2 gallons.

 

[deaniscool]

I think you doing great so far.
Hold off on everyday a water change.
IMO you tank isn't cycled all the way through.
Keep a eye out on the ammonia and nitrite for now.
If you start seeing some diatoms you can do a water change of 1 or 2 gallons.

Thanks! That means a lot. I am just kind of worried about the nitrate levels, which is why I wanted to do a daily water change with local fish store water so that I can lower them. My tap water is high I believe. I want to get a RO/DI installed eventually.

I added a small coral today as well.

When I purchased the tank it was running for about a month with no filter or protein skimmer, and the guy said that it had already cycled. I will hold off adding anything else for a while, and see how this coral and the other fish do. Although the Damsel doesn't take too kindly to the Chromi's . Another slight problem I have with my protein skimmer is that it's adding a lot of micro bubbles. If I had a sump/refugium I'm sure this problem wouldn't be as bad. I've tried tooling around with the different features of it and haven't found anything that reduces them except for turning it off. Maybe I will just run it at night while I'm at work, what do you think?

 

[Diesel]

Nitrate aren't important to your fish.
It can create a nice algae garden.
Yet if you want corals in the future you have to bring down to a easily to maintain level of 2ppm

 

[Diesel]

Your Skimmer is still about to break in if it releases Micro bubbles in your tank.
It can take several days to do so.
Google and read about how and why it's breaking in.

 

[deaniscool]

@Diesel that's what's I've read about the skimmer, needs to break in. I've only had it about 2 days yet. Still giving it a chance. I'll work on bringing the nitrates down in the near future.

 

[Diesel]

Awesome.
Keep us up to date my friend and if you have more questions you can find me here.......https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/toys-for-kids-2016-lets-make-some-kids-happy.276313/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

With a new 20 gallon tank, I'd do close to a 100% water change to drop nitrate.

 

[deaniscool]

With a new 20 gallon tank, I'd do close to a 100% water change to drop nitrate.

Would I have to worry about shocking the fish?

 

[Duke4Life]

Would I have to worry about shocking the fish?

Need to match salinty, temperature, and ph.

 

[deaniscool]

Need to match salinty, temperature, and ph.

What if I got my fish in a separate bucket with old tank water, and dripped them to the levels of the new stuff? I will be getting the water from the local store's running tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What if I got my fish in a separate bucket with old tank water, and dripped them to the levels of the new stuff? I will be getting the water from the local store's running tank.

That sounds fine.