Need some advice please--newb stress!

[TinaFoster]

So in the past couple of weeks, I've added to my 90G DT a bag of live sand(poured through a PVC pipe hovering just above the bottom to minimize sand blowing around), 3 new corals, put the balance of my fish back in following fishless time to kill ich(royal gramma, lawnmower blenny, bicolor blenny, six line wrasse, coral beauty angel, diamond goby, and hippo blue tang are the fish list--all small except the gramma, he's putting on some size for what he is so I'd say he's about full grown). I've also added Christmas Tree Worm Rock which requires liquid food, something I'm not yet used to doing. I've no doubt I overfeed. I did a small water change last night after seeing some diatom algae on the glass, and saw some old food flakes floating out of the crevices. Just a few but then that's decay, right? I also killed an aiptasia in the last week(Yay!!) so more decay, and a couple of turbo beauty snails were slaughtered in the tank by a hermit crab who is now in solitary confinement.
Today, I decided to do water parameters and find out what's going on in there. I expected the trates to be high, but I didn't expect anything more. Here's what I found:
Ammonia .25!!!!
Nitrates 20!!
phosphate 0
nitrite 0
calcium 480
Ph 8.0(little low)

In my old life(freshwater) I'd have said Oh it's a minicycle I'll do a small water change or three and ride it out. But I realize things are not the same once you grow up(saltwater) so what is my best course of action to get these levels back down to 0 and not get hair algae in the process or kill off my inverts? It's got me stressing majorly. Need a game plan. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Tina

 

[TinaFoster]

I don't have a filter. I run a 30G sump 1/3 for skimmer, 1/3 for refugium with chaeto and LR rubble, and 1/3 for return water. Built in overflow. I cleaned the skimmer collection cup when I did the water change last night.

 

[pelagic]

stop getting new stuff, and wait til your tank is stabilized. your test numbers doesn't really make sense. 1. what test kits did you use?
2. How long have you set up the tank?

 

[SmyrnaReefer]

i could be wrong but i dont think these are numbers to be stressed about.. sure your nitrates are a little high, ammonia could be 0, and ph a little low.... i would just do a few small water changes over the next few days to lower your nitrates and ammonia, and this could also help raise your PH.



nitrate = 20 is in PPM i believe, its the next from zero for my test kits.... mine reads 20, 40, 60 ,80, 100, i believe...

 

[TinaFoster]

API master test kits are what I used pelagic. The tank's been running since April 2010, with the exception of the 1/2 day it took me in January to move it from its previous owner's house to my own. I brought everything--even most of the water--from there, to keep it as stable as possible.

SmyrnaReefer, that is what I would do for a freshwater tank as well but I wasn't sure in this case. Thanks for the reassurance. I'll do small changes throughout the weekend and hope things improve.

Thank you both.

 

[_Alex_]

You should really have a dkh test kit over the Ph. And also like said don't add any more fish. Your bioload has exceeded your Bio filter and its trying to catch up. I would not add any more fish, you have a pretty big bioload for that size tank even with them being on the small side. Do small water changes a few days apart so the chemistry of the water can settle between. Changes.

 

[TinaFoster]

dkh is alkalinity, right? I have that too I just hadn't used it yet. 7 fish is a lot for 90 gallons, really? That's way different from the inch of fish per gallon max rule. Bummer. Well no one said there wasn't a lot to learn!

 

[CJO]

7 fish is a lot to add to a 90 gallon tank in a couple of weeks. I think that you'll be fine overall, though the tang and angel can get to be pretty big.

CJ

 

[Jennifier615]

That's what I would put my money on is too many fish too fast.

For those of you reefers about to "rock"- we salute you

 

[TinaFoster]

I hadn't really thought about that since they were in there before this all started. I figured the bacteria would hold even when they were removed. It's always the detail that should have been obvious I guess.
Is this going to be the case if I add a lot of corals in time as well? I currently have 130 lbs of live rock, but only a few soft corals. If I had to choose between fish and corals it was always going to be fish, but I like the color coral provides too.

 

[_Alex_]

Yes dkh is alkalinity. It needs to be 7-12 dkh but as long as its stable. Your good. And no the 1 inch per gallon. Rule doesn't carry in salt when you have fish that get 12+ inches and require. A. Lot of swim room. Like I said do the small water changes a couple days a part to help with the ammonia and get the tank parameters straightened. Out.

 

[_Alex_]

No corals dont affext it like fish but depending on what you get will use calcium and magnesium. That and stability of tank parameters. Get on schedule of regular water changes and testing.

 

[Reef UP]

Hey also I'd pick up some seachem prime it'll help detox the ammonia and help add extra bacteria to the tank, add a little per the instructions each time you do one of your little water changes it'll helP turn things around a little quicker for ya! I also add a little of it whenever I add a new fish just old habit I guess but I believe the stuff works!

 

[TinaFoster]

it's 10 dkh. So at least some things work out! I'll check that again tomorrow to see if it stays there.

 

[TinaFoster]

Someone else told me to keep Prime around for that reason, too. I'll get some! Thanks all!!

 

[orthokardia]

running some carbon would not hurt either. also keep an eye on the nitrite. it should creep up as your amonia is converted. very strange to see amonia and nitrate readings with zero nitrite. good luck and go slow.

-bart

 

[TinaFoster]

I thought that too. I'm really wondering if I can see the color correctly on the ammonia test. Sometimes the colors don't really look to me like one or the other but my eyes are not the greatest.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Those API test kits are not the most accurate or consistant test kits IMO. Its what I started with - but have since swiched to Seachem and Salifert. Much more acurate and reliable - also more expensive!

 

[poolkeeper1]

Tina, You may have just added too many life forms at one time and your Bio load needs to catch up. This is basically a Mini Cycle that is going on in your tank and If their is truly Ammonia Present then Nitrite will be next and that is deadly to most Corals. Keep doing water changes to dilute any such presence of this compound in your tank and hopefully it will adjust quickly and be fine.
But Slow is always the rule of thumb when adding things to your tank, Not lots of things all at once.
Hope this helps.
Bill

 

[TinaFoster]

Bill,
I ran the ammonia test again. I worry a LOT! So I was hoping for better results this morning and they look exactly the same to me so I showed them to Dennis and he said that's clearly 0. So I showed them to my son and he said it's clearly 0. That poses a problem for me personally because I can't see the difference in 0 and .25 when comparing and honestly couldn't tell but leaned toward the .25. I thought only men were colorblind but have had ppl argue with me about shades of blue and green before. The problem now is I won't be able to trust my own vision for test results. Is there a machine available that reads these things?