New beginner tank - rushed corals

[terraincognita]

Yes, there's definitely something off with the water, yesterday the numbers where normal but today the Nitrite is off, here are the numbers I have:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 160 ppm

I haven't done any water changes yes, I cycled the tank for two weeks and the numbers were good to go before buying the fish and coral. I bought water to do the water changes.

Would a change of water help?

And by the way, I just added the fish two days ago.

(thanks for all your help)

Those nitrates are OUT THE ROOF. At those level they're poison to anything living in there.

If they're actually 160 I'd get that WC done ASAP.

I bet your PHOS are super high too.

Get some GFO in there It will help you.

Chemipure Blue or Cehmipure elite.

Are you running any type of other Filtration Media?

what's your set-up?

You got a build thread?

definitely some research skipped but it's not entirely your fault, if this is your first tank a LOT of information to be had here, and it can be overwhelming

At the end of a lot of cycles you will see those huge spikes in and NO4 and Pho.

In low numbers it's okay, but SUPER high is no beuno.

A WC will rapidly clear that up.

I'd do a 50-75% water change if you can.

 

[terraincognita]

This is stressing me out so much, but exciting at the same time.

I love problem solving.

It's why I got into this hobby honestly.

It's almost boring when nothings going wrong

 

[ApoIsland]

Yes, there's definitely something off with the water, yesterday the numbers where normal but today the Nitrite is off, here are the numbers I have:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
Nitrate: 160 ppm

I haven't done any water changes yes, I cycled the tank for two weeks and the numbers were good to go before buying the fish and coral. I bought water to do the water changes.

Would a change of water help?

And by the way, I just added the fish two days ago.

(thanks for all your help)

What size tank do you have? I would do a 75-80% water change. Would be helpful to keep those nitrates under 50 and to get them at 40 you are looking at a minimum of a 75% change (160*.25 = 40). Get temp within a few degrees and salinity very close and you are good to go. Large water changes in fairly new tanks are great as long as you can come close to matching salinity and temp.

 

[calila]

Those nitrates are OUT THE ROOF. At those level they're poison to anything living in there.

If they're actually 160 I'd get that WC done ASAP.

I bet your PHOS are super high too.

Get some GFO in there It will help you.

Chemipure Blue or Cehmipure elite.

Are you running any type of other Filtration Media?

what's your set-up?

You got a build thread?

definitely some research skipped but it's not entirely your fault, if this is your first tank a LOT of information to be had here, and it can be overwhelming

At the end of a lot of cycles you will see those huge spikes in and NO4 and Pho.

In low numbers it's okay, but SUPER high is no beuno.

A WC will rapidly clear that up.

I'd do a 50-75% water change if you can.

I am going to do a water change tonight and will keep you posted!
I started my build thread here but haven't updated lately. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/13g-journey-in-the-middle-of-the-jungle.769257/#post-8113849

 

[calila]

What size tank do you have? I would do a 75-80% water change. Would be helpful to keep those nitrates under 50 and to get them at 40 you are looking at a minimum of a 75% change (160*.25 = 40). Get temp within a few degrees and salinity very close and you are good to go. Large water changes in fairly new tanks are great as long as you can come close to matching salinity and temp.

I have a 13.5 gal tank and yes, I think I will do a water change and see how it goes.
Thanks!!

 

[Karling]

what is your Salinity? and can you have your LFS double check your numbers? my checker was reading .003 off... so I had 1.025 on my reader, but it was 1.028 and the coral was ticked. fixed it broguht it down and all was well in the world after about a week.

 

[ApoIsland]

what is your Salinity? and can you have your LFS double check your numbers? my checker was reading .003 off... so I had 1.025 on my reader, but it was 1.028 and the coral was ticked. fixed it broguht it down and all was well in the world after about a week.

Yes i too have had issues with incorrect salinity reading and it can cause issues also. Best to double check that as well.

 

[ApoIsland]

I have a 13.5 gal tank and yes, I think I will do a water change and see how it goes.
Thanks!!

Great. Should be super cheap and easy to do large % water changes.

 

[calila]

what is your Salinity? and can you have your LFS double check your numbers? my checker was reading .003 off... so I had 1.025 on my reader, but it was 1.028 and the coral was ticked. fixed it broguht it down and all was well in the world after about a week.

I tested, is 1.018
Ughh!

 

[terraincognita]

I tested, is 1.018
Ughh!

brackish is not horrible, better than too high tbh, but that’s definitely on the way lower end for coral for sure

never had mine below 1.022 so can’t say for sure how much it’s effecting. It, but even at 1.022 everything works.

don’t try to rapidly bring it up.
I’d try a 50% WC with something between .023 and .025.

Im sure you’ll get good results from that.

 

[Karling]

I tested, is 1.018
Ughh!

There ya go!! get a water change done right... I wouldn't go over 40% of your total water volume. Set the water at 1.025. its still going to be low... then tomorrow do another 20% @ 1.025. Use some 1.025 top off water. Test test test. till your ok. then go back to your routine. FYI i run all the time at 1.024 and everything is thriving.

 

[calila]

brackish is not horrible, better than too high tbh, but that’s definitely on the way lower end for coral for sure

never had mine below 1.022 so can’t say for sure how much it’s effecting. It, but even at 1.022 everything works.

don’t try to rapidly bring it up.
I’d try a 50% WC with something between .023 and .025.

Im sure you’ll get good results from that.

Yes, I am doing a water change as we "speak" Let's see how it goes.
And I am buying a test kit for Calcium and Phospate. Do you recommend anything else?

 

[calila]

There ya go!! get a water change done right... I wouldn't go over 40% of your total water volume. Set the water at 1.025. its still going to be low... then tomorrow do another 20% @ 1.025. Use some 1.025 top off water. Test test test. till your ok. then go back to your routine. FYI i run all the time at 1.024 and everything is thriving.

Great, thanks. It gives me hope.