I'm new to Reef 2 Reef so thanks for letting me join.
So first a small detail on yrs since I had 1st Saltwater. Almost 30 yrs ago and it was doing well, but was not a Reef. It crashed and I was done.
Jump ahead 2017 I finally got nerve to give shot at another tank. Reef only. So I bought $2500 100 gallon used tank, and few fish, like Clowns, Damsels...sturdy fish that could take the high levels.
I guess that was my first mistake. Had an Excalibur Protein Skimmer which most Reefers never heard of. The was parts were not what they were. PVC Pipes and Sump, it definitely was not made correctly.
So I waited the time of 6 weeks being. Live and Substrate started the cycle. I thought should get a better Skimmer. The SCA-303 was perfect and was doing well, then I decided to jump to a Bubble Magus Curve 5. 1 problem appeared. They sent me wrong type. Here plug are A and B. A is 2 prongs and B is the 2 flat one round. Hong Kong just has 1 which all were flat, but that was fixed. Anyway This more about the tank than anything else and since then the Nitrates were over peak, which makes the Thread more of Mystery than anything else. Now 11 months in Nitrates have yet to diminish, well there has been a little change, everything else perfect was in line. So I asked some experts what I can do? Water change. For about 7 months now 15%, 10% and 20%. I knew dang good well this will raise the Ph, not good. I waited about a week and no Nitrate drop. So now I go get more expert advice. Nitrate Reducer, on a note here Nitrate Reducer only handles the Nitrates that are in your tank nothing else. Tried Failed. Vodka gave it a shot, Sugar as well nothing changed and I have 3 big Cleaners. The API Master Test Kit is for a mix reef and fish, but the API Reef Master is a little different, not much though. Tried another Test Kit Red Sea. Failed, and I'm stilling doing water changes. So I tried 1 more test and the awnser same as the other 2. Expert after Expert and no success, and what makes this more of a Mystery, is that none of my Anemones or Soft Coral has been damaged. That's head scratcher none are damage 1 more thing we would just hope would work. A Product call NITRATR. We followed akk step and still using because you can use them again, you just have to take them out after 3 or 4 days and put them in a small container in high saltwater. It has helped a little, but not what I expect. When I went diving with a friend he showed me the Great Barrier Reef and it is stunning, but the damage of dumping caused the Ban. He is helping reseed the Reef. So anyway he gave me a gift coming home and it was awesome. He gave me a Rainbow Bottom Anemone. That was to much I felt I needed to pay for so I gave him $1200. Anyway jumping off track. Anyway if I have tried everything under the sun then what is this tank not establishing? Everything I have and Experts failed. I really want to get it fixed, and not be a failure. So that is the Mystery. How after 11 months the Nitrates are still there. I hope someone could help solve this mystery. I'm glad I joined and I think I might be able to find the answer here. Thanks
So first a small detail on yrs since I had 1st Saltwater. Almost 30 yrs ago and it was doing well, but was not a Reef. It crashed and I was done.
Jump ahead 2017 I finally got nerve to give shot at another tank. Reef only. So I bought $2500 100 gallon used tank, and few fish, like Clowns, Damsels...sturdy fish that could take the high levels.
I guess that was my first mistake. Had an Excalibur Protein Skimmer which most Reefers never heard of. The was parts were not what they were. PVC Pipes and Sump, it definitely was not made correctly.
So I waited the time of 6 weeks being. Live and Substrate started the cycle. I thought should get a better Skimmer. The SCA-303 was perfect and was doing well, then I decided to jump to a Bubble Magus Curve 5. 1 problem appeared. They sent me wrong type. Here plug are A and B. A is 2 prongs and B is the 2 flat one round. Hong Kong just has 1 which all were flat, but that was fixed. Anyway This more about the tank than anything else and since then the Nitrates were over peak, which makes the Thread more of Mystery than anything else. Now 11 months in Nitrates have yet to diminish, well there has been a little change, everything else perfect was in line. So I asked some experts what I can do? Water change. For about 7 months now 15%, 10% and 20%. I knew dang good well this will raise the Ph, not good. I waited about a week and no Nitrate drop. So now I go get more expert advice. Nitrate Reducer, on a note here Nitrate Reducer only handles the Nitrates that are in your tank nothing else. Tried Failed. Vodka gave it a shot, Sugar as well nothing changed and I have 3 big Cleaners. The API Master Test Kit is for a mix reef and fish, but the API Reef Master is a little different, not much though. Tried another Test Kit Red Sea. Failed, and I'm stilling doing water changes. So I tried 1 more test and the awnser same as the other 2. Expert after Expert and no success, and what makes this more of a Mystery, is that none of my Anemones or Soft Coral has been damaged. That's head scratcher none are damage 1 more thing we would just hope would work. A Product call NITRATR. We followed akk step and still using because you can use them again, you just have to take them out after 3 or 4 days and put them in a small container in high saltwater. It has helped a little, but not what I expect. When I went diving with a friend he showed me the Great Barrier Reef and it is stunning, but the damage of dumping caused the Ban. He is helping reseed the Reef. So anyway he gave me a gift coming home and it was awesome. He gave me a Rainbow Bottom Anemone. That was to much I felt I needed to pay for so I gave him $1200. Anyway jumping off track. Anyway if I have tried everything under the sun then what is this tank not establishing? Everything I have and Experts failed. I really want to get it fixed, and not be a failure. So that is the Mystery. How after 11 months the Nitrates are still there. I hope someone could help solve this mystery. I'm glad I joined and I think I might be able to find the answer here. Thanks
