Back From Italy and I got questions.

[NapoliNewJersey]

What's up guys .. I got back 3 days ago and I came home to some Salt Creep and an algae bloom, but other than that everything was ok.

I did a 50% water change my first day back (switched from Instand Ocean to Reef Crystals [i did half Instand Ocean and Half Reef Crystals for my first change, i didn't switch over in one shot] and my water tested:

Ph 8.2
Am 0
Trites 0
Trates 5
Phos 0
SG 1.025
dKH 12
GH 196.9
(All with API tests - need to still get Calcium test.)

The next day I didn't do anything at all with my tank.
Yesterday I went out and got 2 false percs, Some sort of Button Polyps frag, and a Green Star Polyps frag ... I drip acclimated all three for about 2 hours.
Today I tested my water and it tested:

Ph 8.2
Am 0
Trites 0
Trates 30-40
Phos 0
SG 1.025
didn't test KH or Gen Hardness.

So either my Nitrates shot up (from adding livestock???) or I messed up testing somewhere one of the two times?? I'm going to test again later on tonight. Also I know that Star Polyps are a good indicator of water quality and they didn't open at all yesterday and at the store they were gorgeous. The button polyps however were wide awake and out after half an hour.

If the test stays that way should I do another 50% change or should just do 10% changes every week like on my regular schedule?

P.S. Italy was amazing. And as much as I miss it I'm still glad to be back.

[Reefscape]

hey, and a warm welcome back...Really hope you have enjoyed your time in Italy..

Glad your system stayed stable while you were away..

It is quite a sharp rise in trates. I would give it another 2 days and do a 10% water change to try and bring them down a bit and keep that routine, every couple of days, untill they are under control....If you do another large water change like 50%, it may have a shock effect on the system....

Niko

[NapoliNewJersey]

Thanks Niko!

Also my LFS has a Torch Coral that looks amazing. Needless to say I want it before they sell it to someone else. How long should I wait until introducing another coral to my aquarium? Is 2 weeks too little time, as long as my Nitrates get back down?


I think I'll go there today and pay for it and tell him to hold it there for a couple of weeks.

[BIGgourami]

did you remember to shake the test bottles really well?

[Reefscape]

Yes, just get them nitrates down a little mate, below 10.. They will come down with some water changes...give it 2 weeks and you should be fine to introduce it to your tank..

Niko

[NapoliNewJersey]

did you remember to shake the test bottles really well?


Yeah. If anything I may have added a drop too much or too little in one of the two bottles.

Thanks guys. I'm gonna do a 10% change tomorrow and check to see if they go down.

Good news is the Green Star Polyops are coming out. About 60% full. I hope that's a good thing. (meaning my water quality is ok and getting better.)

[Reefscape]

Yeah. If anything I may have added a drop too much or too little in one of the two bottles.

Thanks guys. I'm gonna do a 10% change tomorrow and check to see if they go down.

Good news is the Green Star Polyops are coming out. About 60% full. I hope that's a good thing. (meaning my water quality is ok and getting better.)

Yeah, besides the nitrates being a little high, it aint bad at all mate...so glad the star's are starting to come out mate...Keep us informed on the nitrates..

Niko

[Germanman]

just wanted to welcome u back! welcome! looks like u got covered already. good to have u back!

[NapoliNewJersey]

just wanted to welcome u back! welcome! looks like u got covered already. good to have u back!

Thanks G-man, Good to be back too.

[5xevy]

Yes, welcome back! How was Italy? How was the weather? Can you speak fluent Italian?

[DarthFred6996]

And also:
How were the hot Italian babes on the beach?

[NapoliNewJersey]

Italy is always a good time the weather was great, 75 everyday and sunny.

I understand Italian perfectly, because my father is off the boat and barley speaks english, but I don't speak it as well because my tongue gets tied around the R's and some vowels. Hard to explain.

As for the girls, it's funny, they are all married, engaged, or with a boyfriend by 18. The only ones left are the ugly ones. But the ones involved looked amazing. Thier style is so different. Very hot.

Thanks for asking.

[NapoliNewJersey]

Ok, I did a 10% water change yesterday, and I tested the water this morning.

Ph. 8.3
Am. 0
Trites 0
Phos 0
Trates 20 (down from about 30-40)

I'll do another 10% change tomorrow or Monday.

The Green Star Polyps are fully opening, is this normal, even with high Nitrates??

Also is it normal that all my corals shrink or completely retract when the lights go out??

[BIGgourami]

20's not terribly high i could see the polyps ataying open. and yes they do close at night, they also launch their sweper tenticles to keep other corals at bay. which is why it's important to spread them out. :D i learned that today...

[NapoliNewJersey]

20's not terribly high i could see the polyps ataying open. and yes they do close at night, they also launch their sweper tenticles to keep other corals at bay. which is why it's important to spread them out. :D i learned that today...


I read about that but I haven't seen any sweeper tenticles come out of mine. I don't think zoos/button polyps and Green Star Polyps have them. Do they?


Also I went out and got that Torch Coral i've been asking about. I had to get it. Anyway it's very nice. I'm going to take some pictures tomorrow when the lights are back on and post them on here.

Things are looking good.