Help, tank still not stabilizing

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Dionysus

Dionysus

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May 30, 2007
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Wisconsin
A friend of mine has been having a hell of a time keeping her water parameters in check. Her 29g SW tank been going for a yr now, and other day she called and said her fish were dying. I tested water, and detected nitrites. She said she just did a water change, but water was staying cloudy. I told her that's cause of bacterial die off.
So here's what I kno, even tho her tank been setup for a yr, her nitrification cycle still not well established. In meantime, I lent her my canister filter off my reef, that has good bacteria in it, and her tank doing great now. But I'll b taking it bak soon. Her setup is a hang on Aquaclear for up to 50g, a small hydor powerhead, and a pretty thick sand bed, 40# of live sand she said. I gave her some live rock from my reef in hopes to help the bio filtration problem.
I told her more live rock, and higher flow filtration should do it. But Any other suggestions on getting her tanks bacteria in check? she wants to by some corals from me, but not till tank stable?

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ThatNewFishGuy

ThatNewFishGuy

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May 4, 2010
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Im not the expert but I think ur right, it sounds like the tank hasn't ever been fully cycled. Or it was cycled, but she added livestock too quickly or something (Im not sure, im just guessing as to what could have thrown the cycle off if the tank was initially fully cycled). If there's anymore fish in the tank, I would try to remove them if its possible and let the tank cycle until ur only finding trates. Then do water changes for a bit and then put livestock back. Unless they're damsels or something like that, no fishes are going to be able to survive a tank with trites in them.

The live rock is a good start. Just gotta keep the flow going and watch params. Also, this might be obvious but becareful with that filter you get back from her. I'd be kind of wary of sticking a piece of equipment used for another tank inside of my established reef tank, let alone a piece of equipment from a tank that has been having serious issues.
 
Dionysus

Dionysus

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May 30, 2007
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Wisconsin
Thanks, and I hear you there on putting the filter bak on my tank. I might even just sell it to her lol...otherwise, reef I was running on does just fine without the canister, just a 20gal. 2 powerheads and water change all it needs. Mainly got the canister for mechanical filtration.
As far as her fish, I'm sure she did add to fast, since was her 1st SW, mistake most aquarium newbies always make. But the damsels were actually the 3 that died. Her clowns and Blenny still ticking. Trites weren't very high, but I kno its deadly at any detectable level, so surprised those fish lived. She definitely needs more live rock tho IMO. That pirate ship she got sure not doing much for bio filtration lol

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greech

greech

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May 13, 2009
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40 lbs of sand in a 29 gallon? That could be part of the issue right there. I would probably start by SLOWLY siphoning down (removing sand) that bed. Why does she have such a deep bed? Does she have animals that require it?

Otherwise it sound like she is/was overstocked, overfeeds or the liverock that she does have is solid and there are not enough cracks, crevices and pores to provide enough surface area for BB. Not sure what the flow is like in the tank but assuming the rock is of good quality, blowing it out with a powerhead/turkey baster should be done every week or two as well.
 
Dionysus

Dionysus

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May 30, 2007
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Wisconsin
Yeah, its very deep, first thought was too deep myself, which is why I asked her bout it. Think the live rock is big part of her problem too, doesn't seem to hav enough. She seems to b trying to make a medium between a reef, and a fish only tank. I do think she needs more live rock, and more flow. She said since my canister filter been running on her talk, its never looked better, and parameters stable, no more.trites.

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