Nitrates

[saltcreepette]

louie, I have found live rock from people breaking down their tanks, I think another member here named monica lives in SA (I dont know where laguna vista is, if its close to sa) sells LR. you can get it 'used' for around $2 or $3 and dont have to pay shipping, go that route! ;)

[JeremyGlen]

Ok. I'm going to get into this conversation now.

My question is, what are you feeding your fish, how much per feeding, and how often?

Overfeeding will cause this problem and you'll never get rid of it if you don't cut back. You cvan feed your fish everyday or even more than that, you just can't feed too much because it will just load your system up with nitrates.

As for the live rock, you can get it on eBay and other places for $2-3/lb including shipping if you are just patient and look for a good deal. I have not bought LR from a store since the first piece or two I got to start the tank. If you don't want to get LR get some dry base rock and give the bacteria a place to grow and spread to. By getting dry rock, your "basically" doing the same as having the Bio-Wheel filters, without the splashing and noise.

Once you get the overflow installed and the macro algae growing, I am willing to bet lots of money that you will no longer see nitrates after it has "broken in", meaning the bacteria colony has moved in.

As for the DSB, it si quite important to have "stirring animals" that live in your sand. They do not disturb the denitrifiying bacteria since they do not bring oxygen with them and leave it. Mainly they stay in the first couple of inches of sand and eat all the detritus and waste that creates the dreaded black pockets of death. Nassa snails tend to do a great job, as well as a few others(I like these cause they had lots of babies and I've got them everywhere now). It is also very important to have a nice variety of worms creeping their way all throughout your aquarium. Having a great biodiversity is the best and most sensible way to keep a great aquarium. I always say, "Let nature do its job and help it if it needs little help."

If I were you, I would try and get a couple of pieces of LR from the bottom of someone else's well established aquarium. The pieces touching the sand will have the great number of creatures that roam the rocks, as well as the sand dwelling stuff. I love watching my spaghetti worms and others cleaning the surface of the sand and keeping it clean of waste.

Time is the only true cure for any problem. Never try and "quick" fixes because they don't get rid of the problem, only mask it.

[demodiki]

Monica lives in Franklin, TX.

[caferacermike]

Monica kix azz. I bought her out of around 300lbs of rock when she was setting up her new holding tanks. I cannot say enough nice things about her.

[Louie3]

louie, I have found live rock from people breaking down their tanks, I think another member here named monica lives in SA (I dont know where laguna vista is, if its close to sa) sells LR. you can get it 'used' for around $2 or $3 and dont have to pay shipping, go that route! ;)

i wish i was close to SA im about 4 hours away 20min from south padre Island

[Louie3]

Ok. I'm going to get into this conversation now.

My question is, what are you feeding your fish, how much per feeding, and how often?

.

I'm feeding Brine,Blood worms, and a veggie mixtures that come in a frozen cube, I feed every 2 days.

as for rock my mum and dad dont really like ebay and paypal ( identities stolen ) so im down to just a couple of sites.

[hammondegge]

Louie, did i read somewhere in here that you would lose a lot of sand when you siphoned the tank? If you have a deep sand bed, try not to disturb more than the top inch or so when siphoning. your denitrifying bacterias need an environment that is low or no oxygen to thrive.
add your rock (did you ever try to make some?) and the sump/fuge and your nitrates will fall.

[Louie3]

LR did you ever try to make some?).

I did and it came out so brittle and broke when i picked it up, so im going to try again if I dont end up getting some from Dr.F&S

[hammondegge]

did you use a concrete mix? (has cement and sand premixed). if you are following one of the DIY recipes they will most probably call for Portland Cement which has no aggregate added. the shell, or crushed coral, or plastic shavings that you add to this will be your aggregate.

[Louie3]

I added Crushed coral to the portland and it didnt go out that well.