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View Full Version : Ignore Tank - nitrates go to zero??


captrick
01/18/2007, 09:11 PM
I have a 125 gallon clarity plus where the stand is one huge sump with 12 racks of bioballs in the 6 compartments of the sump. I have had some success keeping tangs and a few select fish. Last year, about this time, I introduced a French Angel and he brought in something nasty that killed off everyone except a 5" Foxface. I got so disgusted that I ignored the tank for a year, only providing food and doing minimal maintenance and NO water changes.

Well, I was about to post questions regarding my plans to go from FO to FOWLR when I decided I should at least test the water. Well, much to my surprise PH = 8.4, Amonia = 0, Nitrite = 0 .... AND NITRATE = 0. I was so shocked by the Nitrate reading that I carefully performed the test again - still ZERO! I have always had high nitrates and I am planning to add live rock and phase out the nitrate factory in my sump. There is a minimal amount of sand in the tank. Could that have processed out the nitrate since my bio load is small with just Mr. Foxface in the tank? Any ideas? I would like to know before I start down the LR path.

coralfever
01/18/2007, 09:22 PM
I would check the date on the test kits

captrick
01/18/2007, 09:35 PM
Somehow I new I was going to hear that. :)

bertoni
01/18/2007, 09:36 PM
[welcome]

The reading might be correct, with only one fish in the tank. You could try for a second opinion, though.

captrick
01/18/2007, 09:38 PM
But could known high readings go to zero in a year with no water changes?

danch
01/18/2007, 09:51 PM
What's the algae situation been? If you're not introducing a lot of nitrogen, algae and other plants will keep nitrate down.

Agu
01/18/2007, 10:03 PM
Low bioload is the answer............. and the foxface will eat algae, converting nitrate to algae to body mass.

captrick
01/19/2007, 07:49 AM
Th "decorative" dead corals are almost black with algae. The thin layer of sand has a coating of green algae that gets disturbed when I wipe the front back and one side clean of algae about every 2 weeks.

Given the tank's properties, I am looking for alternative approaches for converting to a LR setup:

1. Cure LR outside the tank and move it in, gradually removing the bioballs.

-OR-

2. Move the Foxface out to my 55 "hospital" and starting the 125 over from scratch? It has been setup for 7 years with bioball filtration, dusting to 1/2" sand and "decorative" dead corals.

My goal is to provide filtration with LR, a 2-3" sand bed, and an ETSS skimmer purchased last year. Lighting is two stock 3 foot florescent, single bulb fixtures with 50/50 T-12 bulbs. I have no plans to add corals. Stocking will be smaller fish for darting in an out of the rock and 2-3 tangs (I have had good luck mixing them in together) and maybe an angel. I will also use detritus and algae cleanup crews.

Comments or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

bertoni
01/19/2007, 01:50 PM
I'd move the fish and tear the tank down. That should be the easiest way to go, and likely the safest.

Alaska_Phil
01/19/2007, 02:21 PM
I'll Second Bertoni, I spent a year trying to convert an existing FO tank to a reef a little at a time. Water quality was never very good till I had to replace the tank itself and replaced the old substrate with a new shallow sand bed. I wish I could have removed all my livestock and started from scratch with a clean tank and new rock.

Also, I ignored my 20 gal tank for a couple months and got zero nitrate and phosphate readings, but a huge crop of green hair algae too. I shouldn't have been surprized, I have to regularly add Nitrate and Phosphate to my planted freshwater tank after all.

Phil