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.
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
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