HElp please!

Aliasger789 · 05/11/2018, 12:16 AM

Hi reefers,

I have 4000 US Gallon marine tank, the has been doing great since one year,

Nitrates- 5ppm
Nitrites- 0.05ppm
Ammonia- 0
Phosphates - 0.08ppm
KH- 10dkh
pH- 8.2
Salinity- 1.025

I have about 250 fish in the tank, Everything was going smooth, recently i added about 200 fish more in the tank and suddenly my tank nitrites went high from 0.05 to 0.6ppm. I have read the article from randy holmes that nitrites doesn't affect the fish but since this spike in nitrite my fish have become lethargic and i can feel they are not moving around as they use to and i have lost about 50 fish till now. Every day i see like 2-3-5 fish die. Could this be the reason, as my other parameters have not been affected?

ajoe · 05/11/2018, 02:41 AM

" I added about 200 fish more. "

Thinking ammonia spike ...

Dan_P · 05/11/2018, 04:08 AM

I wonder if several parameters are off with the sudden increase in the number of fish. I presume you are feeding the fish and that you increased the amount of food. This could result in an increase in ammonia in the system. Also, with an increase in fish there will be an increase in CO2 production and increase in oxygen demand and possibly, increased bacterial growth which would further increase the demand for oxygen. The increased nitrite production is a sign that the biofilter became overloaded, maybe also starved for oxygen.

kevin_e · 05/11/2018, 07:44 AM

Sounds like a lot of things could be a factor. I'd say that the bio base just needs to play catch up. May get a bit of a new cycle from this. I would try and aerate as much as possible.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

mcgyvr · 05/11/2018, 08:30 AM

You almost doubled the amount of fish in a tank thus massively effecting the bioload on the system and didn't expect a potential change like that?

No matter the system size a large sudden change like that is never good nor smart.
You made a drastic change to the whole system there.. Its going to take some time to equalize/stabilize and return to homeostasis..

You would have been much better to add maybe 50 fish.. Then give it some time.. Then another 50,etc....

bertoni · 05/11/2018, 09:20 AM

I agree that it's likely a spike from the sudden increase in bioload. The nitrite level probably is safe enough, so you could wait for the levels to drop.

timnem70 · 05/11/2018, 03:27 PM

Cannot post like this with a "oh my 4000 gallon system" this and that without a FTS. Come on now.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

Uncle99 · 05/11/2018, 05:31 PM

4000 gallons? really
how can one have a tank that size, double the load, then not know what's up?
Man, glad I don't have to pay your salt and water bill, or do you pump straight from the ocean

timnem70 · 05/11/2018, 05:53 PM

I call BS. Stats say 5000. Still want to see a tank that big in a private dwelling and not a zoo.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

Vinny Kreyling · 05/12/2018, 08:12 AM

Nitrates are usually high in a FO tank, even in reef tanks 5 is OK
NITRITES are only 1 step from Ammonia & would be my concern.
Means there was too much load placed on the biology of the system.

tmz · 05/12/2018, 10:00 AM

Ammonia might be a contributing factor;but, it if any ispresent and nitrite might be a consequence of the dying and decay.
Aeration might also be an issue
I'd review quarantine procedures for new specimens; disease of some sort might be a significant issue.
Predation and fish aggression can also play significant roles when new specimens are added .

timnem70 · 05/12/2018, 12:42 PM

Think this is a troll.

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

05/11/2018, 12:16 AM	#1
Aliasger789 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Tanzania Posts: 12	HElp please! Hi reefers, I have 4000 US Gallon marine tank, the has been doing great since one year, Nitrates- 5ppm Nitrites- 0.05ppm Ammonia- 0 Phosphates - 0.08ppm KH- 10dkh pH- 8.2 Salinity- 1.025 I have about 250 fish in the tank, Everything was going smooth, recently i added about 200 fish more in the tank and suddenly my tank nitrites went high from 0.05 to 0.6ppm. I have read the article from randy holmes that nitrites doesn't affect the fish but since this spike in nitrite my fish have become lethargic and i can feel they are not moving around as they use to and i have lost about 50 fish till now. Every day i see like 2-3-5 fish die. Could this be the reason, as my other parameters have not been affected?

05/11/2018, 08:30 AM	#5
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	You almost doubled the amount of fish in a tank thus massively effecting the bioload on the system and didn't expect a potential change like that? No matter the system size a large sudden change like that is never good nor smart. You made a drastic change to the whole system there.. Its going to take some time to equalize/stabilize and return to homeostasis.. You would have been much better to add maybe 50 fish.. Then give it some time.. Then another 50,etc.... __________________ Who me?

05/11/2018, 09:20 AM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that it's likely a spike from the sudden increase in bioload. The nitrite level probably is safe enough, so you could wait for the levels to drop. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

05/12/2018, 08:12 AM	#10
Vinny Kreyling Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miller Place, NY Posts: 7,206	Nitrates are usually high in a FO tank, even in reef tanks 5 is OK NITRITES are only 1 step from Ammonia & would be my concern. Means there was too much load placed on the biology of the system. __________________ 250 gallon mixed reef, 2 Reefbreeder's Photon V 2, Deepwater BLDC 12, DAS EX-3 Skimmer, MTC mini cal, 2-3/4" Sea Swirls, Aquacontroller & 6 Tunze pumps.

05/12/2018, 10:00 AM	#11
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Ammonia might be a contributing factor;but, it if any ispresent and nitrite might be a consequence of the dying and decay. Aeration might also be an issue I'd review quarantine procedures for new specimens; disease of some sort might be a significant issue. Predation and fish aggression can also play significant roles when new specimens are added . __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

05/11/2018, 02:41 AM	#2
ajoe Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 297	" I added about 200 fish more. " Thinking ammonia spike ...

05/11/2018, 04:08 AM	#3
Dan_P Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 1,432	I wonder if several parameters are off with the sudden increase in the number of fish. I presume you are feeding the fish and that you increased the amount of food. This could result in an increase in ammonia in the system. Also, with an increase in fish there will be an increase in CO2 production and increase in oxygen demand and possibly, increased bacterial growth which would further increase the demand for oxygen. The increased nitrite production is a sign that the biofilter became overloaded, maybe also starved for oxygen.

05/11/2018, 07:44 AM	#4
kevin_e Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,083	Sounds like a lot of things could be a factor. I'd say that the bio base just needs to play catch up. May get a bit of a new cycle from this. I would try and aerate as much as possible. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

05/11/2018, 03:27 PM	#7
timnem70 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 462	Cannot post like this with a "oh my 4000 gallon system" this and that without a FTS. Come on now. Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

05/11/2018, 05:31 PM	#8
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	4000 gallons? really how can one have a tank that size, double the load, then not know what's up? Man, glad I don't have to pay your salt and water bill, or do you pump straight from the ocean

05/11/2018, 05:53 PM	#9
timnem70 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 462	I call BS. Stats say 5000. Still want to see a tank that big in a private dwelling and not a zoo. Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

05/12/2018, 12:42 PM	#12
timnem70 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 462	Think this is a troll. Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk