Water changes

[DSheard]

I have high nitrate and calcium levels, will a simple water chang help this?

Thanks guys!

[reefergeek]

it will help your nitrate level as long as theres no nitrate in the new mixed, test the params of the mew mixed before adding it to the tank it might have a high calcium level to start with

[DSheard]

Ok thanks mate, is a high calcium level really bad? How wiuld i reduce it?

[ShyTalk]

Hi Dave, your tank will still be cycling so you will get spikes in nitrate its all normal, I was told not to keep doing water changes during cycling as it slows things down so your cycle will take longer, dunno what others think to that but it seemed to work for me.
What readings are you getting by the way?
Don't forget you've no livestock in yet to worry about so no panic.

Same with your calcium, how high are you calling high?
Look at those water charts I sent you, they will soon tell you if your high is too high.

Big day for me today mate, first fish went in today....YAY!! see my thread!

[DSheard]

Is right mate will look now! Calcium is about 500 and nitrate is about 15 mate everything else is spot on like!

[ShyTalk]

Well you aren't way out there mate, 410-460 for calcium according to my book, mine was around 450-460 but soon dropped to under 400, so I reckon yours will drop too, and 15 nitrate isn't anything to get too worried about as I say your tank is still cycling, you've no fish to worry about yet, so let it run its course, chances are nitrate will drop if not then a water change will do the trick I reckon, its when nitrates are up around 40+ you panic, nitrites are the main baddie to watch though fella, very little room for errors there, but nitrates give you some leeway.

Other might have different advice, I'm hardly an expert, just going from what my reading were a few weeks back & what my books say, fingers crossed you'll be stable in the next week or two.

Gav

[DSheard]

Hey guys tank has been cycling for just over 4weeks and it has been reading 0 for nitrites for the past fortnight and just under 10 for nitrate for 5 days now. Im gonna start preparing for the end of the cycle so could you suggest a good syphon to buy? Also my carbon has been in the tank for 2 weeks, when i remove it do i keep it wet or let it dry (im alternating fortnightly with the carbon)

Thanks a lot guys!

[michael.]

syphon? as for carbon, personally I wouldnt just drop it in the tank bud, IMO and Experience it needs to be under pressure to work properly, either in a reactor or in a sump with a power head pointing at it, some reefers even stick it in their skimmer chamber (ive never tried that), I tend to change mine every fortnight in anycase, some never use it, some only allow it to remain in the tank for a couple of days, I doubt you need it yet anyhow, Id remove it and leave it out, theres plenty of time for that in a few months when you may well need it.

[reefergeek]

As above, also whats your ammonia levels at if your tanks still cycling

[DSheard]

I meant syphon for water changes sorry, yeah I will chuck the carbon then it was in a mesh bag like. The ammonia levels are about 0 I am using the colour charts so its a tiny bit coloured than the 0 mark but hard to judge the exact measurement. Im not sure which hose will clean my substrate too if any of you can reccomend a good syphon?

[reefergeek]

You shouldn't have to clean your substrate the idea is to have ample water movement across the substrate and through the live rock, Just any pipe will do i use to use a 12mm bit of pipe until i got the external filter then just took the pipes out from the filter shoved in a bucket then opened the valves up so i kept my hands out of the tank

Before adding any livestock you can also get the lfs to do a full water tests to make sure every things ok

[DSheard]

Oh ok mate that seems like a good idea, my substrate has algae over it so I was hoping to clear it. I will take my water sample to the lfs when Im sure my tank is ready. Cheers!

[CP Ocean]

The algae should clear up on it's own mate, it's a sign that your tanks close to cycled. You should be all set for some live stock or cuc, what were you thinking of having?
Someone mentioned carbon in a skimmer earlier, I have just started to try that, put a small bag at the top of the outlet chamber of my skimmer so that the water has to flow down though it on it's way back to the tank, plan on running it for a week once a month, will see how it goes.

[DSheard]

Yeah gonna get som
CUC on friday if my LFS say my water is good enough. Im only goin to get a pair of clowns and try my luck with a few frags. Just a starter tank until I can afford bigger.

[CP Ocean]

Sounds good look forward to some pics?

[DSheard]

Yeah sure will take some when my tank looks pretty :D

[ShyTalk]

Sounds like you're getting there then Dave, nowt wrong with clowns mate, mine is mental but entertaining, takes food out of my fingers now, hopefully going to get him a mate in the next few days if the snow doesn't get too bad...if you lfs has any cowries i'd recommend them, they do great on the brown algae/diatoms for me, add some hermits, a couple of turbos and some nassarius snails and they should keep everything in order.
Looking forward to the pics :-)