I see the main problem over here:

You are disheartened and panicking. Do a water change on yourself :). A bristle star being sucked up the powerhead and hermits molting should NOT let you down. There are cases where anemones get sucked up in powerhead and the whole tank gets nuked and still people didn't loose hope. Its all about taking up challenges. If something goes wrong, you should become more persistent to solve it than just giving up.

My POV for the high nitrate: the nitrate must have risen initially, the hermits started dying one by one and hence the nitrates just keeps on adding up.

There are loads and loads of great people out here who are willing to help, for example Denny (reefwars). :)

There has to be something weird going on. It just doesn't make sense to me. Can you think of anything outside the norm that could be causing the high nitrates?

Maybe the initial high nitrate started a chain-death of the hermits and their decaying matter is causing the nitrate to be high?

This this may sound patronizing, but it isn't meant to be. We all have moments when we want to quit . . . when it doesn't seem worth the effort . . . and when we'd like to flush everything and smash the tank . . . you get the idea.

The cyano in my main display system makes me want to smash it with a sledgehammer. Badly.

But, I know it will pass. What you're going through will pass as well. We will get it figured out. Don't worry. You have an amazing resource at your fingertips, here.

I'm going to re-read your thread to see if anything jumps out at me.

I cant...i think it's the rock I blow off the crappy suckit up do water changes use ro water..test my new too match tank i fell like im doomed lol....im trying too stay positive its jus this day for my reef tank went bad

well i think the idea of tests being accurate or not is the first thing , if they are accurate then i would be asking how high my amonia got during my cycle.

realistically at this time there shouldnt be any livestock like snails or shrimp, crabs etc. (right after the cycle)

this is the ideal time to do the large water change , like you mentioned earlier 100% is even fine and alot of people do that.


if you experience a rough cycle with high amonia and dont do this it just keeps getting built up.

the daily water changes will in fact bring them down , its just more to me of a time consuming thing and if theres any animals they arnt gonna benefit from the stress and changing conditions.

what happens more often then not is this scenario here where people try to deal with the high nitrates after they have added animals not after the cycle, now it has to be done slower and more work involved as your adding pollution to the tank reguarily.

Nanoreefnewbie, what nitrate test are you using. Also, can you post the rest of your parameters and what tests you're using for them? Honestly, I don't trust your test at this point.

If you did a 50% change, that would have brought your nitrates down to 20ppm. A 25% change the next day would have brought them down to 15ppm. 25% the next day would bring them down to 11.25ppm, then 8.43ppm, then 6.32ppm . . . on day six 4.74ppm. Of course, nitrate would be building at the same time, so it would probably take a week or more to get the nitrates below 5ppm. Only the first water change would have a huge effect on the levels, and the effect becomes less and less with each water change.

Have you recorded your daily nitrate levels? If so, can you share them?

I just read through the whole thread and have a couple questions.

1. Are you using RO/DI water?

2. On page one you said you were using 1lb of live rock and 39 of dead rock. Did you actually do this? If you did then there's no way that your tank would be biologically stable enough yet for any inhabitants. You should've had at the very least half of the rock live rock, especially if its a nano.

This can explain why your nitrates were high and stayed high.

the other thing right now i would be asking myself is if any of my critters are being harmed or in harm right now??

if not then your on the good side of the battle , now time is on your side to start attacking the little things.


post your exact routine including

water parameters(amonia,nitrates,phosphates,salinity,tem p)

pos your equipment and ligts as well.

post what you have in your tank...literally everything that youve added or died.

sand?

this sump you speak of , whats in it and how are you running it??



nitrates are honestly an easy thing to get rid of , just takes some elbow grease and patience:)

What silicone did you use for your sump?

Thank you shelly I'm gunna stick with it I had a longggg shower a few times hortans coffees thought...thought some more.... A few of my kinda smokes and ive calmed down...goods froba lol...we will figure it out....i think it's the rock curing..

My suggestion of "do a water change on yourself" worked heh ;)

I'm using the api saltwater mater marine test kit...i tested every second day and nitrates didn't lower a tad...maybe 20 ppm then shoot right back up in a few days...

Yea using all ro water from start...

Andyes starters tank like this did research has and was told I can do this tank was covered with hair algea and was told safe too add clean up crew

Nothing 100% sure on brand but said water proof it wasn't....and it was a new addition added last nite too off tonight too rebuild with different silaconed I guess

Test your fresh ro/di water with your test kit. The results should read zero. If you are getting any sort of reading then I would say the test kit is faulty. 2lbs of live rock over this amount of time and the number of water changes you have done shouldn't still be adding to your nitrate problem. What was your dry rock source?

I'm jus gunna grab one last coffee and then ill do a full line of test for all you I didn't do a water change either today.

Also should I be running a bio wheel on my filter on the back?

Don't use GE Silicone I or II, they may say 100% silicone but also have mildew inhibators that can kill your tank mates. There are silicones made specifically for aquariums, some much cheaper than others, but I can't recall the name right now. I know Grizz uses it, maybe he'll refresh my memory.

No

You definitely can't use just any old silicone, that will definitely cause problems!
I use SCS1200 made by GE. You can find it at contractors store, not Home Depot.

That's the silicone I was think of!

You say don't use GE some one else says use GE there's that mixed answers again or just don't use GE I or II

I bought the dry and live rock off a fellow can reefer

Dont use GE I and II. :) That's what I can confirm. I use silicons from LFS. Few bucks more but its a premium I am willing to pay to stay out of risk.

How long have you had the test? Was it new? Is there an expiry date on it? Has it ever given you a low or "zero" reading at any point?

Sorry for the confusion. GE makes about 100 different kinds of silicone. The ones you get from Home Depot are the silicone I and II, don't use this. Get the SCS1200 which you get from a contractors store. Or get the stuff from the LFS.

Again sorry for the confusion.

Well here are perimeters again

My unmixed ro water all read zero even nitrates so not faulty or out dated kit...

For saltwater in tank(not in mixing bucket)

Ph 7.8
Ammonia 0.25 ppm (shocked cause been zero for weeks now)
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate :sad: 40-80ppm:twised:
Phosphate 0.5ppm
Temp 78-79 degrees
Sality1.026-.027

OH okay thank you

Bought the test new and ammonia nitrites have read zero never nitrates

I haven't cheap out so I thought time too step it up I'm willing too pay for the non stress:biggrin:

Hang in there bud, we're here to help trouble shoot with.

1st. GE SCS1200 ( clear or black ) is the absolute only thing to use. It what all the GOOD tank builders use & I am sure if you need some Concepts can hook you up. I'm just going to throw this out there, if I read correct you got the tank used & if so you can't always be sure of what was in it before. When I get a tank that I am going to use for salt I peel out the inside cornor beads & reseal unless I absolutely 100% trust the person I got it from.

2nd. It might be an idea to see if there is someone close to you with a large system that has some extra rock in there sump that you could swap with to seed the rock faster to see if that helps. Some rock can be very absorbant & depending on how long it was in a system it might have absorbed a tone of crap. I have a few 100 lbs of dry rock & when I want to add a nice piece to the tank I throw it in my big sump for a few weeks after a good soak / wash in RO water ( my whole house is RO water so it's easy for me ). Then I move it to where ever I want it. If I was closer I would gladly do it for you.

3rd. Defenitly check the test kit like others suggest. May be take a water sample to a fellow reefer or LFS ( Golds, Oceans, Wei's or there is 2 guys at Big Al's that really know there stuff Ryan is one of them but can't remember the other guys name )

If I have repeated some of what others have suggested, my bad, I just skimmed your posts to see what issues your having. I will go back & read it again to see if anything pops out at me.

No you covered it all good..ill be goin too contesters store tommorrow work construction soo that's easy:biggrin: and tank was used for fresh before I got it and I cleaned it super good...and I did check my stuff again should be perimeters posted...

On another note is anyone out there where I can swap some half live rock over for some live rock too help me jump start fastr and take more bio load:redface:...

The one thing about a used tank is you don't know really what was in it & if there where any meds used. Silicone can absorb all kinds of crap if it is old & leach out in saltwater.

I seen the parameters & I think something is off with your nitrate test. Might be a faulty test kit, it happens some times. Even if it test zero in RO doesn't mean it's good.

come see me ill trade you some good live rock for your dry rock i have a liverock bin you can choose some pieces out of, we can also go over your water if you bring a sample and i can show you some of the set ups here , all are basic easyily ran set ups.

Attaboy Denny, take care of our nanoreefnewbie.

Take your test kits with you so Denny can check them with his water.

Humm okay...

If I'm over whelming you just tell me to shut up until you catch up :biggrin:

Awsome Denny THANK YOU...i owe you a million ill bring over a nice sample size and do a test right infront of you and you can do test ur way ect..id love too see ur set ups..how much should I grab 5lbs or so?also pm ur adress and yea ill probably come over later this week?

OH no I get you but I know if was fresh with no meds it was all natural and algea covered lol...i drained it and cleaned it alot lol...and me and Denny will go over this test kit

One ? I forgot to ask, was the sand new or used?