Nanoreefnewbie 2012 nano contest entry

[reefwars]

the golden rule is "nothing happens fast in a reeftank but disaster"

the other is " the secret to pollution is dillution"

their ideas were right but the method is too fast, perhaps if you had no livestock in the tank but with critters in the tank i wouldnt be doing large water changes like that daily.


if your going to do on average 10% weekly water changes , then what you should do or have done is a larger water change (20-40%) then continue weekly with your 10%

this is only assuming you knnow where the nitrates are coming from and have a way to battle them??

[nanoreefnewbie]

Originally Posted by reefwars

the golden rule is "nothing happens fast in a reeftank but disaster"

the other is " the secret to pollution is dillution"

their ideas were right but the method is too fast, perhaps if you had no livestock in the tank but with critters in the tank i wouldnt be doing large water changes like that daily.


if your going to do on average 10% weekly water changes , then what you should do or have done is a larger water change (20-40%) then continue weekly with your 10%

this is only assuming you knnow where the nitrates are coming from and have a way to battle them??

I'm sure it's from the rock curing...

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by reefwars

their ideas were right but the method is too fast, perhaps if you had no livestock in the tank but with critters in the tank i wouldnt be doing large water changes like that daily.

With nitrates as high as they were, I would absolutely do the big water changes daily until they were back inline. Truthfully, if it was my tank, I would have done closer to 100%. I have done it in the past, and I would absolutely do it again. Providing the critical parameters are close between the NSW and the tank water there shouldn't be any issues at all.

The hermits molting isn't a big deal (typically). The brittle star getting sucked into the powerhead sucks, but is most likely unrelated to the water changes. The broken sump baffles have nothing to do with the water changes either.

The only real "problem" that I see here is that the nitrates aren't coming down, and they are at dangerously high levels.

This means one of three things:
1) The test is faulty,
2) The NSW has nitrates, or
3) Something in the tank is generating an obscene amount of nitrates.

Originally Posted by Boxboy

Changing water daily removes the Good stuff!

In nano tanks the "good stuff" is typically added through water changes. What "good stuff" do you feel is being removed from the system through water changes?

[nanoreefnewbie]

It's just all adding up...things jus keep going wrong no matter how hard I try

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by nanoreefnewbie

It's just all adding up...things jus keep going wrong no matter how hard I try

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.

[nanoreefnewbie]

Originally Posted by Enigma

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.

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..

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by nanoreefnewbie

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

[Boxboy]

I should have been more clear, I ment that if you change the water daily in a nano tank, basicly its not helpful and you end up removing to much bacteria to quickly that help stablize the tank to begine with! It really deppends on whats going on with it!
Yes there is exceptions to almost every rule and some rules can be flate out broken, but its simply best to follow advise from senior memebers when your in doubt.
I should have read the whole thread first probably, and without knowing much else other than "nitraits are high and im doing daily water changes" I would have to suggest relax on changing the water and find the source! Likely as stated before, faulty tests or there is something else going on.

Sorry to have been 100% clear in the begining!

[reefwars]

water changes wont remove anything beneficial , what ever it takes out it will relenish with the new salt.


after a cycle ive always done close to 100% for a water change , after that theres no reason your nitrates would be climbing high enough to merit further large water changes.

[mrhasan]

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).