Levels Prob Help Needed Asap

[mattrock]

ello all

iv got a marine tank

iv been doin my water changes as and when i should but iv got/developed a problem with my water stats since my last test thay are

PH.....7.5
NO3 NITRATE......50
NO2 NITRATE.....0.3
AMONIA..............1.2

as u can see these are far to high i 1st notice as 1 of the corals has started to close since then iv done another water change and there still high whats the best way to get these down?? theres no dead fish in the tank or anything like that im a bit confused why all of a sudden thay have jus gone so high.

i do a water change every 2 weeks and test water every 3 all fillters etc cleand every 2 weeks

any help would be good cheers matt

 

[rabbut]

If Ammonia was at 1.2ppm, I seriously doubt there would be any marine fish left, let alone corals or inverts... How old is the test kit, and what reading do you get from fresh salt mix? Does a re-test give a different result?

Nitrite is not toxic to fish (well, that's a lie, it's as toxic to fish as Nitrate) in a marine system, so that is only of concern to the corals and other inverts, and could explain the closing up. Nitrate is a tad high for inverts, how does that compair to "normal"?

Have you added any new stock? Everyone is accounted for I take it? When and how did you last clean your filter(s)?

For now, do a sizeable waterchange (30-50%) in case the tank genuinely does have a high Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate reading, and get the water tested at the LFS ASAP, posting back the numbers to check it isn't just a dodgy test kit

All the best
Rabbut

 

[mattrock]

ello mate

im retesting the water in the morning and also going to take it to the shop to be tested will keep you posted

cheers matt

 

[reefplayground]

cleaning out the filters more frequently will help out a bit as well.

Also, the lower ph will help detoxify the ammonia, that might be why you have had no fish losses....yet

also, is there a protein skimmer on the aquarium?

 

[seffieuk]

If Ammonia was at 1.2ppm, I seriously doubt there would be any marine fish left, let alone corals or inverts... How old is the test kit, and what reading do you get from fresh salt mix? Does a re-test give a different result?

Nitrite is not toxic to fish (well, that's a lie, it's as toxic to fish as Nitrate) in a marine system, so that is only of concern to the corals and other inverts, and could explain the closing up. Nitrate is a tad high for inverts, how does that compair to "normal"?

Have you added any new stock? Everyone is accounted for I take it? When and how did you last clean your filter(s)?

For now, do a sizeable waterchange (30-50%) in case the tank genuinely does have a high Ammonia/nitrite/nitrate reading, and get the water tested at the LFS ASAP, posting back the numbers to check it isn't just a dodgy test kit

All the best
Rabbut

As Rabbut says above plus you really need to be doing weekly water changes, do a sizeable water change, I would suggest the minimum of 50%. I am assuming that you haven't added any new lr or livestock? Plus are you skimming and what sort of filter are you talking about?

Seffie x