three month old biocube 29 tank

Question
QUESTION: i have had my tank up and running for about three to four months. i didn't put any fish or a cleanup crew until my nitrites read .05 PM. which meant my live rock would have been done cycling right? i then added two turbo snails and two peppermint shrimp and two red legged crab and couples day later i added a yellow tang to finish the cycle and also two corals which seem to be struggling and dying slowly. my tang is absolutely fine and doing well. where did i go wrong the nitrites went up to .2 and there they have stayed since i added the fish and corals. i then added to rest of my clean up crew to see if that would help and it didn't. i had 10 blue legged hermit crabs. 10 snails and 2 emerald crabs. did i over load it please help thanks Matt


Oceanic BioCube Nano A   ANSWER: Hi Matt,

I to, am a fan of saltwater reef and fish nano aquariums.  

Since they are very small, and only hold a small amount of water, in comparison to aquariums 100 gallons or more, patience,  along with regular maintenance is key, so that your aquarium maintains stable water parameters.

Below is some advice that I can give, from my own personal experiences with nano aquariums:

--- If you have the 29 gallon Oceanic BioCube that didn't come with a protein skimmer, then I would highly recommend to get one; protein skimming for nano aquariums is definitely a plus, in regards to keeping the water cleaner and more stable, longer.

--- If you have the 29 Gallon Oceanic BioCube HQI, you will want to keep a close eye on your aquariums temperature. Often Metal Halide lighting can cause extreme heat, which can raise the temperature. An ideal temperature range to stay around is 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If heat is a problem, you may consider adding a chiller; or perhaps you may consider retrofitting your aquarium with all LED Lighting, versus Metal Halide or Power Compacts.

--- Regarding nitrites, (since you mentioned a reading of .05  in your original question): Nitrite readings should be at zero (0.00) at all times. Typically if you have a reading of nitrites, then most likely your aquarium has an ammonia level reading, which is not good. Ammonia readings should also be at zero. Phosphates and nitrates are two parameters that will always have a reading; for an example of nitrates, you may have a reading of 0.25 ppm for Coral Reefs, but not more than 5 ppm, if you read 5 ppm, it typically means it's time to do a water change. Even though marine life can tolerate nitrates, having high levels of nitrates for extended periods of time can cause damage and death to your anemones, corals, invertebrates and crustaceans, sometimes even in a minor level on a reef system for more delicate marine animals.

--- When introducing new fish, corals, and/or other invertebrates, do this slowly, instead of adding many new marine life animals all at once. Adding new marine life slowly, gives your nano aquarium water a chance to adjust itself as needed, to keep up with the bio-load of the aquarium.

--- A good practice for all aquarium owners is to occasionally add a good quality liquid bacteria, to help replenish and to help boost your existing colonies of beneficial bacteria.

--- Two good liquid bacteria products that I can recommend, include Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter 7, and TLC's StartSmart Complete Live Bacteria. Both of these products work great for long term maintenance of your aquarium water. You can find these products in most Local Fish Stores, or from most quality online aquarium stores, like Orange County Reef Aquatics http://www.ocreef.com. I would have given you the web pages with these products on them from Orange County Reef Aquatics, however their website is down right now for maintenance.

--- Regarding feeding, be careful in regards to overfeeding your fish. It's better to feed your fish a couple small feedings a day, versus one large feeding a day. Feed them only as much as they can consume within 5 minutes.

--- Regarding feeding your corals with plankton, of both zooplankton and phytoplankton: If using a liquid feed, keep in mind that these foods range in various microns of size, and are often not visible to the human eye. These liquids can often be over added, which can quickly degrade water quality. Feed your corals every other day or at least a minimum of twice a week, in extremely small amounts.

I wish you the best of luck in all of your saltwater reef aquarium endeavors.

Regards,
David








---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: David thanks for answer my question so quickly i just have a couple more questions... i do use a protein skimmer. i have been doing 10 to 15% water changes every other day until i was told to stop because i wasn't letting the bacteria mature. my nitrates levels wont go down after a water change it stays at 20ppm.. How much water should i remove and do i use RO or saltwater i get from the store? i used tlc startsmart with my water changes and it doesn't seem to help..Next question, Do i use the bio filter and the protein skimmer at the same time always? last question, Should i just remove all creatures and start over it seems like i have a disaster on my hands? thank U again Matt

Answer
Matt,

See my reply-back below:

--- 10 to 15 % water changes every other day is too much right now; until you get your aquarium water parameters more stable and your colonies of beneficial bacteria are more developed; perhaps its best for you to stick with just two water changes per month. When your water parameters are more stable, you could do a 5 gallon water change on a weekly basis, if you prefer.

--- Don't worry to much about the 20 ppm nitrate reading for now, your aquarium can tolerate this level for a little while, your main concern is to not have a nitrite reading or ammonia level reading.

--- Regarding water, I always recommend to use fully Dechlorinated Reverse Osmosis Water, along with a good synthetic saltwater mix; or if your local fish store sells Reverse Osmosis Saltwater already pre-mixed, this should be fine also, however you may want to test their water for quality assurance.

--- TLC Startsmart is a good product; if you believe you are not getting results, then definitely try Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter 7 instead.

--- Regarding the bio filter and the protein skimmer: Yes you would use these at the same time, always.

--- Lastly, I don't recommend starting over, just give it some time, (don't add a bunch of chemicals/water additives) and soon your aquarium will start to balance itself out. In the meantime don't add any new marine life, and dose your aquarium with Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7

Regards