Goby causing increased Nitratres??

[NeuroDoc]

I posted this in reply to an old thread, in a different category. Sorry in advance for the double posting.

I am having a problem with nitrates. My nano has been running for ~6 weeks. I watched it cycle after I added my live rock, and had all levels (NH4, NO3, NO4) at zero before I added any livestock. I added a couple of ocellaris clowns at the first of March. Still all levels zero. I added a sand sifting Goby on Wednesday of last week. Now my NH4 and NO3 are still at zero, but my nitrates are reading ~20ppm. The only explanation I have is that all the stirring of the sand is preventing anaerobic conditions that would allow the conversion of nitrates to N2.

The only other new addition is a pulsing xenia that i added on Saturday.

I have a 24g aquapod with a total of about 35# of LR. I removed one of the sponge filters from the back and filled the back right compartment with LR rubble. I have a sock of carbon in the compartment with my pump. The carbon is changed every 2 weeks. I rinse the sponge filter every 2-3 days (as I see accumulation of grime). pH 8.2, Ca 310.

Any further thoughts would be appreciated. Should I return the Goby?

 

[wrightme43]

Or another thing that may of happened is the increase in live stock may of pushed the tank beyond its limits. So the nitrates are being made faster than the tank can cycle them out.

 

[NeuroDoc]

The levels had stayed at zero after adding the clowns. Could one little fish push it over the edge like this?

Only the fish produce nitrates, correct? The corals don't, and I read that clams will used nitrate as a nutrient.

The one other option I forgot to mention is overfeeding. I am going to cut back on feeding my corals, and watch the fish closer when feeding to see if this helps.

 

[wrightme43]

LOL I think were thinking the same thing. LOL

 

[Aquatic Guru]

How big is your sand sifting goby? I don't think it's the fish. Maybe it is overfeeding.

 

[NeuroDoc]

The goby is about 2 inches from nose to tail. I have seen it eat the occasional mysis that drifts near it from when I fed them to my clowns.

 

[liveforphysics]

I really dont think its the goby.

Are you useing cheato? You can hugely over feed and stir your sand like crazy and still not have an nitrates, phosphates, or algae if you get rapidly growing colony of cheato going in your sump. At least this is my experience. One of my tanks has a high flowing undergravel filter in it, and I still cant get any detectable nitrates, even when i add high nitrate water and overfeed at the same time just to experiment, its always back to undetectable by the next morning. I also dont use skimmers...

 

[NeuroDoc]

It's an aquapod, so i don't have a sump. I don't think there is enough light in the back overflows to put chaeto in there. I have considered putting it in my tank and just keeping it trimmed, but am not sure I want to do that at this point.

 

[liveforphysics]

If you dont have a place to put it where it can grow rapidly, it cant do you a bit of good, as it can only bennifit your tank while its growing.

You could just put standard (long skinny "U" of tubeing) power compact bulb right down in the water in the back over flow and pack cheato in there. The bulbs love to run with the glass tube in the water (for some plasma stability reasons that you wont care about) and the life of them is extended from maintaining relitively cool. This is what I do on my frag tank to light the cheato very efficiently since it doesnt loose light from reflection, and it also lights the cheato down deep through the entire mass, rather than just the surface.

I think it would be an exellent addition to your tank, and you may find (as I did) that its all the equipment your tank requires to be algae free and very healthy.

 

[jeremys78]

You could just put standard (long skinny "U" of tubeing) power compact bulb right down in the water in the back over flow and pack cheato in there. ... This is what I do on my frag tank to light the cheato very efficiently ...

Woah - never thought of this. Post a picture!

 

[liveforphysics]

Here is the pic for the fellow who wanted to see. This is my frag tank, and its not made to be pretty, just functional. What is in the pic here is the entire filtration system for the tank.