Major Problem Please help

[gandolf]

My corals aren't opening anymore sand looks dirty and here are my test. This is a 90 gal tank and I have all LifeReef sump. Skimmer and cal reactor and a 20 gal refuguim

Nitrates 2.5
Nitrites 0.05
Cal 350
Ammo 0
P04 0.1
Sal 1.023
PH 7.9
Alk 2.29
Dkh 6.4
any ideas thx

 

[Scooterman]

How old is this tank? What test kits do you use for testing? How much wc's & how often? What salt are you using? What is in your tank? Seems to start with as most problems is to say water changes, may need to increase them or maybe suck out more detritus & do bigger ones every now & then. Last, clean that sump!! If you already didn't!
In almost every case, good husbandry will resolve these problems, water changes is usually the first & best start!

 

[Jim Hart]

Nitrates 2.5 to high
Sal 1.023 to low

temp?

 

[gandolf]

ok tank 1 yr old. sump was clean 3 month ago conplete tear down. salt Is Indian Ocean reef crystals. Have 100 Live rock. 60 pound Carib Sea Arag Alive Reef sand . 1 tang, 3 Feather Duster ,1 Wasse. 1 Toad stool, 3 muchroom and a torch. Temp 78.use salfert test kits.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Needs more frequent water changes and higher salinity

 

[Scooterman]

Well Gandolf, sounds like your good, makes sure the kits aren't expired but other than that, do your WC's! You by far don't seem over stocked which is a good thing. I would do a couple of 20g changes, maybe a week apart & see how that helps.
How is your flow? Good water placement helps keep Detritus in the water column until it can fall into the overflow & get processed. Higher salinity won't hurt but doubt it is the key to your problem, If you have a vacuum, make sure to cover the sb & remove as much Detritus as you can. Even at three months the sump still needs to be sucked clean in between, anything that settles will become a problem so keep that in mind. I wouldn't panic at this point, softies can do well with a little traites.

 

[drummereef]

gandolf - what are you nitrates and phosphates reading? Also, do you use RO/DI or Tap water?

 

[Boomer]

drum

Nitrates 2.5

P04 0.1


gandolf

I would fllow the suggestions of what has been posted already.

 

[reefdreamer]

hey scooterman,
how do you clean your sump? what about all the good microscopic organisms/bacteria that would get washed down the kitchen sink drain?
I guess that would be better than high nitrates.

 

[Scooterman]

Reefdreamer, welcome to RF, If your not cleaning your sump, I'm guessing your keeping a fuge also maybe? If you don't clean the sump then you will collect more & more detritus & it will become a problem, even with a refuge. I clean mine by shutting down the main return, siphoning as much Detritus & anything in there that collects over time, even the salt creep & suck it into a tub with a small MJ 1200 PH & a long 1/2" hose connected. I usually clean the skimmer also. Now my tank & sump is BB, no sand anywheres so it is easier than having a sb. A sb must be maintained well to last a long time, otherwise you will encounter problems, I would try to siphon out as much off the top of the sb as you can, In time you may need to add a little more sand but it is cheap.

 

[mmkeeper]

How old are you light bulbs?