Parameters a bit off

[nunch]

How much and how often are your water changes?

[lissa]

Here at the forum it was suggested not to do water changes, unless there was a problem, like this one I guess.

I was doing water changes every 2 weeks, and the levels were text book.

Now I think it is an over feeding problem, and I will monitor it better.

[kimmy]

trial and error...try it and see how it works. I believe that with the minimal filtration you have, water changes are going to have to be key in keeping these numbers at bay. Your nitrates are not bad, but nitrites need to be zero and as those get to 0, chances are your nitrates will go up. So be diligent in good husbandry and you should be ok.

[kimmy]

People who do no water changes most likely have very safisticated filtration systems to break down all the waste. I use LR, 90LBs in my 75G along with 15G monthly water changes. I do not have a skimmer nor a fuge.

[nunch]

Originally Posted by kimmy

trial and error...try it and see how it works. I believe that with the minimal filtration you have, water changes are going to have to be key in keeping these numbers at bay. Your nitrates are not bad, but nitrites need to be zero and as those get to 0, chances are your nitrates will go up. So be diligent in good husbandry and you should be ok.

I agree. small frequent water changes and you should be OK. I was doing large (about 40-50%) everymonth and my nitrates stayed around 20 i started doing smaller (about 20%) evey week or 2 and they dropped to around 10ppm it's still a lil high but i have a huge bio-load and no livestock seems to suffer so i'm content.

[Tangster]

For what ever its worth the parameters don't look that far off to me on such a new tank.. If its the NO3's (: you are way over feeding the tank I'd forget the frozen stuff and feed half the amount of flakes you now feed and feed every other day and for get about the whole nori if you have to add the sugars to your system just feed half a sheet once a week .
Its the single worse thing people just starting out do , Cause of water issues is to feed their systems to death.. The fish learn to charge the tank when you walk pass and then humans feel sorry thinking they are starving and feed them. In the wild thses fish never get enough to eat they swim miles for the little they do get to eat.

If you are using a test kit for P.H its waste of money just test the DKH that controls the P.H and its far more of a elemental level to be concerned with as is Calcium and Magnesium and Phosphates . You did not mention those levels and with knowing these not much can be said about what a water change will do or not do.. Other then the NO3's But feeding is causing that problem.

[nunch]

Originally Posted by Tangster

For what ever its worth the parameters don't look that far off to me on such a new tank.. If its the NO3's (: you are way over feeding the tank I'd forget the frozen stuff and feed half the amount of flakes you now feed and feed every other day and for get about the whole nori if you have to add the sugars to your system just feed half a sheet once a week .
Its the single worse thing people just starting out do , Cause of water issues is to feed their systems to death.. The fish learn to charge the tank when you walk pass and then humans feel sorry thinking they are starving and feed them. In the wild thses fish never get enough to eat they swim miles for the little they do get to eat.

If you are using a test kit for P.H its waste of money just test the DKH that controls the P.H and its far more of a elemental level to be concerned with as is Calcium and Magnesium and Phosphates . You did not mention those levels and with knowing these not much can be said about what a water change will do or not do.. Other then the NO3's But feeding is causing that problem.

She has a fish only tank, I was under the impression maintaining calcium and magnesium was mainly for reef tanks. I didn't think it was too relevant for fish. I never tested for those when i had fish only and i still have fish from 3+ yrs ago. maybe i was just lucky? and i know the dKH is relative to PH but my KH is almost always @ 13 wich would suggest a normal or high PH, but many times my PH will drop to 7.8 while my KH stays @ 13. I'm no aquarium genius so if i'm under the wrong impression, please enlighten me.

[lissa]

I too was under the impression that the only levels I was to be concerned in a fish only was, Ph, Nitrite, Nitrate, Amonia and obviously salinity.

I could have been misinformed....

But I will feed every other day formula one, and leave the frozen shrimp alone.
As for the nori, my yellow tang realy enjoys it, so I will probably introduce it after the levels become better and even then, every 3 day maybe ???

Thanks guys

[nunch]

Originally Posted by lissa

I too was under the impression that the only levels I was to be concerned in a fish only was, Ph, Nitrite, Nitrate, Amonia and obviously salinity.

I could have been misinformed....

But I will feed every other day formula one, and leave the frozen shrimp alone.
As for the nori, my yellow tang realy enjoys it, so I will probably introduce it after the levels become better and even then, every 3 day maybe ???

Thanks guys

You're Welcome. You should monitor phosphates too cause that's what algae feed on.