[jcolgan]

I have a 125g. set up with tidepool 2, a turbofloater 100 skimmer about 50 lbs of live rock, 60 lbs of base rock and 3 damsels. I have used cycle and the live bacteria (that is very smelly). It's been cycling for about 2 months. NH4 = 0, NO2 = between 1 & 2, and NO3 is about 30. I can't get my nitrites to come down? Is it time for a water change? The tank got a brown bacteria all over when it stated cycling, and that has dissappeared almost overnight, but the NO2 remains high.

thanks,

[cod]

Check you nitrite test kit. If you are getting a positive reading for nitrate, your nitrite should be below detectable limit.

A 10~15% water change would not hurt anything.

[bongobrian]

Was any of this live rock new and uncured? it's possible that the rock cured "hard" and had a lot of die-off. This would produce the brown diatom algea you spoke of and contribute to the nitrate problem. 30ppm isn't anything to worry about though. Is your skimmer pulling out dark protein every day? make sure you keep the skimmate clean so that it can. Do you have a refugium where you can harvest macro algea? that would help. Also what are you adding to the tank as far as food and trace elements? try to reduce the amount of organics going into the tank. Good luck.

[jcolgan]

The nitrite is 25 ppm and nitrate is 30 ppm. By the way, what is a refugium?

thanks

[Biomanjcs72]

It is not necessarily correct that if you have a Nitrate Reading the Nitrite should be undetectable. It is correct to say that it is probably on it's way to being undetectable. A refugium is a separate tank (or sump, or both) in which, Algae (usually caulerpa sp.), copepods, etc, can grow and multiply in safe REFUGE from the rest of the critters in the main tank. (by the by, the main tank and refugium are connected in some way, by pipe, pump, or both (usually both))

The algae that grow reduces Nitrites, nitrates, phosphates, and other undesirable nutrients by using it for fertilizer, thereby keeping it out of your tank, you harvest the algae and throw it away from time to time.

That's the short version, someone will, I'm sure, shortly post youa link to an expanded, much more understandable explanation of a refugium.
The next question you'll want to ask is "What's a Deep Sand Bed?"

HTH,

-John

[jcolgan]

i have a tidepool2 sump set-up that has been growing (hopefully) good bacteria for 7 -8 weeks. I never heard of a tank taking so long to cycle!
I know patience is required, but this is getting rediculous!!

judi

[jcolgan]

If you grow algae in the sump does that mean you have to have good lights on it also?

thanks