# Help with getting my tank reading back into order.



## hell on wheels (Sep 16, 2007)

I am new to this hobby, my tank was set up the end of May. Ran the cycle, added fish the end of June. I have been maintaining it on my own and have kept my head above water, and have lost zero fish.

I had to leave the country for 3 weeks just retuned last night, to find the person watching my fish and my dogs has managed to kill my yellow tang and 1 candycane shrimp.

My Nitrate leval is through the roof. If someone can lead me in the right direction on correcting this before I lose more fish.

Here is a list of my saltwater friends:
3 blue damsels
1 yellow tail damsel
1 3 striped damsel
1 clown fish
1 coral beauty angel
1 fox-faced rabbit fish
1 blue hippo tang
1 red spotted hawk fish
1 candycane shrimp (now)

My tank is a 120 FOWLR gallons and the readings are as follows:
Temp: 77
Salt: 1.022
PH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.25 ppm
Nitrate: 40 ppm on my test strip the color is actually between 40 and 80 ppm there is no color for a reading between those 2 so in actuality the Nitrate is higher than the 40 ppm that I list it at. 

I really want to expand my tank, by upgrading lighting, and getting into the corals ect.

I have been batteling brown alge since the start up of my tank on my equipment. A day or 2 later after cleaning it, it is back with a vengence. What can I do to control this also? First and formost need to get my nitate level under control for the health of my fish.

Here is a current picture of my tank. Please disregard the candycane shrimp carcase on the powerhead. It has just molted and has been removed from the tank.


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## vobizzy (Sep 18, 2007)

for the nitrate i would actually do more frequent water changes, as for the algae judging by the picture, i would guess light intensity? if that is not the case i would try checking the phosphate


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## Andre (Feb 19, 2007)

50 percent water change, than do 10 percent water changes per week and see what happens. Algae problem, light intensity, looks like you need new bulbs. Also check your phospate levels. you may need to instally a tlf phosban reactor and a uv sterlizer would help.


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## hell on wheels (Sep 16, 2007)

First off thanks for the reply's......Dumb question here.......testing for phosphate.....can I get that test from my LFS.....That was not included in my test kit.......I did a 25% water change yesterday.......so hopefully that will help with the nitrate leval....As for my lighting....Its the standard lights I got with the tank....50/50's I believe.....I run the lights for about 12 hrs a day.......Is that too long?.....Yesterday me LFS sold me 3 snails......not sure what kind....they are pretty big....and are munching away as we speak.....Any ideas on my readings to why my shrimp and yellow tang died while I was gone? All my fish look healthy and are eating....


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