Nitrate & Nitrite Spikes after water change

[w7afm]

I have been doing saltwater since the mid 60's and have very good to excellent results, I have had my Fiji Devil Damsels and my Clown fish reproduce in my 135. I am now setting up a 180 reef system. The trouble I am having is the very time I do a water change, clean my filters and then just rinse of the filter media (Bio-Balls) I get a spike in my nitrates and nitrites for a period of 4 to 5 days and everything goes right back to normal with water readings well below and some time unreadable. I was wondering if me clean the Bio-Balls just a little bit is causing this spike in my readings. If I am doing some thing wrong would some one please let me know so I can get on the right track. I would like to get my 180 to cycle so I can start to add my live rock and my corals. I am new to the reef hobby, I have the fish part of it down with no trouble but this reef system is something else for me, I have never had a sump or most of the new toys that I must use to keep my reef alive and well. Please if anyone could pass on some information it would sure be of great help to me.

Thanks,
Bob, W7AFM

[graphixx]

Bob, first off I would get rid of the bioballs in the sump. they are going to collect detrius and give you unwanted spikes. corals are far less tolerant of water quality than fish. in place of the bioballs you can put LR rubble.

[Fatman]

Ive never clean my bio-balls (going on a year) and have gone months without a water change. Your cleaning could possibly be destroying valuable bacteria. Maybe a little bit on the set up you got going on the 180 to give us something to work with?

[w7afm]

Ok on my 180 I am running a 200+ Clear Choice Series Wet Dry Filter, Aqua Medic Helix-Max UV, In-Sump Protein Skimmer - G2 - 200 gal, and Bio-Balls, Bubble-less Reservoir - 15 gal, with a 3000 gph pump

[w7afm]

also using 4 power heads for my wave maker

[dakar]

Sounds like you are wiping out a significant amount of your bacteria population when you do your cleaning maintenance... a few days after your clean things the bacteria colony is re-established and back to work.... You didn't mention it, but can we assume you have live rock in the tank as well? For a reef that is generally your primary biological filtration.


Welcome aboard.... 73's.

[w7afm]

I have not added anything that is alive, just 2 damels, still trying to get my tank to complete it's cycle before I add anything else.

[Fatman]

Are you incorperating a sand bad, (Deep or not) and/or a refugium?

[w7afm]

First off I want to thank everyone that was able to give me feedback to my question, I have been doing a lot of reading on Melev's Reef and I have decided to start the 180 over, put the damels in the hospital tank, try and modifiy the 3 stage sump I have now into a sump/refugium. I will be ordering 80 pounds of LR with some LS to give me 3" for a base and use some in the refugium. I am going to start my refugium with some Halimeda Algae, then I will see were I will go from there.

Bob

[AuntKaren]

You need to allow your tank to cycle once you get it up with water and live rock. When you are cycling just do a 10% water change to keep the ammonia levels below 1.0 Eventually you will get a brownish algae bloom but that's normal. It should take 10 days to 2 weeks for your tank to successfully cycle. Search for Cycle in forums you will get the gist (actually get some really good insights) The hardest part is the wait! Good luck!