The saltwater switch!!! For people seting up their first saltwater tank.

**w7afm** · 01-31-2007, 05:16 PM

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

**jojo22** · 01-31-2007, 08:18 PM

Try replacing the bioballs with some LR rubble. You should see an increase in the stability of your tank. Also do your cleaning in sections so you do not throw your bio filter out of wack. Rinse your filters one week, sponges one at a time to keep the levels of bacteria steady.

**w7afm** · 02-05-2007, 12:31 AM

JoJo, I am sorry that I haven't gotten back with you sooner but I have been on Marc's website reading everything. I did post a reply to Marc under the forum of "Sump, Refugium or both?" I am starting the 180 over. I have typied everything up on my plans in the above forum, thanks again for checking up on me.

Bob

**graphixx** · 02-08-2007, 05:35 PM

BOY JOE, you sure did a good job on that :ok:

**jojo22** · 02-08-2007, 07:57 PM

Thank you very much!!

**jojo22** · 10-13-2009, 11:00 AM

90% of this article is missing for some reason, I had someone wanting a link but don't want to link them to the old CR. Any way to fix this??

**igot2gats** · 10-14-2009, 09:04 PM

Am I missing something? It looks like you were cut off?

**jojo22** · 10-14-2009, 09:24 PM

A lot of it got lost when it was pulled over from the old board.

**speedstar** · 10-17-2009, 01:58 AM

Great write up, we should really sticky this.

**jojo22** · 11-06-2009, 10:26 PM

Now that it is whole (had some issues coming over from the old CR) I have moved this to here from the article section. Hope it can help some people, but keep in mind it was written almost 3 years ago, so some info may be a bit out of date.