Jenn, my tank specs are at the bottom of each post I place on the website, you can click on it to access the info. I do not have a DSB at this point, but I have about a 4" substrate of crushed coral. I already suspect what is causing my high nitrates, which when tested are about 100. Too much feeding and my tank is not overstocked. But I do have two big puffers that make a mess, if you know what I mean, and they certainly aren't helping any. When I do a bi-weekly 20% water change with RO/DI water, I do vacuum the substrate. I've also been watching my wet/dry filter built into the aquarium and keeping the filters clean not gunked up. I cut back to feeding the fish every other day now. They fed no flake food. I cut up frozen squid for them and all the fish eat that, even my yellow tang. I do place some lettuce in there a couple of times a week for the tang. Ever since my magnum 350 broke, which is a sore topic for me - see my product review on this webiste, my nitrates have been higher. The mag 350 helped with keeping that level down and I ran carbon in it. I have no carbon now and my only filtration is the wet/dry. I know I need to get another
canister filter, I'm thinking fluval 404. I'm not ready to take the full jump into reef at this time, otherwise I would buy a refugium, MH lighting, skimmer and all the other stuff I need. Thanks for your help.
As a wise man once said, nothing good happens fast in a reef tank! 
