150g tank nitrate problem pic and setup ! need help please!

[scooter31707]

Nick92515 took the words right out of my mouth! I don't think it's oversized, I think it might be undersize with the amount of big size and messy fish they have in the tank. This tank is overstocked. They should be looking at a skimmer at least 2x turnover rate. So a 150 gallon will equal a 300 - 350+ gph skimmer.

 

[reefgeezer]

Carbon dosing can definitely reduce nitrates. However, if your phosphate is really 0, it will limit the effectiveness on the process. You might consider slowly reducing the GFO until you see some phosphate with a quality low range test kit.

 

[CStrickland]

You've been carbon dosing since you started using the biopellets. That's what they are. I'm not sure if the advice you are getting to add vodka or vinegar to your tank is based on a notion that different forms will be more effective than a single source? I'd make sure the reactor is all tuned up and give it a while to get established before I complicated the dosing, personally.

It can be very helpful to remove accumulated detritus from the tank, but nitrates generally take a lot longer to go away than they do to rise, and an overstocked tank will have an even harder time because the battle is uphill to begin with. Changing the filter socks every other day and cleaning out the live rock detritus trap in your sump probably wouldn't hurt. Some of the pics look like the sand has some stuff settling on it, I prefer to vacuum than just fluff it into the water because that gets the detritus and the nutrient-rich water from down in the sand all the way out of the tank.

 

[elietania]

What skimmer do you have, if the skimmer is oversized it won't skim efficiently.

Nick92515 took the words right out of my mouth! I don't think it's oversized, I think it might be undersize with the amount of big size and messy fish they have in the tank. This tank is overstocked. They should be looking at a skimmer at least 2x turnover rate. So a 150 gallon will equal a 300 - 350+ gph skimmer.

The skimmer his good its a swc rater to 200-400 gallon should be enough?

I have less fish now
Juvenile emperror
3 clown fish
Flame anger
Brown tang
Yellow tang
Blue tang
Niger trigger
2 fire fish
1 purple fish

 

[elietania]

Carbon dosing can definitely reduce nitrates. However, if your phosphate is really 0, it will limit the effectiveness on the process. You might consider slowly reducing the GFO until you see some phosphate with a quality low range test kit.

I didnt know i need to have phosphate in the water to get better result!

You've been carbon dosing since you started using the biopellets. That's what they are. I'm not sure if the advice you are getting to add vodka or vinegar to your tank is based on a notion that different forms will be more effective than a single source? I'd make sure the reactor is all tuned up and give it a while to get established before I complicated the dosing, personally.

It can be very helpful to remove accumulated detritus from the tank, but nitrates generally take a lot longer to go away than they do to rise, and an overstocked tank will have an even harder time because the battle is uphill to begin with. Changing the filter socks every other day and cleaning out the live rock detritus trap in your sump probably wouldn't hurt. Some of the pics look like the sand has some stuff settling on it, I prefer to vacuum than just fluff it into the water because that gets the detritus and the nutrient-rich water from down in the sand all the way out of the tank.

Im gonna buy a syphon to sump and sand

I started bio pellet 24 of december with 25% of a 150 gal dosage and since 1 week im at the full dosage for 150gal
I sarted 2 weeks ago vodka dosing with 0.2/gallon after that i went up tp 0.3 and now once a week i add 0.5 to my daily dosage

 

[reefgeezer]

Here's my short very "non-biologist" explanation of the process...

Vinegar and biopellets both add free "carbon" to the water column. While it takes different forms, the carbon functions the same from either source. This carbon bonds with inorganic nutrients (phosphate & nitrate) to form an organic compound. Bacteria develop that consume the organic compound. When the skimmer removes the bacteria ... Viola! Less nutrients.

BUT... The bond between carbon-phosphate-nitrate occurs in a particular ratio. Without one of the required components, the bond doesn't happen, the organic compound is never created, and the bacteria don't develop. That means less nutrient reduction and an excess of carbon.

I agree the vinegar shouldn't be necessary if you are using biopellets or vice versa.

 

[Reel North]

Use chaeto instead of the live rock in your sump. Presto. No nitrates.

I have a TON of fish in my 220. My nitrates are 10, and PO4 is .03. I feed like a maniac.

I don't run bio pellets, carbon, gfo or anything else. Just a big refugium, large lifereef skimmer, and a calcium reactor.

Your tank seems pretty new as well. I assume you reused the substrate from your 7t without washing it out? That can be a big nitrate sink.

 

[elietania]

Here's my short very "non-biologist" explanation of the process...

Vinegar and biopellets both add free "carbon" to the water column. While it takes different forms, the carbon functions the same from either source. This carbon bonds with inorganic nutrients (phosphate & nitrate) to form an organic compound. Bacteria develop that consume the organic compound. When the skimmer removes the bacteria ... Viola! Less nutrients.

BUT... The bond between carbon-phosphate-nitrate occurs in a particular ratio. Without one of the required components, the bond doesn't happen, the organic compound is never created, and the bacteria don't develop. That means less nutrient reduction and an excess of carbon.

I agree the vinegar shouldn't be necessary if you are using biopellets or vice versa.

oohh thanks for the info

Use chaeto instead of the live rock in your sump. Presto. No nitrates.

I have a TON of fish in my 220. My nitrates are 10, and PO4 is .03. I feed like a maniac.

I don't run bio pellets, carbon, gfo or anything else. Just a big refugium, large lifereef skimmer, and a calcium reactor.

Your tank seems pretty new as well. I assume you reused the substrate from your 7t without washing it out? That can be a big nitrate sink.

i dont wanna put more live rock in the main tank!! thanks why they are there! i can move them in the first section and use the second one for chaeto!

lmao like a maniac?

im running the 150 for almost a year now i used all the live rock from my 75 and 25% of the old water all the live sand band and other stuff in filtration its all new