about my nitrates

[spider8u]

HI i have had my tank up for about almost 2 months now i finished my cycle 3 weeks after putting up my tank but i added some more live rock so i went thru another cycle not as long about a week. Well my question is i just did about 65gl water change this is on 100gl tank but after testing for nitrates i am still getting a reading of 20 nitrates why is my nitrates still high.I have 100lbs of LR and 85lbs of sand i got 2 #3 koralia power heads and i am useing canister xp3 for more water flow and just got some lr in it and carbon and no sponges. and i am useing a remora pro with mag3 i know i am under skimming but it does pull out some nasty stuff and i dont have a sump just yet and useing RO/DI water thx

 

[rob28]

I think you haven't had a complete cycle...Do you have any micro algie?Cheto or calerpa take nitrates out...That or water changes are the way to export your nitrates.Set up a Refugium.

 

[drummereef]

They should continue to come down as the nitrifying bacteria has a chance to work on it. Keep doing water changes and use RO/DI if you have the means.

 

[yeldarbj]

Are you feeding the tank anything? If not, you might still have a lot of die off still decomposing in the live rock. How high were the nitrates prior to the water change?

You could try running some Seachem Purigen in the cannister. I've also had great success with Seachem Matrix (small fake rock) in my cannister with the Purigen and carbon.

 

[UntamedBreez]

Sounds like your tank cycled for the load that was in it
then you added uncured rock, meaning it was left out of the water for to long and some of the little critters died in it.
your recycling b/c you tripled if not more your bio-load.

try getting used water from another tank, try a local forum or craiges list if you dont know anyone personally who does sea water.
there throw away water from a water change will help estabish your water quickly

 

[spider8u]

if i am still getting die off from the LR i thought i would still be showing readings of ammonia and nitrite? my ammonia is at 0 and nitrite 0 and before i did the water change nitrates were around 60 thx

 

[yeldarbj]

Your nitrates dropping from 60 to 20 makes sense, a 66% decline b/c you change 66% of the water. That's why you are still at 20. You won't get to 0 overnight.