Nitrates making me nuts
- Thread starter sgallagher7
- Start date
sgallagher7
Member
The rock was cured in the tank at start up. was very patient with the process. Phophates and Ammonia were never a problem. Did numerous water changes. Im trying my best with the skimming, and am wondering if the skimmer is underpower for the size tank. I have approx. 115 lbs of live rock. Also wondering if the sand in which the rock was cured on is leaching nitrates. The sand isnt bad but not as pristine as others I have seen on this site. I use salifert test kits across the board.
Brandon Cassidy
New member
Everyone seems to have nitrate problems. I guess I am blessed to have never had that issue. I haven't really had any water problems. I wonder if I am doing it wrong. hahaha.
mnestroy
Active member
If you want to see results increase your water changes, bump it up to 30-40% I do 45% every 2week... I would start by getting your nitrates down via water changes, and then try to figure out if/why they rise.
You can do water changes very often without to much negative impact.
You can do water changes very often without to much negative impact.
Live rock can't leach nitrate. Phosphate can adsorb onto the rock, but nitrate can't. The nitrate could be coming from dying animals in the rock, or perhaps some organism is fixing nitrogen from the air. In most cases, nitrate originates with the food.
I agree that the flow should be fine. Have you tested the RO-DI output? There might be a test kit issue.
I wouldn't remove live rock from the tank to scrub it, if that's what you're doing. That could kill organisms and feed the algal bloom.
I'll have to think a bit about this one.
I agree that the flow should be fine. Have you tested the RO-DI output? There might be a test kit issue.
I wouldn't remove live rock from the tank to scrub it, if that's what you're doing. That could kill organisms and feed the algal bloom.
I'll have to think a bit about this one.
dileggi
Premium Member
I am now tagging along as well to this one. My tank is only 4 months old, but I can't remember ever seeing my nitrates at anything other than 20. They have never climbed over 20, but I have never been at 0.
I know the whole bioball situation causing the nitrates, but at only 4 mos old, could they be that much of an issue at this point??
I know the whole bioball situation causing the nitrates, but at only 4 mos old, could they be that much of an issue at this point??
markoantoniojr
New member
i used az-no3 and my nitrates went from 20 to 0 in less than 2 weeks....on the 4th month of running my tank i had corals and 2 clown fish and a yellow watchman 6 hermits and 3 snails and a blood shrimp on a 29 biocube. my fish didnt take well with the additive only the yellow watchmen survived. the stuff worked though. my nitrates were 20 and every week i made a 4 gallon water change and it never went down. i read somewhere to try this and i worked in less than 2 weeks. you put like 2 drops on a 55g on the 1st day the 4 on 2nd 8 on 3rd you stop around 80 drops i think, then decrease the drops.. i started on the first water change 7 days later i made another water change then noticed i was at 0 , 7 days later made another water change.
this was my last weekly water change now i do it monthly and i have 2 tomato clowns the yellow watchmen, shrimp same scavengers..i keep a log and my nitrates dont go up.
it s called az-no3, by the way i have a tunze reef pack it skims the top of the water i put some carbon in it first the i put filter floss on the top i change the floss once every 2 weeks.
this was my last weekly water change now i do it monthly and i have 2 tomato clowns the yellow watchmen, shrimp same scavengers..i keep a log and my nitrates dont go up.
it s called az-no3, by the way i have a tunze reef pack it skims the top of the water i put some carbon in it first the i put filter floss on the top i change the floss once every 2 weeks.
markoantoniojr
New member
ps you can see the tunze in my gallery pics its on the top right hand corner
sgallagher7
Member
Thanks for all the info. I was thinking of using az-no3 also if nothing else worked. Iv never been able to get the nitrates down below 15 even after 50% water changes. Could it be the depth of sand or the fact that the sand was in place during the curing process? Im also wondering if Im skimming correctly or with a skimmer that is too small for my set-up. The skimmer is producing some coarse bubbles and dark skimmate at times and then will not produce anything. It seems very inconsistant.
markoantoniojr
New member
try the az-no3, when i started using it the top of my water started filming up and my white filter floss removed that and my nitrates dissapeared. i also run a skimmer a tunze reef pack skimmer i really dont bother with it anymore. i have a 29 biocube so i modified it and put it in the back where the bioballs were but my water level there is inconsistent sometimes i get some skimming when i top off , i know if i didnt use it the nitrates would be 0
sgallagher7
Member
Thanks. I think thats my next step.
sgallagher7
Member
I tried vacuming the sand bed a bit in the past. It created quiet a mess. I only did a small spot. Was afraid of taking up to much "good stuff" in the sand. The only time I was able to get my nitrates down was when I used chemi-pure. It did a great job, but was messy with the charcoal dust.
