Nitrates won't drop

[edandsandy]

I can not get my nitrates drop, I am using a API test kit, I have performed numerous water changes siphoned the sand once, and it still reads 15/20.

I have tested my RO/DI water it reads zero.
I only feed frozen food 3-4 times a week, and pellets the rest of the time.

what is going on???

 

[bdare]

Do you have a fuge with macro algae? That should be your first step!

How long has your tank been running?

 

[rick s]

I see a wet/dry in your tank specs. Tell us more about that.

 

[edandsandy]

yes i have a fuge whit cheato,
it has been up for a year now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Nitrate is often hard to control. There are many, many ways to do so, but elevated nitrate is quite common and is not necessarily a big problem.

I discuss it more here:

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm

 

[edandsandy]

Randy,
My nitrates were at zero, now to have it 15/20 at one time it was at 40, My corals are showing signs of stress, 3 pieces are showing tissue loss.
any advise?

 

[rick s]

What are you running in your wet/dry? Bio Balls? Floss?
Do you "clean" it? How and how often?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What types of corals are stressed?

Ever measure phosphate? That is a bigger concern for hard corals, IMO, and may go hand in hand with elevated nitrate in many tanks.

 

[edandsandy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12185516#post12185516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rick s
What are you running in your wet/dry? Bio Balls? Floss?
Do you "clean" it? How and how often?

in the wet/dry, i have some LRR, it is submerged, and i use a floss, i change the floss about every 2-3 days

 

[edandsandy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12188266#post12188266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randy Holmes-Farley
What types of corals are stressed?

Ever measure phosphate? That is a bigger concern for hard corals, IMO, and may go hand in hand with elevated nitrate in many tanks.

I have 2 acros and 1 candy cane showing signs of tissue loss.

my phosphates measure 0.1

I use a API test kit.

I have a 5 stage RO/DI unit, I have measured that water for nitrates and phosphates and they both measure zero.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd probably work more on the phosphate than the nitrate for a hard coral problem, but both are certainly worth considering and working on.

 

[edandsandy]

I just got a TLF phosphate remover, so when the phosphate levels drop so will my nitrates?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, the nitrate will not follow the phosphate when treated with GFO, but that is a fine way to reduce phosphate.

With other methods that consumed both, like growing macroalgae or driving bacteria, they will rack down together, but the GFO is still a good place to start.

 

[edandsandy]

Randy,
will frequent water changes cause the tank to cycle?
I usually do a 20-25% water change weekly if my nitrates are this high. When they are 5 or lower I only do a water change every 2 weeks.

I am also using the Kent Nitrate Sponge in the sump of my fuge, and I ordered a Kent Marine Phos Reactor for the media, it will be here next week.

My nitrates were at 15 this morning.

 

[Zach117]

Some often find that certain species of acroporas show great health and colors with levels of nitrates of 15 ppm or lower. You might look at other factors concerning your tissue loss such as Alkalinity instead.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

will frequent water changes cause the tank to cycle?

No. The bacteria that cycled it are mostly attached to rock, sand, the glass, filters, etc. They are not removed with water.

I doubt the nitrate sponge will do anything useful.

 

[DarthBaiter]

MY nitrate sponges did nothing. Also, I found that if you don't change it out often, it will become another nitrate/phosphate factory.

 

[edandsandy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12204429#post12204429 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DarthBaiter
MY nitrate sponges did nothing. Also, I found that if you don't change it out often, it will become another nitrate/phosphate factory.

I agree with you on that. I think that is what caused my nitrates to spike, i had a sock of the nitra-lock in fuge sump, it smelled terrible. I removed it and a couple of days later i started using the Kent Nitrate Sponge.

Well I will keep trying to lower the lever with water changes.