Water changes for nitrate issues???

swpassion

New member
I am still having nitrate issues, I have been doing 10% water changes weekly and the problem has improved since removing the bio balls from the sump, but sill to high. I only have a 20 gal. tub to prepare the water so that is all I can mix at a time, I plan on doing 20 gal changes for the next 3 days to see if that works but want to make sure changing that much in a short time will not be an issue. Some of my corals lookfine, some not so good, the toadstool and finger leather look the worst, my vietnam kenya is not very full but the figi one is fine. The hammer, zoa's and acan all look good. My nitrates are 20 ppm, which I know is way to high for corals. I also switched to coralife salt starting this week from instant ocean in hopes to improve things, not sure it will but after reading some various reviews, instant ocean does not seem to be the best choice for corals, my LFS said the coralife is better and I read some problems with reef crystals which is why I did not go that rote. I am using RO/DI filtered water, it is a bulk reef supply 5 stage unit.
 
You might have some other problems other than nitrates. Im having some nitrate problems as well, mine are also between 15-20ppm, but my corals all look great. I started vodka dosing two weeks ago and just yesterday my no3 has started to fall.
 
water changes are probably the least effective way of reducing nitrates
Lots of quality live rock and a deep sand bed as WK suggested are more effecient measures.
Use of a refugium and cheato macro algae will also lower nitrate and phosphate levels.

Before even changing anything in your system try limiting the amount you feed at one time especially flake food. make sure you rinse off all frozen food before using.
 
What is the best way to add sand? I have well over 300 lbs LR so there is not much open space on the bottom.
 
I have a kole tang (2 1/2") yellow tang (2") Hippo Tang (1") 2 perc clowns, picasso trigger (2") and a powder blue tang (2"), I feed 1 time a day, a mix of 1 cube mysis, 1 cube formula 2 and every other day I add abount 1/2 cube of rods, I also have about 10 crabs, 2 mexican turbo snails as well.
 
I also have a Aqua Eoru 250 skimmer and a 36 watt UV running with a 30 gal sump. I do want to dd a light to my sump so I ca add some cheato, but I have to look into affordable lights.
 
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