Water parameters are off

[allendehl]

Hello folks,

I've been fighting some abnormal parameters for a couple of days now and I need your input.

Three days ago after a 30% WC my NO3 were at 10ppm and PO4 at 0.5ppm. I gave it a chance for things to balance out and measured again next day, PO4 was at 0.03ppm but NO3 was still at 10ppm. Waited one more day since PO4 was lowering and found the same pattern PO4 was 0.01 but NO3 was still at 10ppm. Did an aprox 25% WC and NO3 lowered to 7ppm a few mins after, still high.
It occurs to me to measure ammonia(0.50ppm) and nitrites(0). After finding out the spike I dosed prime right away and installed an ammonia badge that is reading normal today.
The only reason I can think of is thatI had as anemone being treated with cipro in a large piece of rock that I re-introduced to the DT and the antibiotic could have taken a took on my bacteria population. For that motive I also dosed some MB7 and plan to do it until my new cycle completes.

Need your valuable input on possible causes and solutions. Also why are nitrates so high after about 55 to 60% WC.

Thank you in advance!

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[mcgyvr]

IMO..Your expectations are just off and you are over reacting to minor issues (typical new reefer syndrome).
10ppm of nitrate is not a problem and I would suggest you don't test for ammonia either anymore..

IMO you just need to learn to relax and take stuff slow and not "over test"..
Just keep up with proper routine water changes and don't sweat the small stuff..
Give the tank time to "mature" before you go messing with it too much..

 

[allendehl]

IMO..Your expectations are just off and you are over reacting to minor issues (typical new reefer syndrome).
10ppm of nitrate is not a problem and I would suggest you don't test for ammonia either anymore..

IMO you just need to learn to relax and take stuff slow and not "over test"..
Just keep up with proper routine water changes and don't sweat the small stuff..
Give the tank time to "mature" before you go messing with it too much..

Thank you as usual Mc! The following link for water parameters mentions levels of nitrates under 0.2ppm and 10ppm is 50 times that.
I tested ammonia only because I wanted to understand the reason for the nitrates and I've read that it could be lethal therefore my freak out moment. I still don't know how much is too much of those elements and when to take immediate action.
In your opinion off these basic params, when should we react?

Thanks!!




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[allendehl]

Forgot the link

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

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[RobZilla04]

What is the age of the tank?

Nitrates will always be there in some form. 10ppm early on is not a problem. If you started with base rock and dry sand they havent fully developed and can be leaching nutrients. No amount of WCs will eliminate those until the rock is fully cured.

Not sure why you are completing a new cycle with livestock in your tank. Or how you are even doing that in the first place.

 

[allendehl]

What is the age of the tank?

Nitrates will always be there in some form. 10ppm early on is not a problem. If you started with base rock and dry sand they havent fully developed and can be leaching nutrients. No amount of WCs will eliminate those until the rock is fully cured.

Not sure why you are completing a new cycle with livestock in your tank. Or how you are even doing that in the first place.

Rob, the tank has been up and cycled since October. All levels were close to 0 since.
The only thing that have changed, besides adding some small corals, was that I brought back an anemone from the hospital tank along with a large rock (that was previously in the tank)

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[Uncle99]

I reduced my nitrates and phosphate to virtually zero by dosing RedSea No Pox.
After 4 months, my biological export was maximized for the load and dosing is no longer required.
Carbon dosing uses up oxygen so if you try, make sure you have good water agitation or skimmer running.

 

[Uncle99]

IMO...10 is a bit high.....try for zero (as zero is never really possible)

 

[allendehl]

IMO..Your expectations are just off and you are over reacting to minor issues (typical new reefer syndrome).
10ppm of nitrate is not a problem and I would suggest you don't test for ammonia either anymore..

IMO you just need to learn to relax and take stuff slow and not "over test"..
Just keep up with proper routine water changes and don't sweat the small stuff..
Give the tank time to "mature" before you go messing with it too much..

Mc, Merry Christmas and Happy holidays before anything else.

Do you have a reference on critical parameter values where action needs to be taken?

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[jlmawp]

In a case where your tank is only a couple months old, shooting for zero nitrate is pretty ambitious. Rather than looking for a specific value to take action on, I would test less often and start looking at visual cues from your tank. Just have film algae and no big outbreaks? Chances are everything is A-ok with nitrates. Are you corals and livestock healthy and happy? Chances are everything’s is A-ok. Start to get more of a feel for YOUR tank’s equilibrium and stop going on what others say on the internet as much. Every tank is different, and yours will react differently to different parameters, and no amount of worrying or matching others will fix that.

Go with McGyvr’s advice and let the testing be for a while. Water parameters are good for guidelines and to stay out of danger zones, but specifics are all relative.

 

[allendehl]

Thanks. I do have film algae all over the glass. It seems to have come with the high levels since I never had it before when nitrates were at 0.
I clean it up and it grows again in 2 days.

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