100+ nitrates

[Saaqib_Ansari]

Double check your test kit. Take a sample to your LFS. They use their kits enough to be fresh. 2years old since you bought it but when was it manufactured.

Yes will do, may order another one anyway. I’ve just understood what you meant, I bought the test kit when I started the tank 2 years ago - it says the test kit is expired in 2024

 

[Saaqib_Ansari]

Double check your test kit. Take a sample to your LFS. They use their kits enough to be fresh. 2years old since you bought it but when was it manufactured.

Yes will do, may order another one anyway. I’ve just understood what you meant, I bought the test kit when I started the tank 2 years ago -

 

[ScubaSkeets]

I had high nitrates in my tank, although not as high as yours. Water changes were not lowering them. I put a jar if Seachem de-nitrate in my refugium (at the time, I did not have a sump), and it did the trick. Nitrates hang around at 5-10ppm now.

 

[FBAA]

What kind of rock do you have. Is it porous reef rock? After 2 years it should be populated with anaerobic bacteria. You could try dosing CAREFULLY!!! Dosing can cause bacterial blooms, stress your fish, totally bottom out your nitrates and reduce the oxygen levels in your tank. I have killed fish and inverts by having a dosing pump miscalibrated. However it does work. I use simple sugar. Some use vodka and their are a lot of dosing additives out there. Just be careful if you chose this route. Small doses/measure accurately/ small dose and so on. Just remember the dose to get you from 100ppm to an acceptable level is not going to be the same as a maintenance dose. Keep in mind you have to maintain both nitrates and phosphates at a balanced level in your tank or bad things happen.

 

[Saaqib_Ansari]

What kind of rock do you have. Is it porous reef rock? After 2 years it should be populated with anaerobic bacteria. You could try dosing CAREFULLY!!! Dosing can cause bacterial blooms, stress your fish, totally bottom out your nitrates and reduce the oxygen levels in your tank. I have killed fish and inverts by having a dosing pump miscalibrated. However it does work. I use simple sugar. Some use vodka and their are a lot of dosing additives out there. Just be careful if you chose this route. Small doses/measure accurately/ small dose and so on. Just remember the dose to get you from 100ppm to an acceptable level is not going to be the same as a maintenance dose. Keep in mind you have to maintain both nitrates at a balanced level in your tank or bad things happen.

Yes I believe the rock is - yes will try the dosing product not looking to bring it too low maybe around 10-20ppm. But will start off slowly

 

[Uncle99]

I would like a mixed reef at the moment it’s mostly soft coral.
The nitrates are causing zero problems algae isn’t bad either no GHA or anything.

just would like the numbers lower so I can keep them constant as I want to start getting SPS.

Don’t chase the nutrients magic number.
Your tank looks great, maybe just let it be.

 

[Saaqib_Ansari]

Don’t chase the nutrients magic number.
Your tank looks great, maybe just let it be.

Have a hard time keeping SPS however and thinking issue may be nutrients?