80-120 Nitrate Level!!!!

[beaslbob]

If you have a refugium full of macro algae I would do nothing. If not I would add macro algae in a refugium. The refugium can be just a simple egg crate partition with some added side light to get the macros thriving.

Macro algae and other plant life will consume ammonia for nitrates then nitrates. So it could be possible the bacteria is not yet fully consuming ammonia. Once that happens nitrates will go down as the macros consume them.

my .02

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Regarding the high nitrate levels; it would be good to look at your set up and evaluate your equipment choices. If you have any external biological filtration, like bioballs or the like, it might be efficiently processing ammonia and nitrite but leaving nitrates with nowhere to go....

 

[Ron Reefman]

Amazing, love this idea!!! I’ll post some afterwards pics once he’s settled

Now I know this doesn’t have anything to do with this post, but how do you know when/if your anemones will have babies?

Ha! If only! I've had 3 rounds of babies and I've never seen the spawn or the birth, which I've been told is 10 to 14 days later!

In the very short term, it tends to happen at dusk, sunset or just after dark. And the nem will puff up it's trunk so it stands up taller (probably for a better spry pattern) and roll the tentacles into kind of a shallow cone shape. I've seen it in videos, but I've never seen it in person. I just know that 3 times over the past 2 years I've had 12 to 20 baby RFAs. There is a link in my signature below to a good discussion about RFAs.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Macro algae and other plant life will consume ammonia for nitrates then nitrates. So it could be possible the bacteria is not yet fully consuming ammonia. Once that happens nitrates will go down as the macros consume them.

my .02

This is a new one on me. I can't say I ever read or heard that algae or plants consume ammonia.

My understanding is that it's bacteria on the rocks and sand that consume ammonia and converts it to nitrites. And a different bacteria that consumes the nitrite and converts it to nitrate. That's the nitrogen cycle. Algae and plants consume nitrates and phosphates (think fertilizer) and convert it to plant material. You harvest some algae and you remove the nitrate and phosphate while making room for more algae to grow and consume more nitrate and phosphate.

 

[Homebrewer]

The tank size is 90 gallons, it’s been up for about a year. There are 7 fish, along with some invertebrates. I’ll do a water change and retest! What’s a good brand for a full master test kit?

For your reference, here is a good thread on what test kits a lot of people use: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/which-test-kit-do-you-use.547246/#post-5647733

 

[beaslbob]

This is a new one on me. I can't say I ever read or heard that algae or plants consume ammonia.

My understanding is that it's bacteria on the rocks and sand that consume ammonia and converts it to nitrites. And a different bacteria that consumes the nitrite and converts it to nitrate. That's the nitrogen cycle. Algae and plants consume nitrates and phosphates (think fertilizer) and convert it to plant material. You harvest some algae and you remove the nitrate and phosphate while making room for more algae to grow and consume more nitrate and phosphate.

Now you have heard of it. Most haven't tho.

But think of it's implications. say something goes bump in the night. so a mini cycle or worse? not necessarily, with sufficient plants is it possible there is no ammonia spike as the plants consume the ammonia. With a possible nitrate spike. then as the 'bump' goes way, nitrates drop down. So all that happens is a small nitrate spike instead of a possible tank crash.

Same thing for the initial cycle. Instead of the ammonia->nitrite->nitrate is is possible all you get is a nitrate spike.

But we are conditioned to the nitrate cycle.

my .02

 

[Lasse]

This is a new one on me. I can't say I ever read or heard that algae or plants consume ammonia.

My understanding is that it's bacteria on the rocks and sand that consume ammonia and converts it to nitrites. And a different bacteria that consumes the nitrite and converts it to nitrate. That's the nitrogen cycle. Algae and plants consume nitrates and phosphates (think fertilizer) and convert it to plant material. You harvest some algae and you remove the nitrate and phosphate while making room for more algae to grow and consume more nitrate and phosphate.

Both micro algae, macroalgae and zooxanthella can use NH4, NO2 or NO3 as nitrogen source. The normal source inside an organism is NH4 because NO2 and NO3 can´t be transported in an organism. It means that NO3 must be converted just outsize or just inside the organism (algae) to NH4 in order to be transported into/in the organism. This cost energy - therefore most algae are able - if it exists around the algae - to take up NH4 directly and save energy. What you are talking about is the nitrification cycle - done of rather special bacteria. These bacteria is organisms like algae and plants that can use inorganic nutrients in order to create biomass. However – the nitrificating bacteria use energy from the conversion of NH4/NH3 -> NO2 –> NO3 instead of light energy. Most bacteria we have in our tanks are however “animals” – they break down organic matter into inorganic matter – they produce NH3/NH4. In a tank – heavy populated by algae and corals – it will be many mini cycles that produce NH3/NH4 and these will be taken up by photosynthesis before they will be into the nitrification process.


Sincerely Lasse

 

[davocean]

What is your filtration?

Are you using anything like bioballs, filter pads, socks, media?

Your sebae(H.crispa ) is actually a sand dweller, even if it could not reach bottom panel it would be in sand bed.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Now you have heard of it. Most haven't tho.

But think of it's implications. say something goes bump in the night. so a mini cycle or worse? not necessarily, with sufficient plants is it possible there is no ammonia spike as the plants consume the ammonia. With a possible nitrate spike. then as the 'bump' goes way, nitrates drop down. So all that happens is a small nitrate spike instead of a possible tank crash.

Same thing for the initial cycle. Instead of the ammonia->nitrite->nitrate is is possible all you get is a nitrate spike.

But we are conditioned to the nitrate cycle.

my .02

Both micro algae, macroalgae and zooxanthella can use NH4, NO2 or NO3 as nitrogen source. The normal source inside an organism is NH4 because NO2 and NO3 can´t be transported in an organism. It means that NO3 must be converted just outsize or just inside the organism (algae) to NH4 in order to be transported into/in the organism. This cost energy - therefore most algae are able - if it exists around the algae - to take up NH4 directly and save energy. What you are talking about is the nitrification cycle - done of rather special bacteria. These bacteria is organisms like algae and plants that can use inorganic nutrients in order to create biomass. However – the nitrificating bacteria use energy from the conversion of NH4/NH3 -> NO2 –> NO3 instead of light energy. Most bacteria we have in our tanks are however “animals” – they break down organic matter into inorganic matter – they produce NH3/NH4. In a tank – heavy populated by algae and corals – it will be many mini cycles that produce NH3/NH4 and these will be taken up by photosynthesis before they will be into the nitrification process.


Sincerely Lasse

I learn something new everyday. And Lasse, thanks for the explanation. That was very helpful!

 

[SeaDweller]

I had about 200+ ppm NO3 recently. Probably for a year or more.

Everything died except for fish and my nems (so to the comment about nems...mine survived), they kept splitting thoigh, probably as a stress response.

I would do 50% water changes. I had to do 3 of them, about to do another 80 on my 240. I've changed out about 400 gallons in about 2 weeks to bring them down to 25-37.5 ppm on salifert.

Good luck but large water changes are your friend here, not 25% changes.