Assistance please

[Markdickenschwanz]

Hello all
Have a 125 gallon reef tank that's 3 months old. Everything going to plan and really no surprises EXCEPT my increasing nitrate levels. Everytime I test (Hanna high range) it bumps up. Currently today (june 11th) it stands at 51. Using the aquatic log app my 1st entry was 27.9.on May 1st. Tank was filled with water march 13. Between display and sump I have at least 90lb of rock.

125 gallon display
20 gallon refugium/sump (very clean)
Aprox 10 gallon sump
Icekap 130 skimmer producing generous amounts of DARK waste
Change filter socks every 4 days
Weekly 20 gal water changes with sandbed siphoning-faithful with my husbandry
Paremeters
Salt-1.025
Nitrate-51 Hanna
Phosphate-0.01 Hanna
Alk-7.8 Hanna
PH-8.2
No nitrite or ammonia, havn't tested for calcium yet
Stocking list
4-blue/green chromis
4-pajama cardinals
1-clown
1-male&female bimaculatus anthias
1-canary wrasse
Feed 4 MINI cubes of mysis 2-morn 2-evening

Tank is clean, ugly phase came and went, nothing dramatic. NO ALGEA ! Maybe some peach fuzz here and there and therein lies my problem. Tank is clean, sump is clean. Running reefbreeders photons on their softie spectrum. Come on at 1pm and go off at 9pm

Have a tennis ball size zoa colony which is growing and thriving. A small patch of gsp that's barely hanging on(looks like the top of my 60 year old head) and some Xenia that lasted 6 weeks but have gone to the big reef in the sky (didn't know xenia could die)

So for the life of me I can't figure out why nitrates are climbing out of control. For a 150 gal system the stocking is very low with small fish. Besides the bimaculatus (they're about 3") there's nothing over 1.5" and 4 mini cubes is not over feeding on that size tank.

Thanks for any input

 

[Woodyman]

Hello all
Have a 125 gallon reef tank that's 3 months old. Everything going to plan and really no surprises EXCEPT my increasing nitrate levels. Everytime I test (Hanna high range) it bumps up. Currently today (june 11th) it stands at 51. Using the aquatic log app my 1st entry was 27.9.on May 1st. Tank was filled with water march 13. Between display and sump I have at least 90lb of rock.

125 gallon display
20 gallon refugium/sump (very clean)
Aprox 10 gallon sump
Icekap 130 skimmer producing generous amounts of DARK waste
Change filter socks every 4 days
Weekly 20 gal water changes with sandbed siphoning-faithful with my husbandry
Paremeters
Salt-1.025
Nitrate-51 Hanna
Phosphate-0.01 Hanna
Alk-7.8 Hanna
PH-8.2
No nitrite or ammonia, havn't tested for calcium yet
Stocking list
4-blue/green chromis
4-pajama cardinals
1-clown
1-male&female bimaculatus anthias
1-canary wrasse
Feed 4 MINI cubes of mysis 2-morn 2-evening

Tank is clean, ugly phase came and went, nothing dramatic. NO ALGEA ! Maybe some peach fuzz here and there and therein lies my problem. Tank is clean, sump is clean. Running reefbreeders photons on their softie spectrum. Come on at 1pm and go off at 9pm

Have a tennis ball size zoa colony which is growing and thriving. A small patch of gsp that's barely hanging on(looks like the top of my 60 year old head) and some Xenia that lasted 6 weeks but have gone to the big reef in the sky (didn't know xenia could die)

So for the life of me I can't figure out why nitrates are climbing out of control. For a 150 gal system the stocking is very low with small fish. Besides the bimaculatus (they're about 3") there's nothing over 1.5" and 4 mini cubes is not over feeding on that size tank.

Thanks for any input

With phosphates that low you will limit the nitrate reduction.

Also I'd start changing socks every day or every other. Along with maybe 10 gallons of extra water changes each time.

Of course there are many ways to solve this problem and move forward and you will no doubt get other / more advice.

How much rock / bio media do you have in the tank/sump?

 

[am3gross]

I would confirm the test with another test of a different kind, maybe take a sample to the local reef store to confirm.

 

[Markdickenschwanz]

With phosphates that low you will limit the nitrate reduction.

Also I'd start changing socks every day or every other. Along with maybe 10 gallons of extra water changes each time.

Of course there are many ways to solve this problem and move forward and you will no doubt get other / more advice.

How much rock / bio media do you have in the tank/sump?

Thinking total rockwork of 90lbs. Bout 25 in a 25 gallon sump/refugium to be. Wouldn't higher nitrates also bring my phosphates up ?

 

[Woodyman]

Thinking total rockwork of 90lbs. Bout 25 in a 25 gallon sump/refugium to be. Wouldn't higher nitrates also bring my phosphates up ?

Not necessarily, you may have organisms consuming phosphate.

Carbon dosing can be used as well. Like I said more than 1 option.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree that dosing phosphate is a good idea if the phosphate result is accurate, and organic carbon dosing would be my follow up procedure.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Is th

Hello all
Have a 125 gallon reef tank that's 3 months old. Everything going to plan and really no surprises EXCEPT my increasing nitrate levels. Everytime I test (Hanna high range) it bumps up. Currently today (june 11th) it stands at 51. Using the aquatic log app my 1st entry was 27.9.on May 1st. Tank was filled with water march 13. Between display and sump I have at least 90lb of rock.

125 gallon display
20 gallon refugium/sump (very clean)
Aprox 10 gallon sump
Icekap 130 skimmer producing generous amounts of DARK waste
Change filter socks every 4 days
Weekly 20 gal water changes with sandbed siphoning-faithful with my husbandry
Paremeters
Salt-1.025
Nitrate-51 Hanna
Phosphate-0.01 Hanna
Alk-7.8 Hanna
PH-8.2
No nitrite or ammonia, havn't tested for calcium yet
Stocking list
4-blue/green chromis
4-pajama cardinals
1-clown
1-male&female bimaculatus anthias
1-canary wrasse
Feed 4 MINI cubes of mysis 2-morn 2-evening

Tank is clean, ugly phase came and went, nothing dramatic. NO ALGEA ! Maybe some peach fuzz here and there and therein lies my problem. Tank is clean, sump is clean. Running reefbreeders photons on their softie spectrum. Come on at 1pm and go off at 9pm

Have a tennis ball size zoa colony which is growing and thriving. A small patch of gsp that's barely hanging on(looks like the top of my 60 year old head) and some Xenia that lasted 6 weeks but have gone to the big reef in the sky (didn't know xenia could die)

So for the life of me I can't figure out why nitrates are climbing out of control. For a 150 gal system the stocking is very low with small fish. Besides the bimaculatus (they're about 3") there's nothing over 1.5" and 4 mini cubes is not over feeding on that size tank.

Thanks for any input

Is the rock in the sump dark or lit?

 

[Markdickenschwanz]

I would confirm the test with another test of a different kind, maybe take a sample to the local reef store to confirm.

Might just do that. When I 1st tested today it was at 48. Seeing that i couldn't believe it so I tested again right after and came back at 51. I follow the directions to a T regarding test directions. Even yo the point of setting timer for the "2 minute sample shake"

Is th

Is the rock in the sump dark or lit?

In the sump it's dark except for room light

 

[sixty_reefer]

Might just do that. When I 1st tested today it was at 48. Seeing that i couldn't believe it so I tested again right after and came back at 51. I follow the directions to a T regarding test directions. Even yo the point of setting timer for the "2 minute sample shake"

In the sump it's dark except for room light

I suppose you don’t have any phosphates absorbing media in the tank also?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I suspect false reading but should it be accurate, overfeeding is the primary cause of high nitrate in a saltwater tank. Additionally, using tap water or a certain brand of sea salt mix that may contain a high level of this element in it.
Safe wats to reduce nitrates are:
Vodka dosing ( Very slowly)
Multiple water changes
Live rock
Mangroves and Chaeto , macroalgaes

 

[Markdickenschwanz]

I suppose you don’t have any phosphates absorbing media in the tank also?

Nothing - and after doing some reading I think I might try dosing phosphate. Still looking for something that tells me WHY the relationship between phosphate and Nitrates is so important. Plenty of material on the net telling me there IS a relationship but nothing really that explains why it's important to maintain the redfield ratio (or try and come close)

 

[Markdickenschwanz]

I suspect false reading but should it be accurate, overfeeding is the primary cause of high nitrate in a saltwater tank. Additionally, using tap water or a certain brand of sea salt mix that may contain a high level of this element in it.
Safe wats to reduce nitrates are:
Vodka dosing ( Very slowly)
Multiple water changes
Live rock
Mangroves and Chaeto , macroalgaes

Can't grow chaeto if I have no phosphate. I water change every week 12%. Use Rodi, change filters frequently, 4 mini frozen mysis cubes on a 150 gallon system with 90 lbs of rock is not overfeeding. Maybe I'll start doing that and make my fish happy

 

[sixty_reefer]

Nothing - and after doing some reading I think I might try dosing phosphate. Still looking for something that tells me WHY the relationship between phosphate and Nitrates is so important. Plenty of material on the net telling me there IS a relationship but nothing really that explains why it's important to maintain the redfield ratio (or try and come close)

This may give you some light on the relationship between Nitrates phosphates and Carbon you have to open the link on the browser

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/sixty’s-understanding-of-nutrients-2-0.916975/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Nothing - and after doing some reading I think I might try dosing phosphate. Still looking for something that tells me WHY the relationship between phosphate and Nitrates is so important. Plenty of material on the net telling me there IS a relationship but nothing really that explains why it's important to maintain the redfield ratio (or try and come close)

This is a big hot button item for me. The Redfield ratio ought to be a banned word at REEF2REEF as it is rarely useful and is never appropriate to set target nutrient levels, in my opinion.

it is NEVER a problem to set absolute target levels, and it is frequently inappropriate to use ratios.

 

[Markdickenschwanz]

This may give you some light on the relationship between Nitrates phosphates and Carbon you have to open the link on the browser

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/sixty’s-understanding-of-nutrients-2-0.916975/

Thank you

 

[sixty_reefer]

Thank you

No worries, it’s not redfield as you wanted although it brings some light towards nutrient relationship and limitations