Battling 100 ppm+ nitrates for over 2 months now

[starfishguy869]

Hello, I have an 16 gallon AIO saltwater aquarium and I find that my nitrates are abnormally high, I have been doing 15% water changes on my tank and I recently switched to 30% water changes. However, these are doing nothing. Is there another way to lower nitrates in a reef? I don’t have room for a refugium. I use Salifert test kits for nitrates and phosphates and I haven’t seen any change in the tests for over 2+ months. I just have a cleaner shrimp, 2 clownfish, and a goby. If any help is provided, it would be appreciate. Thank you.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

If I had 100ppm NO3, I would be setting up a nanny cam to make sure my cat wasn’t pooping in the tank while I was sleeping.

The quick way to get them down is a series of big water changes. As long as the water is prepped well, big water changes aren’t going to bother the things you have in there.

How much are you feeding? What’s your source water? Etc etc…

 

[Miami Reef]

Test the nitrate in the new saltwater and report back on the results.

 

[Marquarium]

How much are you feeding? Most people say nitrate issues are a result of either overfeeding or overstocking but you don't seem overly bad for a 16g

 

[piranhaman00]

16 gal? Just do water changes haha

 

[GK3]

If I had 100ppm NO3, I would be setting up a nanny cam to make sure my cat wasn’t pooping in the tank while I was sleeping.

The quick way to get them down is a series of big water changes. As long as the water is prepped well, big water changes aren’t going to bother the things you have in there.

How much are you feeding? What’s your source water? Etc etc…

You have to be getting contaminants from somewhere for nitrates to be that high (assuming you don’t feed a bottle of pellets a day). +1 to text the water you are using to make new saltwater.

What’s your live rock situation? Any bioballs in the system?

 

[ReefingDreams]

Pics of tank. What Nitrate test are you using? Any coral?

Also, generally agree with the other suggestions. Answers to the above. Then test your freshly mixed saltwater. If 0 NO3 (frankly, any low number at this point), then do a large (say, 75%) water change this week and again next week. Retest after each to see where your nitrates are at to make sure you're on the right track. You should generally see a reduction in nitrates proportionate to the percentage of water you're changing.

Then you'll have to figure out the source of your problem. It's likely overfeeding and poor filtration.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Do you have a skimmer? Is it a bad test?

Vodka dosing will help lower and keep nitrates low, but requires a good protein skimmer and regular dosing. I dose 2 capfuls daily on my 240 gallon FOWLR, and that alongside weekly 50-60 gallon water changes keeps the nitrates below 10ppm (which is a miracle considering how many big fish are in there and how much food I add to that system).

Salifert kits are great and pretty accurate, so long as you can actually read them properly and are not using an expired test.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello, I have an 16 gallon AIO saltwater aquarium and I find that my nitrates are abnormally high, I have been doing 15% water changes on my tank and I recently switched to 30% water changes. However, these are doing nothing. Is there another way to lower nitrates in a reef? I don’t have room for a refugium. I use Salifert test kits for nitrates and phosphates and I haven’t seen any change in the tests for over 2+ months. I just have a cleaner shrimp, 2 clownfish, and a goby. If any help is provided, it would be appreciate. Thank you.

Test the nitrate in the new saltwater and report back on the results.

^^^^ This.

 

[Mark Gray]

Hi are you having any problems? If not don't chase numbers to much. Drop your nitrates slowly,they are really not going to hurt much but you may have some algae.

 

[MnFish1]

Hello, I have an 16 gallon AIO saltwater aquarium and I find that my nitrates are abnormally high, I have been doing 15% water changes on my tank and I recently switched to 30% water changes. However, these are doing nothing. Is there another way to lower nitrates in a reef? I don’t have room for a refugium. I use Salifert test kits for nitrates and phosphates and I haven’t seen any change in the tests for over 2+ months. I just have a cleaner shrimp, 2 clownfish, and a goby. If any help is provided, it would be appreciate. Thank you.

If you did a 50% water change your nitrate immediately will drop to 80. However, are you sure about your test? Have you tried diluting the sample 1:1 and then multiplying the result by 2. Here is a calculator you can use to Judge the effectiveness of water changes. Either your testing could be off, or you have an extreme amount of nutrient import and not enough export.

Hope this helps: https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/EffectOfWaterChanges.php

 

[starfishguy869]

I have no skimmer and I use Salifert. I find that all my corals hated these nitrates and they slowly stopped growing and eventually all died. I feed frozen brine shrimp and the last time something died was a nassarius snail.

 

[MnFish1]

I have no skimmer and I use Salifert. I find that all my corals hated these nitrates and they slowly stopped growing and eventually all died. I feed frozen brine shrimp and the last time something died was a nassarius snail.

Part of the reason the nitrates are so high are the dying 'things' produce ammonia which is eventually changed to nitrate. The problem with your situation is that your nitrates are '100+' not '100' (the maximum the salifert nitrate test reads is 100. Thus, I disagree with some others who say bring it down slowly. Since you don't know what the value is. It also explains why your 15% water change didn't show any change. Contrary to popular belief, nitrate can harm fish - and some fish are more sensitive than others. The best idea IMHO is to get the levels down to less than 50, and then use frequent small water changes to get it to your target (whatever it is) - within a week. Plus you also need to verify your tests. If your salifert is reading incorrectly (which would be less likely) - you may be chasing a phantom.

 

[starfishguy869]

Great, thanks. Do you think I need anything else, or just water changes?

 

[MnFish1]

Great, thanks. Do you think I need anything else, or just water changes

You will have to figure out why your nitrates are so high - and verify your tests. Water changes will take care of it - IF the rate of your water changes is higher than the rate of nitrate production. BTW - you didn't mention your Po4, etc - can you send a picture of your tank?

 

[MnFish1]

PS - if you lower nitrate 'naturally', your alkalinity will increase - with water changes this is avoided. But - I would check your alkalinity since as nitrate rises, alkalinity can decrease.

There is no "direct" relationship.

The conversion of ammonia to nitrate depletes alkalinity, so if nitrate is rising, then alkalinity can be depleted by this process.

The consumption of nitrate by any process (except a water change) gives back the exact amount of alkalinity when it was made. So if nitrate is declining, that process will add to alkalinity.

So if nitrate is steady, and is coming from ammonia, then it should not impact the alkalinity.

If you are dosing nitrate that is being consumed, that is effectively boosting alkalinity a small amount.

 

[LandLockedJones]

Great, thanks. Do you think I need anything else, or just water changes?

May want to blast the rocks with a turkey baster to try and dislodge anything caught in the crevices. Then big water changes while everything is all stirred up and nasty looks. Try and get it before it settles.

 

[jabberwock]

I agree with most of the comments. You could also try "micro daily water changes". A 16 oz red cup out, and a new saltwater red cup in, every day for a month.

 

[I never finish anythi]

It's a 16 gallon tank not a problem to reduce with water change. What filtration you got and how many fish ???

 

[MnFish1]

One way to tell this question exactly is to take a nitrate test - if it reads 100 dilute the sample so you know if it reads (example 75) - you know its 150 ppm. Use the calculator I gave you do the water changes, get your nitrate down to a reasonable level - then keep doing your usual maintenance/feeding - then after a week you can calculate how much nitrate your tank is generating. THEN use the calculator again to see how much water to change and how often.