Cant get high nitrates down

[Jake_the_reefer]

So my 20g reef has had high nitrates for some reason. My protein skimmer failed for about 5 days without me knowing and that caused a buildup of nitrates. My nitrates read about 40ppm
I've reduced feeding to help prevent more but I also have my skimmer back working again but it will not drop.
I have a diatom outbreak in low flow areas that wont clear up
I added a refugium a week ago (no effect but I assume it will take longer to actually have an effect)
I see no detritus build up anywhere because I did 3 water changes this week with ahsolutly no drop in nitrates
And finally I notice no stress on any of my corals, just diatoms.

Any ideas? Will the refugium help?(I have a baseball size chunk of chaeto) more water changes? Skimmer might lower it? (Even though skimmers only remove things before they break down) should I dose vodka/vinegar or anything?

 

[Mykawl]

following

 

[rhastareefer]

How old is your reef and what is your po4?

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

How old is your reef and what is your po4?

8 months and po4 is maybe a hair over .05 not close to .1 tho

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Nitrates were always around 1ppm until the skimmer failure

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Forgot to list livestock.
2 1 inch percula clowns
1 scooter blenny
2 emerald crabs
Half a million tiny baby nassarius snails (had one that bred)

 

[Ebslinger]

What is your normal water change schedule? I have a small tank also and do about 5 % per week. Seems to keep mine down. If that is not possible for you:

Have you considered Nopox?

Be warned, it's very powerful and causes alot of other effects.

My recommendation is just weekly water changes.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

What is your water change schedule? I have a small tank also and do about 5 % per week. Seems to keep mine down. If that is not possible for you:

Have you considered Nopox?

Be warned, it's very powerful and causes alot of other effects.

My recommendation is just weekly water changes.

5g water change weekly.

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Wont nopox cause a bacterial bloom? And would it eliminate my phosphate? It's pretty low and I wouldn't want it to 0 out

 

[Ebslinger]

Okay, so you are doing a 25% water change every week, and still having a NO3 issue...

How many fish, and how much are you feeding?

I saw your stocking list... but want clarification.

 

[VB313]

Just went through something like this could not figure out where my nitrates were coming from eventually figured out with was the r.o water I was buying from LFS for top offs and water changes tested 40 maybe start there?

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Okay, so you are doing a 25% water change every week, and still having a NO3 issue...

How many fish, and how much are you feeding?

I saw your stocking list... but want clarification.

3 fish and a pinch of flakes daily(freeze dried mysis and frozen food on the occasion) . 2 one inch clowns and a scooter blenny. Some times it's only 15% but still...

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Just went through something like this could not figure out where my nitrates were coming from eventually figured out with was the r.o water I was buying from LFS for top offs and water changes tested 40 maybe start there?

I can test my ro for nitrates but its 0 tds

 

[Ebslinger]

Oh, btw... what test kit is that in the picture?

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Oh, btw... what test kit is that in the picture?

Dont laugh.... api

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Rodi has 0 nitrates

 

[W1ngz]

Multiple 25% water changes and no change in a 40ppm nitrate reading would seem to indicate a problem with the test.
Have you tested right before, and right after a water change?

Are you shaking the bejesus out of bottle 2 for the test? It's prone to crystallization which can screw up the testing, and once you use it a few times, you've spoilt the reagents since all the active stuff is out of balance with the water in the reagent bottle.

 

[VB313]

Rodi has 0 nitrates

Just a idea

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Multiple 25% water changes and no change in a 40ppm nitrate reading would seem to indicate a problem with the test.
Have you tested right before, and right after a water change?

Are you shaking the bejesus out of bottle 2 for the test? It's prone to crystallization which can screw up the testing, and once you use it a few times, you've spoilt the reagents since all the active stuff is out of balance with the water in the reagent bottle.

Yeah I've tested right after a change... no change at all. I put the bottle 2 through the ringer. I shake it punch it throw it into a busy highway, used it for baseball practice and no change. So yeah it might be a bad test kit.. I've honestly only ever saw it 0 and 40 after a few months of owning it.. there is crystallization in the cap of 2
What brand should I do

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

Just a idea

Yeah I never thought it could be my rodi but that is totally possible. Thankfully it's not the rodi