Cant keep nitrates up.

[Clownshow]

Okay so ever since I started my10 gaplon nano tank I have stuggled to keep nitrates in my tank. Last week I finaly got it to 8ppm but I noticed my corals where not soing so hot so I checked my nitrates and it was zero again. I tried heacily feeding but it dosn't seem to work.

 

[smoleral]

If your tank is relatively new, then reaching a high nitrate level is going to take time even if you are feeding heavily. Don't do water changes and make sure there are a few fish in the tank. Nitrates will rise when you have healthy colonies of bacteria converting ammonia and nitrite from the fish waste into nitrate. Meaning that you'll want to be careful with the heavy feeding, because you could just be increasing your ammonia levels with no bacteria in the tank to actually convert it into safer chemicals such as nitrate.
Either way, be careful what you wish for. High nitrate usually just ends up in nuisance algae problems. While slightly elevated levels have been shown to improve coral growth, I'd argue that you're much better off just ensuring that calcium and alkalinity as well as other parameters are at a good level to achieve that goal. I've seen many highly successful tanks that operate with zero nitrates. Most people are more focused on bringing nitrate down, not up.

 

[Clownshow]

If your tank is relatively new, then reaching a high nitrate level is going to take time even if you are feeding heavily. Don't do water changes and make sure there are a few fish in the tank. Nitrates will rise when you have healthy colonies of bacteria converting ammonia and nitrite from the fish waste into nitrate. Meaning that you'll want to be careful with the heavy feeding, because you could just be increasing your ammonia levels with no bacteria in the tank to actually convert it into safer chemicals such as nitrate.
Either way, be careful what you wish for. High nitrate usually just ends up in nuisance algae problems. While slightly elevated levels have been shown to improve coral growth, I'd argue that you're much better off just ensuring that calcium and alkalinity as well as other parameters are at a good level to achieve that goal. I've seen many highly successful tanks that operate with zero nitrates. Most people are more focused on bringing nitrate down, not up.

Okay, the tank is almost 8 months old. I have an alk and magnesium test coming in the mail today and a hanna calcium checker on the the way. I'll see what the othe parameters are before trying to raise the nitrates.

 

[Clownshow]

If your tank is relatively new, then reaching a high nitrate level is going to take time even if you are feeding heavily. Don't do water changes and make sure there are a few fish in the tank. Nitrates will rise when you have healthy colonies of bacteria converting ammonia and nitrite from the fish waste into nitrate. Meaning that you'll want to be careful with the heavy feeding, because you could just be increasing your ammonia levels with no bacteria in the tank to actually convert it into safer chemicals such as nitrate.
Either way, be careful what you wish for. High nitrate usually just ends up in nuisance algae problems. While slightly elevated levels have been shown to improve coral growth, I'd argue that you're much better off just ensuring that calcium and alkalinity as well as other parameters are at a good level to achieve that goal. I've seen many highly successful tanks that operate with zero nitrates. Most people are more focused on bringing nitrate down, not up.

So I got my test and magnesium came back at 1320ppm and alk is 12.1dkh are those good?

 

[smoleral]

Alkalinity is a little high to my liking. I aim for 8-9. If your water becomes over saturated with alkalinity you could eventually see some precipitation onto your equipment, affecting its performance. Magnesium seems good. Keep in mind these parameters don’t really have much at all to do with nitrates. I was just making the point that you should be focusing more on maintaining good and stable levels of pH, calcium, magnesium, salinity etc. and everything else tends to fall into place. Nitrates isn’t something that you can easily control, other than nitrate removal.

 

[Gtinnel]

I had a similar issue for the first year or so of my tank and I ended up dosing nitrates to keep it where I wanted. Brightwell makes a product called neonitro that you can dose, just make sure to test regularly with a reliable test so you don't raise it to much.
If into diy you can make your own nitrate solution with stump remover, which is what I did. Although there was something about dumping a stump remover solution into my tank that always made me a little nervous.

 

[Ippyroy]

What are your nutrient export methods? What ever you are doing, hold off for a bit. Either run without a filter sock or don't change it out for a week or two. Don't do a water change for a month. Turn your skimmer off.

 

[Clownshow]

What are your nutrient export methods? What ever you are doing, hold off for a bit. Either run without a filter sock or don't change it out for a week or two. Don't do a water change for a month. Turn your skimmer off.

I just have a aquaclear hob and a surface skimmer. I thought water changes replenish trace ellements in water? Would a tank be fine going that long without a water change?

 

[Clownshow]

I had a similar issue for the first year or so of my tank and I ended up dosing nitrates to keep it where I wanted. Brightwell makes a product called neonitro that you can dose, just make sure to test regularly with a reliable test so you don't raise it to much.
If into diy you can make your own nitrate solution with stump remover, which is what I did. Although there was something about dumping a stump remover solution into my tank that always made me a little nervous.

I think I have some stump remover lying around somewhere from making smoke bombs.

 

[Gtinnel]

I think I have some stump remover lying around somewhere from making smoke bombs.

Make sure you do plenty of your own research before you would consider going that route.

 

[Ippyroy]

I just have a aquaclear hob and a surface skimmer. I thought water changes replenish trace ellements in water? Would a tank be fine going that long without a water change?

Yes. Minor and trace elements are just that, minor and trace amounts. They can help stuff like by improving colors and growth, nitrate is much more important. You are removing the nitrates with your water changes. I skip water changes every couple of months if my nutrients get low or if they are getting out of balance. They are much more important than trace and minor elements in my opinion.