Cycle - High Nitrates

[7237689918]

Good morning.

So it seems as if my cycle has completed. It's been 6-7 weeks.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 50-70 ppm

Tank: Red Sea Reefer 170 (43g total).

In the past 4 days I've done 10% and 50% water changes but the Nitrates don't go down.

I have 3 Astrea snails that I added when Ammonia and Nitrites went to 0 a week ago. I feed them a few pellets 2x/day.

I also have 3 Nassarius snails that I added to eat the left over food the Astrea's don't eat.

The skimmer is running but it doesn't pull much. It has run wet on and off when trying to get it tuned it.

My question is I can't seem to get the Nitrates down even by the water change. After the 50% (yesterday) I really expected to see a measurable drop.

I've tested with a Red Sea test as well as Salifert. They don't come out exact but both read high and in the same ballpark.

Any recommendations on what I can do?

 

[EmdeReef]

Are you using RODI for water changes?

I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Your tank is likely to go through a few “ugly” phases with algae etc until it balances itself.

Carbon dosing can quickly lower nitrates but it’s not recommended to do with brand new tanks.

 

[7237689918]

Are you using RODI for water changes?

I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Your tank is likely to go through a few “ugly” phases with algae etc until it balances itself.

Carbon dosing can quickly lower nitrates but it’s not recommended to do with brand new tanks.

Hi Emde.

I am using ro/di.

Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How did you cycle? Is it possible nitrate is they high? For example, if you boosted ammonia manually, it may not be.

Might not be accurate nitrate kit, or maybe you still have a little nitrite and they shows as a lot of nitrate ( means the nitrite kit isn’t accurate).

 

[7237689918]

How did you cycle? Is it possible nitrate is they high? For example, if you boosted ammonia manually, it may not be.

Might not be accurate nitrate kit, or maybe you still have a little nitrite and they shows as a lot of nitrate ( means the nitrite kit isn’t accurate).

I did boost ammonia manually. Curious how and why that would affect Nitrate levels, just so I understand it all better.