Help lowering nitrates

brycenelson · Apr 8, 2023

Hey guys I just did a water test and noticed my nitrates spiked. I usually keep them under 20 but I tested tonight and they were at 27. I have a pack of my first acropora frags coming next week and I want my tank to be back under 20 nitrates when they come in. I was wondering what is the best way to lower nitrates. I haven’t changed my feeding habits or anything so I don’t know what caused the spike.
1.025 salinity
Phos .09
Nitrate 27.3
Alk 8.6
Mag 1350
Calcium 440

LiLinka · Apr 9, 2023

Just do a 25% water change

brycenelson · Apr 9, 2023

LiLinka said:
Just do a 25% water change

My only thing is if they go back up again I don’t want to keep doing 25% water changes every week. Going to do one this week tho because of the frags coming in soon

LiLinka · Apr 9, 2023

Do 1 25% change this week. Then continue to do 10% weekly after that. Should keep them down.

JCM · Apr 9, 2023

brycenelson said:
My only thing is if they go back up again I don’t want to keep doing 25% water changes every week. Going to do one this week tho because of the frags coming in soon

If they go back up, your imports and exports aren't balanced. Fix the imbalance, export more or import less. Tons of ways to accomplish that.

Plenty of the most beautiful SPS tanks run 20+ nitrates though, it's not a death sentence.

melonheadorion · Apr 9, 2023

there is not a magical way to reduce nitrates. the number 1 option will be to do water changes. water changes will only remove small amounts overall, so it would come down to doing multiple in a week, or a very large water change.
other than that, you can carbon dose, but you need a skimmer/sump for that., if you dont already.
A refugium or some other sort of algae reactor would be another option.
as JCM mentioned, 20+ nitrates arent horrible. its not ideal, but i wouldnt lose sleep over it.

Pistondog · Apr 9, 2023

Water change will directly reduce nitates. 25% wc will reduce nitrate from 27 to 20 ppm. Either level is ok. If you plan to continue water changes, try to make sure your salt mix is close to your tank water params to minimize swings when you do a wc.

brycenelson · Apr 9, 2023

JCM said:
If they go back up, your imports and exports aren't balanced. Fix the imbalance, export more or import less. Tons of ways to accomplish that.

Plenty of the most beautiful SPS tanks run 20+ nitrates though, it's not a death sentence.

Ok thank you for reassuring me that 20+ isn’t crazy ik that I heard wwc runs theirs around 20 so it can’t be that bad

brycenelson · Apr 9, 2023

Pistondog said:
Water change will directly reduce nitates. 25% wc will reduce nitrate from 27 to 20 ppm. Either level is ok. If you plan to continue water changes, try to make sure your salt mix is close to your tank water params to minimize swings when you do a wc.

Ok sounds good I was trying 20% every 2 weeks instead of 10 every week but I’m going back to 10 now for the stability

brycenelson · Apr 9, 2023

melonheadorion said:
there is not a magical way to reduce nitrates. the number 1 option will be to do water changes. water changes will only remove small amounts overall, so it would come down to doing multiple in a week, or a very large water change.
other than that, you can carbon dose, but you need a skimmer/sump for that., if you dont already.
A refugium or some other sort of algae reactor would be another option.
as JCM mentioned, 20+ nitrates arent horrible. its not ideal, but i wouldnt lose sleep over it.

Ok thank you for the reassurance