HELP - Nitrates 100PPM

[Kyle Hartl]

Good evening,

Need some help! To preface, I recently noticed my salinty was high (1.028). Using RODI I brought it down to 1.025 over the course of a few hours. I removed 10 gallons from the tank and added 10 gallons of fresh. Running a 75 gallon tank.

I did not test my nitrates prior to the change as all my coral appeared to be doing well, not great but well. My frogspawn has now receded into the branch and has not come out in 4 days.

What is the best course of action to save my coral and reduce my nitrates safely? I have changed out my filter media and not noticed a difference.

Thanks in advance.

 

[tzabor10]

Finding the root of the problem is important. Do you have a sump? A sandbed?
Such a salinity swing is not good.
What test kit do you use?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I would start doing some large water changes around 25% or so, you can also start carbon dosing that will lower your nitrates as well

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Lowering nitrate is a fine plan, and there are many ways, but 100 ppm nitrate does not preclude having a great reef tank.

 

[Kyle Hartl]

Finding the root of the problem is important. Do you have a sump? A sandbed?
Such a salinity swing is not good.
What test kit do you use?

No sump. I always kept it minimal and never had issues. I use a hang on the back marineland filter. I do have a sandbed which I plan to vacuum during the next water change. I use API 5 in 1 test strips. Fish appear to be doing fine but my frogspawn is yet to open. Been 5 days now, safe to assume it’s dead, if so, I’ll remove it.

 

[twentyleagues]

I am not saying that 100ppm of nitrate is great but I think the salinity swing was more the issue. You didnt get to 100ppm nitrate in 10 minutes you did however decrease salinity in that time frame. Agree more water changing will remove nitrate. Underlying issues need to be addressed to keep it lower either more water changing or more consumers including possible carbon dosing, less food, macro algaes, ats.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I’m having the same problems as well. I started changing two gallons a day about a month ago on my 150 gallon tank. The nitrates are still high like 75ppm. I’m almost to the point of removing the sand bed and rock and starting over. The tank is nine years old.

 

[twentyleagues]

I’m having the same problems as well. I started changing two gallons a day about a month ago on my 150 gallon tank. The nitrates are still high like 75ppm. I’m almost to the point of removing the sand bed and rock and starting over. The tank is nine years old.

Well as you have found out 2 gallons a day isnt going to help make a big dent in something like that. 2 gallons a day on a tank that size is a maintenance wc to keep nitrate down not lower them. That barely handles the new nitrate that gets added daily. You will probably need 3 50% water changes to really effect your nitrate readings in any meaningful way. That large of a water change could adversely affect corals but if every parameter other than nitrate is close may not be an issue. Then go back to your 2g/day maintenance wc.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I forgot to add I did a 75% water change before going to the two gallons per day water change. I think I have it figured out. The nitrates are leaching from my old rocks that have been in the tank since the beginning. Which doesn’t help things.