kkgaskin90
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160 high. Sho got some corals from me a week ago and they are obviously dying, and her whole tank is suffering. 145 gallons between DT and sump. What can we do? Her bf is out of town and it's his tank.
High high Nitrates in a friend's tank-HELP
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eatbreakfast
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Massive frequent water changes are the single best way to cut down on nitrates, though based on the pics I might try retesting or testing with a different brand, as if nitrates are that high there are usually a lot more visible problems.
4FordFamily
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I agree with the previous replies entirely.
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Is phosphate elevated?
Water changes will only be a temporary solution. More export and/or less feeding will be needed going forward.
This has more on the many good ways to reduce nitrate:
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/nitrate-in-the-reef-aquarium
Water changes will only be a temporary solution. More export and/or less feeding will be needed going forward.
This has more on the many good ways to reduce nitrate:
https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/nitrate-in-the-reef-aquarium
50% water changes everyday, keep an eye on the Nitrates.
Start dosing Vodka. Start out at 5mls a day, after the 4th day, jump to 10mls a day. After a fe days worth of water changes, the nitrates should start coming down. After water changes and dosing, you should be able to get a handle on those Nitrates. I'd stay dosing 10-15mls a day until you know that they aren't creeping back up.
Start dosing Vodka. Start out at 5mls a day, after the 4th day, jump to 10mls a day. After a fe days worth of water changes, the nitrates should start coming down. After water changes and dosing, you should be able to get a handle on those Nitrates. I'd stay dosing 10-15mls a day until you know that they aren't creeping back up.
OP
OP
kkgaskin90
Well-Known Member
Three different test kits now all read it at the highest level
OP
OP
kkgaskin90
Well-Known Member
Thank you all! I have passed on the info and she said "won't that put them in shock?!" I told her with nitrates that high they are already in shock.
She thinks the original cause was an anemone dying (that's when things started looking angry) but unsure as she doesn't test or do her own water changes.
I'm not sure about phosphates... API read 0.25 but that's API
She thinks the original cause was an anemone dying (that's when things started looking angry) but unsure as she doesn't test or do her own water changes.
I'm not sure about phosphates... API read 0.25 but that's API
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
Does the tank have a refugium with macro algae or an algae truf scrubber?
In a system balanced out and stabilized by algae, high nitrates (although usually not 160ppm) could simply be a sign the algae is consume ammonia instead of nitrates for nitrogen. Which is actually a good thing.
Additionally the api nitrate test kit reads just different shades of red from 60 through the max of 160ppm. So it is very difficult to tell the difference.
To me the best thing to do would be reduce feedings, add some macro algae like cheatomorphia and let the system "heal".
my .02
In a system balanced out and stabilized by algae, high nitrates (although usually not 160ppm) could simply be a sign the algae is consume ammonia instead of nitrates for nitrogen. Which is actually a good thing.
Additionally the api nitrate test kit reads just different shades of red from 60 through the max of 160ppm. So it is very difficult to tell the difference.
To me the best thing to do would be reduce feedings, add some macro algae like cheatomorphia and let the system "heal".
my .02
