high nitrates in source water.

[DBUK]

hi my tank is in its 2 weeks of cycling, tested everything and ive got high nitrates but a friend said test your source water. which i did and that is high also. so im confused is the high ntirates from source or from the process of cycling?? i have 3 hitchikers on my live rock which i got mixed with my dry rock.
and they seem to be ok.

any advice here would be good thanks

 

[Brew12]

hi my tank is in its 2 weeks of cycling, tested everything and ive got high nitrates but a friend said test your source water. which i did and that is high also. so im confused is the high ntirates from source or from the process of cycling?? i have 3 hitchikers on my live rock which i got mixed with my dry rock.
and they seem to be ok.

any advice here would be good thanks

When you say "high", what levels are you talking about?

And have you tested both for nitrites, also?

 

[DBUK]

from today test in tank.
phos - 0.5
ammonia 0.2
nitrates - 50ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
ph - 8.2

Sourse water is over 50ppm, the colour was not on the colour chart, was alot darker than the colour chart. highest on chart is 50ppm

 

[Brew12]

from today test in tank.
phos - 0.5
ammonia 0.2
nitrates - 50ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
ph - 8.2

Sourse water is over 50ppm, the colour was not on the colour chart, was alot darker than the colour chart. highest on chart is 50ppm

Wow. The federal limit for NO3 in drinking water is 10ppm

Do you have city water or a well?

 

[medicw131]

Best advice you can get: Bite the bullet and get an RODI system. It'll pay dividends in the long run!

 

[ihavecrabs]

Best advice you can get: Bite the bullet and get an RODI system. It'll pay dividends in the long run!

I second this..

 

[Brew12]

I second this..

I don't disagree.

However if the water is actually that high and people are drinking it, that could cause health problems. Some things are more important than reefing. For instance, one of the first signs a persons septic system is leaking into their well water is high nitrates.

 

[DBUK]

the saltwater i made is through a RODI. unit. and the source water i tested is right from the tap.. just remember im in UK and is city water as im just outside london

 

[DBUK]

and brew12 i agree, im thinking of contacting someone about it.

 

[Brew12]

the saltwater i made is through a RODI. unit. and the source water i tested is right from the tap.. just remember im in UK

In the UK the legal limit is 50ppm so if your source water is over that it is still a problem.

 

[ihavecrabs]

the saltwater i made is through a RODI. unit. and the source water i tested is right from the tap.. just remember im in UK

In that case, test your fresh RODI water. There should be 0 nitrates

 

[Brew12]

Ok, back to the less important stuff....

What did you add as an ammonia source to start your cycle?

 

[DBUK]

ok i test my RODI water. thanks for all advice. i think im going to have to contact thames water who supply the water.

 

[DBUK]

test RODI water and its coming back at 20ppm and spoke to water board they are going to look into it.

but is there something now knowing its my source water is there something i can get to lower the nitrates?

 

[Brew12]

test RODI water and its coming back at 20ppm and spoke to water board they are going to look into it.

but is there something now knowing its my source water is there something i can get to lower the nitrates?

A typical RODI system, in good working order, should remove over 90%, and up to 98%, of the nitrates in the water.

 

[DBUK]

brew i didnt add anyting to start it. as i cured the dry and live rock for 8 weeks, i was told i wont get much of a cycle so i didnt bother with the shrimp as that what i was going to use

i have a 5 stage RODI unit and its new. the filters dont need changing yet limit is something like 3000 Litres or 6 months which comes first. so if the nitrates are 20ppm from RODI water then its got to be a hell of alot higher going into the unit ??

 

[Brew12]

brew i didnt add anyting to start it. as i cured the dry and live rock for 8 weeks, i was told i wont get much of a cycle so i didnt bother with the shrimp as that what i was going to use

i have a 5 stage RODI unit and its new. the filters dont need changing yet limit is something like 3000 Litres or 6 months which comes first. so if the nitrates are 20ppm from RODI water then its got to be a hell of alot higher going into the unit ??

Since you started with live rock and also cured the dry rock with it, you won't get a cycle. I feel you can safely start stocking your tank.

What pressure does your RODI system run at? I can't imagine your source water is high enough to allow that much through. That would be scary.

I'd say there is a chance you have a bad test kit. Do you have a LFS you can take a water sample to for testing?

 

[DBUK]

Rodi unit runs at 50. and im using the red sea marine care muti test kit. and yes i have contacted the makers of the RODI unit to ask them for advice also. and yes i can take the water to the same place i got all my rock. hes really good. he can test it for me

 

[Brew12]

Rodi unit runs at 50. and im using the red sea marine care muti test kit. and yes i have contacted the makers of the RODI unit to ask them for advice also. and yes i can take the water to the same place i got all my rock. hes really good. he can test it for me

One option for you is to get a booster pump. RODI systems I am familiar with work better and more efficiently between 80psi and 90psi. If you pay much for water, these booster pumps can pay for themselves in a year or two.

Most fish won't have an issue with 50ppm NO3 but some inverts will. Just be careful with stocking until you get this figured out.

 

[DBUK]

ok i look into these booster pumps now. and yes i wont add anything till i get to the bottom of this. thanks for all your advice Brew.