high nitrates

foxhuntr · Apr 1, 2015

Will high nitrates cause STN in Sps corals ? Also how to drop nitrates quickly and safely ? Heard about dose sugar or vodka....even a some kind of water changing procedure .....what does everyone think?

Acameron2 · Apr 1, 2015

When my nitrates spike instead of a weekly water change I change small amounts daily

Bulldog Bob · Apr 1, 2015

Algae

To take care of your nitrate problem build yourself a algae scrubber. It took care of my nitrate problem has been running '0' for quite some time. On how to build go to you tube type in algae scrubber. Good luck

foxhuntr · Apr 1, 2015

I dont have room for a scrubber

beaslbob · Apr 1, 2015

Without any macro algae or an algae turf scrubber you're going to have nitrates. You need to have some method of consuming the nitrates instead of exporting them through water changes.
The dosing can help but using algae not only consume nitrates but co2 as well while returning fish food and oxygen.
All you need is some small area to partition your tank with or to use a refugium in your stand.
If you already have enough algae (corraline) on your live rock then nitrates can actually be a sign of a stable tank as algae will consume ammonia over nitrates should ammonia bump up.
my .02

foxhuntr · Apr 1, 2015

I already have a good sized fuge wirh lots of cheato......i havw been having trouble with mt SPS Rtning and thats the only thing i can think of that could do it is high nitrates......am i thinking right that high nitrates cause RTN ?.....my reading is about 40ppm on my nitrates

mike007 · Apr 1, 2015

Carbon dosing whether Its vinegar or vodka will help. But you have to find out why you are having excess nutrients which are causing this issue. Most of the time it is caused by overfeeding the tank. Water changes will help reduce the nitrates but they will keep increasing if you don't find the cause. What are your other parameters.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2015

foxhuntr said:
Will high nitrates cause STN in Sps corals ? Also how to drop nitrates quickly and safely ? Heard about dose sugar or vodka....even a some kind of water changing procedure .....what does everyone think?

Have you experienced STN?
How high is your nitrate?

There are many ways to reduce nitrate, and I use several of them at the same time (organic carbon dosing, skimming, growing macroalgae, water changes, etc.). I discuss them all here:

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION

foxhuntr · Apr 2, 2015

Yes i am experiencing STN right now.....
I know why i ended up with high nitrates and i am kinda ashamed to say buy it was from being lazy......i was changing my water enough.....so i know the cause . I just need to get rid of the nitrates and stop being so lazy .....LOL....all my other parameters are good
Calcium-420
Mag-1410
Alk-9
Phos-.05
Nitrate-40
Salinity-1.027
Ph-8.2

truetricia · Apr 2, 2015

I'd do multiple water changes over the course of the week. Add some carbon in a bag. Add some vodka. You need to get those down to save your corals

foxhuntr · Apr 2, 2015

I already run carbon...i have read in alot of articles that water changes dont really do anything for nitrates only keeps the level steady and the only corals it seems to be affecting is a few of my SPS's.....they are STN ing.......was thinking maybe vacuming my sandbed...each water change iblow off all my rock with a MJ1200 and a hose then i do a water change.....so it has to be coming from my sandbed so maybe a one time vacuum will do the trick of knocking my nitrate level down.

truetricia · Apr 2, 2015

Water changes definitely lower nitrates. But if you don't remedy the reason why they got high in the first place, then yes, it won't do anything. Which is why everyone asked you. But if you want to save your corals, like your SPS, do everything. Do a water change. Sand bed vacuuming is always good. Add some carbon dosing like vinegar.

foxhuntr · Apr 2, 2015

I think i am gonna start the vinegar doseing......and also gonna try vacuuming my sandbed alittle at a time right before a water change.....thank you everyone for the help

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2015

foxhuntr said:
Yes i am experiencing STN right now.....
I know why i ended up with high nitrates and i am kinda ashamed to say buy it was from being lazy......i was changing my water enough.....so i know the cause . I just need to get rid of the nitrates and stop being so lazy .....LOL....all my other parameters are good
Calcium-420
Mag-1410
Alk-9
Phos-.05
Nitrate-40
Salinity-1.027
Ph-8.2

FWIW, water changes are not usually the best way to keep nitrate adequately low.

calistyle · Apr 2, 2015

I had high (over 50ppm) nitrates and used vinegar method from one of Randy's articles. I did 2 25G water changes over a months time and for my 120G (w/30G sump) I was dosing 20ml daily for a week and got up to 40ml for a few more weeks.

I'm down to under 5ppm no3 now.

truetricia · Apr 2, 2015

Hopefully you can get them down. Good luck!

Bulldog Bob · Apr 2, 2015

If you do not have room in your sump you could always get a plastic container and put one outside. The scrubber does not have to be that big. 6 inch by 6 will do with a light. With water running down a mesh screen. With in weeks your nitrates will be lower. I did mine and it only costs 10 dollars for the whole thing.

beaslbob · Apr 3, 2015

foxhuntr said:
I already have a good sized fuge wirh lots of cheato......i havw been having trouble with mt SPS Rtning and thats the only thing i can think of that could do it is high nitrates......am i thinking right that high nitrates cause RTN ?.....my reading is about 40ppm on my nitrates

the your nitrates could be because your chaeto is consuming ammonia instead of nitrates. Which could be a temporary situation as the tank matures.
What do you consider high nitrates?