High nitrates

bobbyg04 · Dec 22, 2016

So I posted about a day or two ago how I was dealing with low nitrates. I knew for sure something was weird based of the results I was getting from my results from the ammonia and nitrite tests. I corrected the mistake I was making and the result I got for the nitrates are at 80 ppm. Right now my tank is still cycling and I've been cycling with ammonia. As of now..

Ammonia is at 0ppm

Nitrites are at about .50 ppm

And my nitrates are at 80 ppm

What would be the best way to go about lowering those nitrates? And should I wait until the nitrates go down before I add more ammonia? As of now it's taking me about 2 days for my ammonia and nitrates to completely drop.

Tyreef2016 · Dec 22, 2016

Just take it slow man, let it cycle. this is the part you deff don't wanna rush or mess up. let the Nitrite get to 0 and wait for you nitrate to start dropping to around 40-50ppm this is when you know your cycle is nearing the end. You can perform a water change shortly after and test nitrate again.

Also stop the ammonia or it will just keep cycling. You just wanted the ammonia to start the cycle.

bobbyg04 · Dec 22, 2016

Tyreef2016 said:
Just take it slow man, let it cycle. this is the part you deff don't wanna rush or mess up. let the Nitrite get to 0 and wait for you nitrate to start dropping to around 40-50ppm this is when you know your cycle is nearing the end. You can perform a water change shortly after and test nitrate again.

Also stop the ammonia or it will just keep cycling. You just wanted the ammonia to start the cycle.

Thanks! And will do. Is there a specific thing I should be looking for to know when the cycle is completed it's process ?

Tyreef2016 · Dec 22, 2016

basically it goes ammonia>nitrite>nitrate. when 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite you Nitrate will begin to drop. once you see it rapidly dropping do a water change and try brining nitrate to 0. (in short, when you reach 0 amm-nitrite-nitrate)this is Technically the end of your cycle. Although are tanks are still young and have a few other ugly phases ahead you are good to add you cleanup crew now.

also adding to many fish to fast can create a new cycle so add slowly.

Nathan0369 · Dec 22, 2016

And then your algae bloom begins.

recess62 · Dec 22, 2016

Your nitrates will not drop substantially without a means of nutrient export. Denitrifying bacteria live in an anaerobic environment and take months to populate your LR and sand. If you have seen an ammonia spike followed by a nitrite spike followed by a decrease in ammonia and nitrite to 0 while seeing a rise in your nitrate then you are cycled. Once ammonia and nitrite are 0 do a 50% wayerchange and add your CUC

We tend to think about these tanks as cycling once. In fact it is a continuous cycle. Your livestock will continually produce ammonia as a result of protein metabolism. Ammonia will continuously be converted to nitrate and then nitrite. Removing the nitrate from your tank by some means is your goal. The simplest way is by water changes

beaslbob · Dec 22, 2016

with no nitrate consumers (low oxygen bacteria or algae) nitrates will rise to whatever level is supported by your water changes. If you say have 15 ppm increase between water changes and change out 10% of the water with 0 nitrate water, nitrates will wind up at 15ppm/(1/10) or 150ppm nitrates just before a water change.

I like using macro alage to keep nitrates down. With sufficient algae nitrates will be 0 regardless of the water schedule. Plus the algae also consume ammonia (if available) and co2 and returns fish food and oxygen.

my .02

bobbyg04 · Dec 22, 2016

beaslbob said:
with no nitrate consumers (low oxygen bacteria or algae) nitrates will rise to whatever level is supported by your water changes. If you say have 15 ppm increase between water changes and change out 10% of the water with 0 nitrate water, nitrates will wind up at 15ppm/(1/10) or 150ppm nitrates just before a water change.

I like using macro alage to keep nitrates down. With sufficient algae nitrates will be 0 regardless of the water schedule. Plus the algae also consume ammonia (if available) and co2 and returns fish food and oxygen.

my .02

I'm pretty new to this and thanks for the advice! I have a 30 gallon biocube, how much macro algae is suggested for something that size?

recess62 · Dec 22, 2016

I have a biocube 30. I grow chaeto in the middle chamber. If you do this you will need a grow light

bobbyg04 · Dec 22, 2016

recess62 said:
I have a biocube 30. I grow chaeto in the middle chamber. If you do this you will need a grow light

I have my heater and skimmer in the 1st chamber my filter pad on top of the bio balls in the middle chamber and nothing in the 3rd chamber. Would I still be able to use the macro algae in another spot?

Tyreef2016 · Dec 22, 2016

Look up Bio cube mods. there is a lot you can do if you choose to go that route. you'd end up removing bio balls, adding a media basket and then you have room for cheato etc...

bobbyg04 · Dec 22, 2016

Tyreef2016 said:
Look up Bio cube mods. there is a lot you can do if you choose to go that route. you'd end up removing bio balls, adding a media basket and then you have room for cheato etc...

I actually have the media basket in with the bio balls in it. Would I just end up taking the balls out the the macro algae in it?

Tyreef2016 · Dec 22, 2016

Yes. would also do this sooner then later so the bio ball removal doesn't affect anything.

Also both methods work great. really what you want. I have the media basket and live rock in my second chamber at the moment.

bobbyg04 · Dec 22, 2016

Tyreef2016 said:
Yes. would also do this sooner then later so the bio ball removal doesn't affect anything.

Also both methods work great. really what you want. I have the media basket and live rock in my second chamber at the moment.

Sounds good and just to have a couple options, are there any filter medias that work well to remove nitrates or just the algae?

Tyreef2016 · Dec 22, 2016

I've ran Chemi pure elite. Purigen also has Phosguard? i think that you can use with the chemi-pure elite.

bobbyg04 · Dec 22, 2016

Thanks guys! Very much appreciated

kyleflahardy · Dec 23, 2016

I had this problem and I fought with high nitrates for weeks. Wasted a lot of money and time trying to lower them. I tried everything you can imagine. I had just bought the test kit a month ago so I thought that it hasn't gone bad (or so I thought) one day I brought my water to the store and they tested it and the results showed my nitrates were not an issue. The test was broken. It worked for a few weeks but then went bad. Although this is very isn't too likely don't write this off as not possible. It happened to me, make sure it's not your problem.

audikers · Dec 23, 2016

I have a small 5 gallon tank. I was i think close to the cycle finally being over, and then had to emergency dump a couple of emerald crabs in the tank so i could get them out of my DT because they were eating my corals. Would this have caused my nitrates to go back up again? maybe started another cycle since it wasnt completed yet>? because we checked the levels again and the levels were Super High again.

will this tank ever stabilize?