High nitrates

[Chad Jones]

Hello all. I'm new to reef2reef so go easy on me. My nitrates have always been high in my tank but I wanted to know if maybe I was doing something wrong.

My livestock includes: 2 blue damsels, 1 jeweled damsel, 1 flame hawk, 1 regal tang, 1 tomato clown, 2 ocellaris, 1 black trigger fish, 1 lawnmower blenny, 3 cleaner shrimp, and a zebra eel about 3 feet long.

I feed my fish a cube of spirulina brine shrimp daily. I feed slowly to make sure they eat it all. And I feed my eel 31/35 shrimp cut into pieces daily. It eats somewhere between half a shrimp to a whole shrimp. I do water changes weekly. I change 10 to 20 gallons.

Am I feeding too much? What's the best time to test my water? Do I need to change more water? Do I have too much livestock? Just wondering the reason for the high nitrates. Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[mta_morrow]

Hi Chad and #welcome to R2R.

A couple quick questions to get started.

How many gallons is your tank, and total system?

Is it FOWLR or a reef tank?

 

[Chad Jones]

Sorry, thought I added that info. Still making profile.

Tank info:
Size - 95G
Lighting - Hydra 26
Heat - 2 Jager 300w (room gets quite cold)
Flow - Jeabo ow-40 and ow-25
Reef octo 110
Media reactor
Custom sump

Fish only tank.

 

[mta_morrow]

Ok, thanks!

First, since it’s not a reef, Hugh nitrates are not a real issues.

What test kit do you use and what are you readings for nitrates?

 

[Dan_P]

Hello all. I'm new to reef2reef so go easy on me. My nitrates have always been high in my tank but I wanted to know if maybe I was doing something wrong.

My livestock includes: 2 blue damsels, 1 jeweled damsel, 1 flame hawk, 1 regal tang, 1 tomato clown, 2 ocellaris, 1 black trigger fish, 1 lawnmower blenny, 3 cleaner shrimp, and a zebra eel about 3 feet long.

I feed my fish a cube of spirulina brine shrimp daily. I feed slowly to make sure they eat it all. And I feed my eel 31/35 shrimp cut into pieces daily. It eats somewhere between half a shrimp to a whole shrimp. I do water changes weekly. I change 10 to 20 gallons.

Am I feeding too much? What's the best time to test my water? Do I need to change more water? Do I have too much livestock? Just wondering the reason for the high nitrates. Any feedback is appreciated.

The nitrates are coming from the food via fish releasing ammonia from their gills and fish waste being consumed by bacteria. You may not be overfeeding your fish but the system’s capacity for nitrate removal is probably overtaxed. You have some heavy eaters. You could try cutting back on food a bit but undernourished fish are not healthy fish.

If you have had high nitrates for weeks or months, your ystem may need help getting rid of nitrates. It might not be able to cure itself.

 

[Chad Jones]

I use an api marine test kit. The nitrates are 160ppm. Maybe even a little more.

 

[mta_morrow]

I’m really not sure what an unsafe nitrate level would be in a FOWLR so I’m going to ask to some help

#reefsquad

 

[Brett newell]

Api isnt the greatest test. Try a salifert or red sea.
Also test your phosphates and do you have a refugium?

 

[Chad Jones]

I'll get a red sea test kit. And I do not have a refugium.

 

[Dr. Reef Verified Sponsor]

well above 300 or more may start to effect fish but not at 160. Although there is something like nitrate poisoning which happens with steady climb in nitrate levels. That can occur as low as 35-50 ppm.
Now 20ppm and up will start to effect inverts and maybe even wipe them out over 50ppm.
I would do few 25% water changes and feed less.
Another alternative to reduce nitrates is to use equipment like sulfur denitrator or coil denitrator. Having a ruge with chaeto will help take up nitrates.

 

[joejoe1055-1]

If u don't have room for a fuge an algae scrubber or cheateo reactor could help. I would do more frequent water changes maybe skim wet as well.

 

[Chad Jones]

All this feedback is great. I appreciate it all. I've gotten a red sea test kit on the way.

 

[EmdeReef]

I Agree high nitrates are not a problem in a fowlr. If you have inverts sometimes they can become sluggish at high concentrations.

As suggested above a fuge would work probably pretty well in your case, if you want a simpler method you can try carbon dosing. Just start slow and test regularly.

 

[xTJxSLIMx]

I once had a high nitrate scare with api. Showing bright red 160ppm. Make sure you do what the instructions say exactly. I had forgotten to shake reagent bottle #2 and on my second test moments later after shaking it I got a reading of 20ppm. Even the 5min wait. Any longer and it continues to darken. I went with red sea on afew test kits and salifert on others. Both good options.

 

[xTJxSLIMx]

I once had a high nitrate scare with api. Showing bright red 160ppm. Make sure you do what the instructions say exactly. I had forgotten to shake reagent bottle #2 and on my second test moments later after shaking it I got a reading of 20ppm. Even the 5min wait. Any longer and it continues to darken. I went with red sea on afew test kits and salifert on others. Both good options.

I just pulled out my api kit to check my nitrates. First test I got 10 drops reagent #1 in and tipped the vial over. Woops... Second attempt going off of test instructions by memory got a reading of 40ppm. (I know its not that high) second test, pulled out the little book and followed along with the timer on my phone. I got 20ppm... kinda hit or miss unless you do the test exactly as described in the instructions. Good luck!

 

[Lasse]

Do not panic - I agree with others that if you really have 160 ppm - it still not a serve problem in a fish only. However - before you do anything - just confirm your readings with another test - as others have suggested.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[schooncw]

I am seeding 2 x 8"x 8"x 4" Marine Pure blocks right now and am going to put them in my sump tomorrow. Am hoping that the blocks, plus nopox will lower the nitrates on my heavily stocked and overfed mixed 120 gallon reef.

 

[schooncw]

Anyone have experience with Marine Pure?

 

[Chad Jones]

I have a red sea test kit coming in next week. I'll post the results when I get them. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[Chad Jones]

I just did my first test with the red sea test kit and I got 32 ppm. So all seems well. Just needed a better test kit. Thanks everyone for the feedback.