How much water change is too much?

Saisori · Jul 15, 2019

Hey all, been battling high nitrate for awhile. I believe I'm around 80PPM. I've been doing water changes every week. This does not seem to do anything to the nitrate. I have a 130G tank and do about 25G water change. That about 20%.

There appears to be nothing dead in the tank. And I feed only once a day when I'm off work. Food gone usually in seconds. Just a pinch of flakes.

I have torches that are thriving and zoa that open up but have not propagated. Lots of Acros that show no sign of growth or deterioration.

How much water change would be too much? I would like to try to stabilize the nitrate to something more realistic.

KTTX · Jul 15, 2019

Saisori said:
Hey all, been battling high nitrate for awhile. I believe I'm around 80PPM. I've been doing water changes every week. This does not seem to do anything to the nitrate. I have a 130G tank and do about 25G water change. That about 20%.

There appears to be nothing dead in the tank. And I feed only once a day when I'm off work. Food gone usually in seconds. Just a pinch of flakes.

I have torches that are thriving and zoa that open up but have not propagated. Lots of Acros that show no sign of growth or deterioration.

How much water change would be too much? I would like to try to stabilize the nitrate to something more realistic.

Red Sea NoPox works wonders. Just dose as recommended on instructions. Its helps to regulate Nitrate and phosphate.

Saisori · Jul 15, 2019

KTipp said:
Red Sea NoPox works wonders. Just dose as recommended on instructions. Its helps to regulate Nitrate and phosphate.

I've tried in the past, but the issue is the water become very cloudy. That the only thing I dont like about it.

bluprntguy · Jul 15, 2019

If you match parameters, then you could theoretically swap 100% of the water. The problem is keeping corals and fish wet while doing it. Many nano tank/pico tank owners do 100% waterchanges on their smaller systems.

Rjukan · Jul 15, 2019

Hi. How old is your tank? Approx how much LR? Do you have a sump, and when was the last time you siphoned it out?

If the tank is established I've read that you can do upwards of 90% water changed with no ill effect as long as the water temp and parameters are the same

Potatohead · Jul 15, 2019

Have you verified your nitrate level with a second test kit?

KTTX · Jul 15, 2019

You will need to figure out what is causing this issue too as it will come right back.

Old Fritz · Jul 15, 2019

There is a lot of beneficial bacteria in the substrate so i never let my siphon sit in the sand or crushed coral after im done getting all the waste out of the bed just so I don't do anymore damage than I have to do. I have consistently done water changes of 80% on one of my tanks with no ill effects. As people have said in theory you could do 100 percent you just need to keep the substrate, rocks, fish, and corals wet.

ZoWhat · Jul 15, 2019

NoPox is actually:
1 part 5% vinegar (acetate)
1/2 part 80proof vodka (ethanol)
1 part RODI water

Many ppl are DIYing their own NoPox

Sorry Red Sea

Saisori · Jul 15, 2019

Rjukan said:
Hi. How old is your tank? Approx how much LR? Do you have a sump, and when was the last time you siphoned it out?

If the tank is established I've read that you can do upwards of 90% water changed with no ill effect as long as the water temp and parameters are the same

Tank is 2 year old. I siphon the substrate everytime I do water changes.

Saisori · Jul 15, 2019

Potatohead said:
Have you verified your nitrate level with a second test kit?

Yes I have 3 test kits. 2 from red sea and a third from salifert

Saisori · Jul 15, 2019

KTipp said:
You will need to figure out what is causing this issue too as it will come right back.

Yet to figure this part out.

Ike · Jul 15, 2019

What skimmer on what size tank? What kind of fish load?

tqpolo · Jul 15, 2019

My nitrate went from 37 to 5 in 2 weeks. Here's what I did.

- Removed most of my sands. Went semi bare bottom.
- Added 1 Brightwell xport
- Cleaned my sump and removed all detritus
- Started Nopox, half dose first week

Saisori · Jul 17, 2019

Ike said:
What skimmer on what size tank? What kind of fish load?

Deltec 1155.

2 Clown, 1 tank, 2 goby. Tank is 130G as mention in OP.

Saisori · Jul 17, 2019

tqpolo said:
My nitrate went from 37 to 5 in 2 weeks. Here's what I did.

- Removed most of my sands. Went semi bare bottom.
- Added 1 Brightwell xport
- Cleaned my sump and removed all detritus
- Started Nopox, half dose first week

Not sure if I can remove the sand. What I have in there is about 1/2 inch.
I have a marine pure block in the sump.
I've actually start dosing nopox as a lot have recommend.

Saisori · Jul 17, 2019

I purchased some bio media and brightwell micro. I'll see it this helps. I might put some more live rock back into the sump.

Skynyrd Fish · Jul 17, 2019

Clan you sump. This has helped me in the past.

PatW · Jul 17, 2019

The best way to reduce nitrate might just be macroalgae in your sump. BRS has some good videos on the subject.

TeresaRN · Jul 18, 2019

KTipp said:
Red Sea NoPox works wonders. Just dose as recommended on instructions. Its helps to regulate Nitrate and phosphate.

I agree with KTipp, no pox works wonders. One time I thought the tank was failing. I checked it out and my bubble magnus tubing that doses the nopox was disconnected. Your experience of water being cloudy maybe the stuff was working? Did you dose it slowly?